Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Dove 3D Box


Create for holiday decorating 
or to give as a unique gift box. 
Dimensional dove is built as "lid" and "base" insert. 
Wings dimension created from multiple layers 
plus accent graduated-offset overlays. 
Tail also has built-up side accents. 
Beak is constructed separately and then attached. 
Measures approx. 5.25" head to tail, 
4" bottom to tail tip, 2.125" across breast. 

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:
A center body/head
B right side body
C right side body
D tail     E tail l & r accents
F eye contrast underlays (l & r)
G beak     H base box
I wing l & r layers for build up
J wing bases (includes attachment tab)
K wing accent base build up
L-N 2 accent build up layers, top accent
2. Prepare the left and right side body shapes
by bending back on all tabs and perforation lines.
3. Prepare center body/head shape by bending
back on all perforation lines, except for final two
lines at the wider end, which should be 
bent forward.
4. Prepare the tail shape by bending back
on all tab and other perforation lines. 
5. Glue the left and right eye contrast underlay
shapes behind the eye cutout on corresponding
sections of the left and right body shapes.
6. Begin side panel construction by bending
the side front segment inward, allowing
the angled adjacent straight edge to overlay
the long tab, and glue in place.
Also overlap the lower straight edge over
the corresponding lower front tab, and
glue in place.
7. Begin to join the center body/head panel
to the right side assembly by lining up the segment
that includes the beak tab slot next to the eye segment,
overlapping the tab, adjusting to align the edges,
then glue in place.
Line up and attach the lower segment edge
to the lower side tab.
Continue the sequence by bending to allow
for positioning each
center segment straight edge along
the corresponding side edge tab
until all edges and tabs are attached.
8. Repeat the process of joining side and center
panels for the left side body panel, beginning at
eye edge and slot segment, following step 7.
Reach fingers inside body cavity to align
and apply pressure to the seams.
9. Wrap the back body segment to bring opposite
straight edge to overlap the tab, adjust
and attach in place.
10. Fold the body bottom flanges inward . . .
. . . and glue in place to create a bottom rim.
11. Position and attach the tail accent shapes
offset within the side panels.
12 Bend the tail center section down, bend side
panels down to overlap side edges over 
the center section tabs, and glue in place.
 Then . . . 
. . . bend the center end section into position
with the straight side edges overlapping
center tabs, and glue in place.
13. Bend tail opening tabs inward slightly,
then insert into the end body opening so that
the body straight edges overlap tail tabs.
Reach fingers inside body cavity to apply 
pressure to complete gluing of seams.
14. Prepare the beak shape by bending back
on all angled edges and side tab.
15. Form the beak into a pyramid shape to bring
the straight side edge overlap the opposite tab . . .
. . . and glue in place.
NOTE it will be helpful to insert a flat pointed tool
such as this fingernail file inside the beak
to provide a "press against" surface.
16. Position the beak over the front of body,
insert the lower tab into the body slot,
bend tab downward inside body,
and glue in place.
17. Apply glue along the beak rim 
on the underside, then bend beak into position
to press the beak edges against the body
until glued edges are securely in place.
18. Prepare the left and right wings by layering
and gluing the wing base shapes, one by one, 
taking care to line up edges as precisely as possible.
NOTE: Use a flat weight to help keep glued-up layers
flat and smooth, and to avoid warping and curling.
19. Prepare the bottom wing layers by bending
connection tab outward, then . . . 
. . . position each on the corresponding wing
build up back-to-back, and glue in place.
(Use weights as glue dries.)
20. Prepare the smaller inner wing build up
and accents by layering the whole base shapes
as with the main wing.
Also attach the three top accent layers in order
taking care to line up the cut edges of the
"vein" cutouts. NOTE that outer edges
of these shapes are slightly offset as shown
here with the contrast top accent layered onto
the next lower layer.
21. Position and attach the top accent layered unit
to the top of the upper buildup layers,
taking care to align outer cut edges
as precisely as possible.
22. Position and attach the upper accent wing
unit onto the base wing, with offset margin
around at edges.
23. Apply liberal amount of quick-grab glue
to the area of the wing's underside 
where it will touch body panel, then
position wing on corresponding side of body assembly, 
inserting wing tab into body hole . . .
. . . adjust wing positioning as desired
(NOTE that model has first scallop "valley"
aligned at tail upper edge), then bend tab back
inside body and glue in place.
Hold wing in place and apply pressure until
glue is dried and it is secure.
Repeat for second wing.
24. Prepare base box (insert) by bending back
on all perforation lines and tab lines.
25. Locate the 'F' cut into the tab that
shows which end of the box is the "front".
Bend the front, back and sides up into position,
overlap the straight edges to the tab perforation
lines, and glue in place to form an open-top box.
26. To complete the dove or close the box,
insert the box top ('F' front positioned correctly)
into the body bottom opening
(this is a snug fit), then . . .
. . . slide completely into position where
the base box bottom will be nearly flush
with body rim edges.
Here is the completed dimensional dove box,
as seen from the front . . .
. . . and from the side.


Cupid's Wing Pull Tab Card

Eight pop can pull tabs lend a steam punk feel, 
laced in place on heart overlay, 
atop Cupid wing base shape, 
two layered loopy fringe arcs. 
Opposite, two cog wheels with arrow 
(3D fletching shape plus heart point overlay) 
provide visual balance. 
(Shown here with extra "found" embellishments.)
Measures approx. 7.75" wide x 6.75" wide.

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:
A card front base      B card back base
C inside sentiment label
D card front accent (with lacing holes)
E wing/scroll base with individual feathers
F tall loop accent
G short loop accent
H scroll overlay
I large gear (3-4 layers)
J large gear stem circles (3)
K small gear (3-4 layers)
L large gear stem circles (7-11)
M arrow assembly (base 3 layers, heart tip,
fletching halves, fletching 3D)
Additional back shapes (top to bottom)
heart overlay
banner front
banner base
2. Prepare the wing shape (if using individual
feather shapes) by overlaying each feather
on matching base extension, taking care to
match up lacing punch holes
(here and throughout assembly where
layered shapes include the punches).
3. Position and attach the "ring" portion of the
tall loop accent to the wing assembly, then . . .
. . . position and attach the "ring" portion of the
short loop accent.
4. Position and attach the wing assembly
over the card front accent panel
so that overlapping surfaces of wing
and heart panel attach . . .
. . . taking care to match up the lacing punches
so that holes remain open.
5. Position and attach scroll shape over
the matching portion of the wing assembly.
6. Position and glue the pop can pull tabs
over the wing/loops assembly so that the
lacing punch holes are visible at the edges
of the inner openings.
(A quick-grab adhesive, such as the
Fabri-Tac glue shown here is recommended.
NOTE: aluminum tabs for this project
were dipped into dark wood stain,
allowed to dry, then sprayed front and back
with clear satin acrylic spray to protect coloring.)
This image shows in more detail
the positioning of the punch holes
around tab openings.
7. Prepare to lace the tab in place by cutting
a 27" twine or 6-ply floss onto a blunt tapestry
style needle. Begin by taping the end near
the top holes as shown.
8. Insert the anchored twine through the first
lower hole, and push through to the front.
Draw twine all the way through.
9. Insert needle in the hole across the tab
structure, push needle through, and draw twine
through to back completely.
10. More upward to insert the needle through
the outer hole, and draw through to front completely.
Insert needle in the next paired hole so that the
twine crosses the tab structure, and pull completely
through to the back.
11. Insert the needle and twine up through the next 
adjacent hole, then down through the paired
hole so that the twine will wrap over the two
tab structures. This is the lacing stitch that
will be repeated to wrap and secure adjacent
pairs of tabs, until all are laced in place.
12. Continue the lacing process until all tabs
are laced in place. At the final lower tab,
the twine "stitches" will wrap over the structure
of just the single tab, as shown in the first steps
of the lacing, steps 9 & 10.
13. Finish the last stitch with the needle and twine
drawn to the backside of the accent shape.
Trim the excess leaving approx. 1" tail, then . . .
. . . tape in place to secure.
14. Layer gears - large . . .
. . . and small - taking care
that all edges line up as precisely as possible,
and glue together. HINT: use heavy flat weights
to help keep the layered assemblies flat and
avoid curling or warping as glue dries.
Also layer and glue the multiple stem circles 
for each gear.
15. Position each stem on the backside of 
their respective gears (tallest stem on small gear)
with center openings aligned precisely,
and glue in place.
16. Add brads or mini studs to gears as desired,
then position and attach in place with brads
onto the card accent front assembly.
17. Position and attach the accent front over
the card front base with even offset at edges.
18. Prepare the dimensional fletching shape
by bending forward at perforation.
19. Layer and glue together the 3 arrow base shapes
to reinforce it and give it some dimension.
Position and attach the heart tip, half fletch
shapes over the arrow base. 
20. Position and glue just the fold edge of
the dimensional fletching in the space
between the half fletch shapes.
21. Position and attach the shaft of the arrow
as desired.
22. Position and attach the optional
interior sentiment label on the
inside (backside) of the back card base,
centered above bottom tip and below
fold perforation line.
23. Assemble the optional back banner shape by 
layering the top banner shape over the base, with
heart on top with holes aligned.
Add a decorative mini brad.
24. Position and attach the banner assembly
on the face side of the back card.
25. Position the upper "lobes" portion of
the back card over the corresponding portion
of the front card base on the backside,
and attach in place.
26. Prepare the optional back ribbon hanger shape
by bending back on center perforation line,
forward on outer perforation lines.
27. Glue the center portions together, then . . .
. . . position the center cut mark of the "top"
flange below the valley of the card back,
then adjust up/down to center between the
valley edge and the perforation line,
and glue flanges in place securely.
Attach a 20-24" length of ribbon to the hanger.
Here is the basic completed card.
If desired, add additional embellishments.
Shown here are two more gears, plus
a small key with ribbon tails.