How to Make Japanese Papercraft Boxes
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Kits for Japanese boxes like these are often given in Japan as gifts to foreign vistors. Here in the states, you can sometimes find the kits in stationery stores starting at about $6, for example here and here. Alternately, you can make one yourself-- no kit required. You can use paper, paperboard and tissue you probably already have on hand to make a box that will be the shape you want, not one of the three or four readily available designs. These instructions will take you through the steps of making a business card display box, but the techniques are general and can be used for any shape that you like. |
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Materials needed: black tissue paper, decorative paper (such as Japanese washi), paperboard, tape and glue. Essential tools: scissors and ruler. Helpful tools: rotary cutter, hobby knife, cutting mat, quilting ruler, and letter opener or bone folder (for burnishing and scoring). Not shown but also helpful: clothes pins, assorted paper clips or other small clamps.
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| The first step is to plan and cut out the structural elements. I've designed a template of the shapes used for this business card display box, which you can download here (46 kB PDF File). Naturally, if you're designing a different shape of box, you'll want to lay out a different set of shapes at this stage.
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Tack your paperboard pieces together with tape, and then wrap with tissue paper. Tack the tissue down with tape in a location that will be covered by the decorative paper or by another layer of paperboard. Fold the tissue neatly over the corners (you can use a letter opener to press it into the creases). Loosen the tissue paper enough to smear a thin layer of glue under the edge on the inside of the box, then smooth the tissue paper back down onto the glue. I used my finger to apply the glue, but you can use a cotton swab, toothpick, or whatever is handy.
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