CUTTING
First make a loose ‘bubble cut’ around each piece to release them. It is easier to rotate the smaller pieces by hand and cut precisely into the tabs. Any, inside cuts should also be done now.
SCORING AND FOLDING
After cutting out your pieces, you need to ‘score’ the fold lines. You can use any object that will crease the paper without tearing it. A dried out ball-point pen, or a silverware knife, will work. To get crisp folds, use a straight edge as a support. Sometimes fold-lines maybe hard to see. They usually run from tab to tab across a figure, or between a tab and the figures edge.
FIRST PIECES FIRST, HAND AND ARM AND OTHER INSERTS
When a figure has hands and arms, or other inserts, they should be assembled first.
Fold, score and glue the hand together. Then fold and score the arm. The tabs on the arm need to be folded toward the colored side of the arm. Insert the hand into the arm, glue them closed toether, leaving the tabs unglued for the moment.
Remember, that when you are standing with your arms stretched out towards your sides, your palms face forward and your thumbs point upwards.
On the each side of the torso, there will be slit lines that you will need to cut through. The arms will slip through and you can secure them firmly with double-sided tape or glue.
GLUING
Work at a slow, steady pace when gluing parts. Because paper is flexible, it is difficult to line up, hold and glue more than one seam at a time. Glue one seam. While it sets, move on to another part. Once you have one good solid seam, the others will come together more easily.
I use Elmers Glue-All. The Elmers School Glue is a little too watery and can actually cause the paper to stretch. Glue allows you a brief moment to adjust a mismatched seam. Double-sided tape is unforgiving. However, when you have a long side seam to connect the tape can be your friend. On long seams, the moisture from the glue can cause the seam to buckle.
FINISHING THE FOLD LINES
To make your project look nicer, you can touch-up the thin white line that appears along the folds edges by carefully running a gray marker slowly and carefully along them. I skipped this step, and it shows.
After your paper toy is assembled, it can be sealed with several light, thin coats of a clear matte spray paint.
Take your time and enjoy the project.