Model behaviour

Finding something to fill an hour or two probably isn’t much of an issue for most of us, with home schooling, and things to fix, fettle, or fine-tune. Lockdown, however, has sometimes meant spare time is unavoidable, sending us searching for something fun or entertaining … and preferably not too tricky.

Enter paper craft! Covering a multitude of areas, today, we focus on the print-and-make 3D variety; printable sheets containing patterns with cut, fold, and glue marks that can be formed into 1D, 2D, or 3D objects.These exquisitely designed creations have become quite a movement of late, and can fill time perfectly. We take a peek at just a few of the automotive models that have caught our eye recently, each of which can put you on the road to paper modelling nirvana!

With models to suit the absolute beginner and the extreme engineer alike, all interests, ages, and genders are catered for. Most models need just a few simple tools to make; a printer. cutting rule, craft knife or scissors, and glue or tape. You can supplement these with cutting mats, circle cutters, and maybe markers to customise your creations, should you get the buzz. To get an idea of how they 'work,' check out Loony Toons Crafts' YouTube video, below, taking you through crafting a Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 model. You can download the free template from a link on the video page:

First up, is papercruiser.com, created by paper artist Jesse. You’ll likely see Jesse’s models on a number of sites for auto clubs and groups, and he even creates bespoke templates for a fee. There are pages for Ford, International, Willys, and Toyota, among others, and Jesse offers some great free templates that you can download from the website. His YouTube channel has plenty of instructional videos to help you get to grips with the models. Free models include a wonderful VW Westfalia Vanagon (the star of this post's header pic), and a SpotMini, Boston Dynamics’ four-legged utility robot.

Give your creation a workout with these paper rocks, free from papercruiser.com

You’ll also find categories for Easy, Intermediate, and Advanced difficulty. The range is quite diverse, taking in everything from a Tesla Semi and Trailer, to a Willy’s Jeep woody, and even some boulders and a jerry can; there is a leaning towards more rugged vehicles and off-roaders, which suits us fine. If you’re feeling particularly brave, why not try your hand at a rolling model of a FJ55 Land Cruiser, or an open-top Jeep Rubicon?

papercruiser.com's homepage hints at the range of models he sells

When you consider the skill and work required to create the template designs, you'll be pleasantly surprised to discover that the most expensive is a mere $6.50 (£5). Models also come in a choice of colours - up to 20 on some. A bespoke model is quite a bit more expensive, but that's hardly surprising when you consider that a design can take up to 40 hours to create. Check out the papercruiser.com website and facebook page to see and buy these amazing creations.

PaperCraftSquare is our next stop, a site offering links to many paper craft models, from a huge range of sources, with a vast number of free models. Its Vehicle section alone has 400 pages, and you'll find aircraft, military vehicles, motorcycles, railway locomotives – even a Husqvarna Rider 316 Ts AWD Snow Removal machine. Non-vehicular models are just as diverse, ranging from an ancient Roman Villa, to a Star Wars moisture evaporator ('vaporator' for all the die-hard fans reading this … and, yes, there's a Millenium Falcon). 

Bugatti Type 35B in paper form

As you'd expect with so many templates, motorsport vehicles are in abundance, and you'll find F1 cars from every era, as well as rally, touring, and other disciplines. PaperCraftSquare is particularly good for finding models of old or obscure vehicles, as well as military and commercial rarities. 

A paper Valentino Rossi pilots a Yamaha YZR-R1 (also paper)

Last, but by no means least, we have a site that's both inspirational and fun, and guaranteed to get kids and adults crafting. Canon, the camera and printer manufacturer, created the Creative Park website to provide free craft activities for owners of its colour printers, and covers all manner of art and craft activities, with instructions for each. Its Paper Craft section is full of high-quality marvels of paper engineering, some of which feature working mechanisms. 

Every Creative Park model is expertly designed and comes with instructions

Its range of automobile models isn’t the largest, but it does boast three classic Jaguar models, an MG TC, and a wonderful Mercedes-Benz 500K. The site has too much to list here, and it really does cover everything; it even has paper costumes, models that help to teach the natural sciences, and educational and fun games and puzzles. Oh, and DINOSAURS!

Who could resist a paper T-Rex?

It's well worth taking a look around Creative Park, if only to wonder at the sheer range of items, and the ingenuity of its artists and designers. You'll also find projects for home and living, and, for the parents among you, there are dozens of fun and educational models, activities, and construct-your-own toys to keep them occupied and entertained, and group activities to include family and friends.

We asked a few Velocisti, which paper craft model they would choose to make … here's what they said:

Rod Grainger (Publisher)

Rod's choice is a Chevrolet Confederate Deluxe Sports Roadster, and Dr Who's TARDIS ("To get away from CV19")

Jude Brooks (Publisher)

Jude's choice is a Cockatiel (presently under construction!), and a Unicorn.

Geraldine Cetin (Marketing Co-ordinator)

Geraldine chooses the iconic (desktop-friendly Sagrada Familia, and an Exotic Shorthair. ("Because it looks like mine!")

Emma Shanes (Office Administrator)
Emma, who is always up for an art or craft challenge, decided to make her choices, and opted for the Statue of Liberty, and Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs.

Caught the paper crafting bug? Made your own paper masterpieces?

Share your crafty creations with us on twitter, facebook or instagram with the hashtag #papercraft.