Mario papercraft test build #1 !

And so Mario's first test build is a fact! ;o)

My test builds are always quite "quick 'n' dirty", but it's enough to see what it will look like when finished, and which parts prove troublesome and need to be changed.

I'm pretty happy with the basic shape of Mario's body and how it came together, but I do plan on changing some things a bit, most notably the shoes. ;o)

Next on the list to be test built is Mario's head, stay tuned!

Unfolding Mario's head & hat

Just like with the shoes, after having unfolded Mario's head, I'm already thinking of changing it a bit, especially around the cheeks and the upperlip; those shapes just don't look very logical the way they are now.

At first glance, Mario's hat will be okay, I think (although you can't really be sure until after testbuilding it of course ;o)

So now I only have to unfold Mario's hands yet (because they're so similar, I'm only going to test build one of them, though ;o) and then I can actually start test building the parts this weekend!

Stay tuned!

Paper(craft) Mario's body unfold

As you can see, I don't think Paper(craft) Mario will have many parts; the shapes that he's made from are pretty basic. ;o)

I haven't really started test building yet; I think I'll unfold all the separate parts first so I can test build them all in one go.

Mario's body looks okay so far I think, although I might still change the pose of his legs and feet a bit if needed of course. ;o)

Stay tuned!

976-SHOE

While I was unfolding Mario's shoes, I already got the idea to change them, making the soles part of the shoes rather than separate pieces.

For this test build, though, I will keep them like this, so I can see whether or not the pose is okay; if it's not, it would mean I'd have to change the shoes twice... ;o)

Stay tuned!

Paper(craft) Mario phase 2

Next step: unfolding the 3D model to do a test build!

Stay tuned! ;o)

Laboratory 424's paper Mario magnet board!

While I'm in a Mario mood:

The people at Laboratory 424 made a customizable papercraft Super Mario diorama using a D.I.Y. poster magnet board, a bunch of Cubeecrafts, magnets and their imagination:

See how they did it and how to create your own here: link

And it doesn't have to be Mario of course, the possibilities are literally endless!

Have fun crafting! ;o)

Hats off Mario! (well hats on, really...)

I didn't change a whole lot on Mario's hat, other than remove a thin rim around the visor, and the bit with the "M".

I'm not sure about giving the hat a closed bottom, or only a row of glueing tabs to glue it to the head, but a test build later on will undoubtedly reveal which method will work best for this model.

I also changed the texture for Mario's mouth, I think it's another one of those examples that shows that a very simple change can make a lot of difference!

Stay tuned!

Papercraft weight poll results + new poll!

This time, a hundred people voted on what kind of paper they like to use for papercrafting!

I was a bit surprised at how many people use the same, 180-200 gsm paper that I like to use, because usually, people tell me they use something a little thinner. ;o)

100-120 gsm seems to be a good runner up, but lots of people also seem to use regular printer paper, and although photo-/glossy paper may give a nice, shiny finish to your paper models, it doesn't seem to be very widely used amongst the people that voted...

You can still vote on the old polls if you haven't done so already, and if you did, here's a new question for you:

"What do you do with your paper models after making them?"

Don't hesitate to tell us a bit more about your choice in the comments!

Have fun voting!

Mario's head issues

Mario... doesn't really have a neck, so the usual way of attaching the head to the body isn't an option...

Instead, the head will glue directly to his shoulders. The white plane on top of his head will keep it into shape until you glue his trademark Mario hat on.

The white plane will have a hole so you will be able to reach inside; it's a simple but very effective way to make glueing it all together a lot faster and easier. ;o)

I'll also change the mouth texture so he'll have his mouth open like a happy, little paper Mario. ;o)

Stay tuned!

"Classic" Mario look

I really like the simple "classic" Mario colours (well, the real classic colours are red overalls on a blue shirt of course... ;o) as opposed to the new, more realistic denim look.

Still, to make Mario look even more "classic", he really needed to hike up his overalls a little higher, and to pull his sleeves down.

They're small changes, but I think they're worth it!

Stay tuned!

The Mario "Jump"

There's only one classic Mario pose of course, jumping in the air with his fist held high!

But for a papercraft model, he can't be floating in air, so I'll make him stand on the tip of his shoe, with his other one in the air (hence the stand; this time I can't cheat a bit like I did with Majora's Mask's Postman ;o)

I often keep playing with the pose until the 3D model is done, though; on the computer, it's easy to adjust the pose, but once it's unfolded, it will take a lot more time to change it... ;o)

#100: Paper(craft) Mario

Ever since I started making papercraft models from videogames, people have been jokingly asking me:

"When are you gonna
make a Paper Mario?" ;o)

Well, what better one-hundredth model? ;o)

Stay tuned for more updates!