Craft, in its literal sense, means the ability or skill of doing things with perfection. However, if we narrow down the meaning to treat it as a discipline, it would mean a conduit of human expression influenced by one’s surroundings.
A subject matter of craft is visually appealing. Paper is one of the media of displaying one’s creativity. Here are some easy ideas from art’s trivia to get engaged with:-
1. Origami Caterpillar
This art is of Japanese origin, which means paper folding. Let us take a look at making an easy peasy caterpillar. You will want green paper, red paper and some glue.
• Cut a rectangular piece of one-inch width and six inches in length for the body and a circle of one-inch diameter from green paper. You may cut a small tongue from red paper.
• Fold the elongated paper forwards and backwards in a zigzag motion and open it.
• Paste the tongue at the edge of the circle and mark eyes with a pen. Now, paste that to one end of the folded paper for the last touch. Voila! You have your caterpillar ready.
2. Paper Mache Bowl
Paper Mache is a medium made primarily from paper to form a clay-like binding substance that can be given a form. You will need some newspaper, water, glue, salt, chalk powder and some paint.
• Shred the newspaper and mix it with water. Leave it .overnight
• Mix the paper pulp with your hands to get a dough-like structure. Then, mix it with salt and glue.
• Squeeze out the excess water and mix it with some chalk powder if the consistency is very thin.
• Apply some pulp on the back of a glass bowl. Smoothen it out with water. Let it sit for six to seven hours. Once the pulp dries, it will come off the bowl. You may smoothen out the edges with sandpaper and paint it with your favourite colour to have a paper mache bowl.
3. Quilling Flower
Quilling is a technique where paper strips are folded in various shapes. For example, you will need red and green quilling paper and glue for making a flower.
• Fold the green quilling paper in a circular motion and paste the end with glue to circle.
• Next, fold the red paper in elongated motion round your two fingers and pinch the edges outwards to get the point. Repeat the same to make five petals.
• Paste the red ones around the green to have a flower.
4. Paper Cutting Face Mask
It is the easiest. You will need a coloured paper and a scissor.
• Draw a Mandala design on the paper
• Cut the design out with the help of a scissor and discard the excess paper.
5. Paper Model Hut
We all have done this in our classes. You will need cardboard, scissor, straw, and glue.
• Cut the cardboard with dimensions 10’’X 5”. Paste to form a cylinder.
• Cut a circle with a 10″ diameter and fold it in the shape of a cone. Paste some straw over it.
• Paste the cone on the top of the Cylinder to have your hut. Mark the door and windows with a marker.