Interactive Pop-up Books: Create a Paper World

Interactive pop-up books: create paper worlds

“We have reached the end of our interactive paper publishing course. I hope you enjoyed it and, above all, that it helps you to make your own books and portfolios. Now it's your turn to get down to work and create your interactive publication. You don't have to copy the same book that I made. Unleash your creativity and use the resources you have learned to create something unique and your own. Share pictures of all the stages of the process and accompany them with short explanatory texts. The path traveled is as important as the destination itself! Let's review the main aspects that we have covered during the course and the different steps that you will have to follow to carry out your final project. The first thing you should do is seek inspiration and plan your work. In the course I showed you the guide that I use for my projects. Inspiration can come to you in the most unexpected places. Observe your surroundings, take a notebook and draw or take note of everything that catches your attention.

Once you are clear about the concept you want to develop, you can get to work. In my case, I chose to create a invented Herbarium . I started with the first page, which I titled "Look." With her we begin this journey to the world of illusion in the hands of the plants and animals of the forest. On this page, I included two items, one that worked when the blade was opened and one that was optical. The side, which is activated by the central opening, positioned a tree slice as the main element of our story. Then we found a red magnifying glass and a tab in which we discovered, thanks to the red / blue optical effect, the hole that this tree had left when it died. We continue with the second page, "Sensitivity". On this occasion we enter the world of the senses. Through a central 3D mechanism, when opening the leaf a large carnivorous plant appears with which we must be careful so that it does not bite us. I also created a sensitive element of interaction: when caressed, the mimosa shudders like the real plant. Remember that mechanisms like the one in this mimosa work because the creases-folds are well marked. I have told you this throughout the course, but it is very important to fold well so that the paper does the game we are looking for. Then we delve into another fascinating topic: communication. On this third page, with the same name, we address the symbiotic relationship that is generated between plants and animals in their environment. In it we create various interaction elements. On the right, we have the queen of fraud: the orchid. This plant has the power to mimic itself to attract more insects than the rest and thus be pollinated before other species. On the left, a cocoon with a handle in which we discover a beautiful blue butterfly that can fly from our hands. In this case I used wire and rubber to create this free-standing element. On many occasions, the use of external elements greatly enriches our publications and much more if they can generate movement by themselves. As I told you from the beginning, the differentiating element is that it has a meaning and that part of our book can fly is precisely what makes it even more, an interactive publication. After this flight, we went on to create the fourth page, "The Dream of Plants." In this case, I created a twist side puller with one of Linnaeus' floral clocks. This botanist classified the time plants sleep, hence the name of the page. This side element has the peculiarity that it also turns, creating with it a very spectacular and versatile effect for our projects. On the other hand, we made an infinite book effect to simulate the arrival of night. With a simple paper die, this technique achieves a very attractive effect of depth. This element can also work perfectly as a single element. The fifth page is "Melody of light": when it was getting dark, one of the most extraordinary animals of the forest appeared, the firefly. To represent it, we made a 3D central axis opening mechanism with die-cut elements in the legs and in one of the central layers. When we open the wings of our firefly, we find a hole to introduce the light of the mobile with which to project the constellations and be able to return home following this melody of light. Once we had our sheets formed as a complete volume we went on to binding. It is for me the most important process. As our book had a very unbalanced spine, we made an eyebrow to supplement it. This system can be very useful when carrying out your projects. It makes it have more play and thus does not force the pages so much and you can integrate more uneven elements per page. We decided to bind in Dutch, with the cloth spine and paper covers to give it more of a field notebook look. Remember also that this type of binding is very useful for any of your projects. And at this point, we already had our book in our hands. It has been a path of light and life that has accompanied us. It's very important to me that you don't get frustrated. It may not all work out the first time, but you have me in the forum to help you and solve any doubts that arise and, above all, you have yourself to continue investigating. Error is the best way to learn and understand how things work. I am convinced that with what you have learned you will be able to carry out all kinds of interactive projects. The important thing for me is to give meaning to what you do and that with small details you can do very big things. See you on the forum! A big hug. ”

Partial transcription of the video

“Final Project We're at the end of this Domestika course. Before we say goodbye, let’s review everything we’ve learned. I told you about myself, and we looked at the projects that have influenced me. I explained the materials we needed for the project. I taught you to develop techniques that will be useful for other projects: transformational, visual, and structural effects. You joined me as I discussed how I find inspiration. Then we started on the first page of our invented herbarium. With this page, I taught you how to create a side pull-out and a red/blue optical effect. On the second pa...”

This transcript is automatically generated, so it may contain mistakes.

Course summary for: Interactive Pop-up Books: Create a Paper World

• Level: Beginner
• 97% positive reviews (335)
• 17055 students
• 4 units
• 21 lessons (4h 36m)
• 16 downloads

• Category

  Craft

• Areas

  Arts & Crafts, Bookbinding, Creating with Kids, Editorial Design, Paper Craft