PAPER CONSTRUCTION
PAPER CONSTRUCTION
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
Whatever may have been the true origin of the art of paper-making, it
is now lost in obscurity. It is almost certain that the earliest form
of paper was the papyrus of the Egyptians and that they were the first
to use it as a writing material. They manufactured it from the stem of
the papyrus plant, from which the name _paper_ comes.
It is also known that the Chinese were versed in this art before the
Christian Era, and that they made paper from the bark of various trees,
the soft part of bamboo stems, and cotton. In India and China the
practice of writing on dried palm and other leaves still obtains. It is
probable that the employment of these fibrous substances, together with
observation of the methods of paper-making wasps and other insects, led
to manufacturing by pulping the materials and spreading them out.
As the Chinese seem to have been the pioneers in so many great
inventions, so also they appear to have been the inventors of this art.
From the Chinese the Arabians learned, in the seventh century, the
craft of making paper from cotton, and they established a manufactory
at Samarcand in 706 A. D. Here the Moors learned the art, and through
them it was introduced into Spain. It is thought that the Moors used
flax and hemp in addition to cotton in their manufacture of paper. The
products of their mills are known to have been of a most superior
quality, but, with the decline of the Moors, paper-making passed into
less skilled hands, and the quality of the paper became inferior.
From Spain the art spread through the other countries of Europe, and as
factories were established further north, where cotton was not a
product nor easy to import, the necessity of substituting some other
material probably led to the introduction of linen rags; but when they
began to be used is uncertain. England was far behind the other
countries of Northern Europe in introducing the industry of
paper-making.
[Illustration: SCREEN--SIX-BY-NINE-INCH CONSTRUCTION PAPER]
In the United States to-day paper in all varieties is manufactured to
an enormous extent, and almost exclusively from vegetable matter. The
book and newspaper trades demand an untold quantity.
There are three great types--writing, printing, and wrapping paper.
Writing paper is made from rags and wood pulp. The staple for wrapping
paper is old rope, and in some cases jute. The best writing and
printing papers, however, are made from rags. From these as staples,
all other varieties are developed, and we have paper for every use to
which man can apply it.
Paper folding and modeling is not an ancient occupation, but a modern
device, yet to the child it has a utilitarian value not to be
overlooked. His nature demands that he be employed, and change of
occupation is conducive to his happiness. Nothing is quite so restful
to him as to do something with his hands; therefore, with his blocks he
builds a house, fences it around with his splints, and strews the
ground with imaginary trees and animals. He lives in this nursery play,
and in it he is happy.
When he enters school, should he have only books? No, his hands still
demand employment. He is now led to fashion from paper what he has
already made with his blocks and toys. He is occupied, he is
interested, and he is cultivating concentration and industrious habits.
Is this worth while?
Begin the lessons with a talk on the manufacture and uses of paper. By
a story, an association or the suggestion of a future use the child
should be made to feel that he is doing something worth while. This
will accentuate the interest and deepen the impression.
All models given may be increased or decreased in size if the
proportions are adhered to, but the dimensions stated are those
commonly used.
A MODEL LESSON
_Aim_--To construct a windmill or pin-wheel.
Each child should have a five-inch square, a slender stick five inches
long, a pin, a ruler, a pair of scissors, and a lead pencil.
The children are supposed to know that every piece of paper, laid in
position, has a back edge, a front edge, a right edge, a left edge, a
right-back corner, a left-back corner, a right-front corner, a
left-front corner, and that, in tracing, the forefinger of the right
hand is used.
Three questions after each direction will be sufficient. The questions
aim to have a complete statement in answer, and to develop an
unconsciously correct use of the verb. This may appear slow at first,
but soon the replies will come quickly and the answer will be correctly
given.
[Illustration: WINDMILL, A]
_Teacher_: "Children, lay your papers on your desk parallel with the
front edge of the desk.--John, where are you to lay your paper?"
_John_: "I am to lay my paper on my desk parallel with the front edge
of my desk."
_Teacher_: "Mary, where did you lay your paper?"
_Mary_: "I laid my paper on my desk parallel with the front edge of my
desk."
_Teacher_: "Willie, where has Mary laid her paper?"
_Willie_: "Mary has laid her paper on her desk, parallel with the front
edge of her desk."
_Teacher_: "Trace the back edge of your paper.--Anna, what are you to
do to your paper?"
_Anna_: "I am to trace the back edge of my paper."
_Teacher_: "Harry, what did you do to your paper?"
_Harry_: "I traced the back edge of my paper."
_Teacher_: "Jessie, what have you done to your paper?"
_Jessie_: "I have traced the back edge of my paper."
_Teacher_: "Each child place the forefinger on the right-back corner of
the paper.--Charles, what are you to do?"
_Charles_: "I am to place my forefinger on the right-back corner of my
paper."
_Teacher_: "Anna, what did you do?"
_Anna_: "I placed my forefinger on the right-back corner of my paper."
_Teacher_: "Laurence, what have you done?"
_Laurence_: "I have placed my forefinger on the right-back corner of my
paper."
_Teacher_: "Take your ruler and lay it across your paper from the
left-back corner to the right-front corner.--Margaret, what are you to
do?"
_Margaret_: "I am to lay my ruler on my paper from the left-back corner
to the right-front corner."
_Teacher_: "Draw a line connecting the left-back corner of your paper
with the right-front corner.--James, what did you draw?"
_James_: "I drew a line connecting the left-back corner of my paper
with the right-front corner."
_Teacher_: "Alice, what have you drawn?"
_Alice_: "I have drawn a line connecting the left-back corner of my
paper with the right-front corner."
Now have the children draw a line connecting the reverse diagonal
corners and proceed as follows:
_Teacher_: "Find the point where the lines cross. This is the center or
middle point of your paper.--Albert, what are you to find?"
_Albert_: "I am to find the point where the lines cross, which is the
center of my paper."
_Teacher_: "Measure one inch from this point on each of the four lines
and place a dot.--Sara, what did you measure?"
_Sara_: "I measured one inch from the center of my paper on each of the
four lines and placed a dot."
_Teacher_: "Lay your pencil and your ruler down. Place your paper on
your desk parallel with its front edge and lay your left hand on the
right-front corner. Turn the paper until this corner is directly in
front of you. Take your scissors and cut along the ruled line from the
corner to the point one inch from the center.
[Illustration: WINDMILL, B]
"Lay down your scissors. Turn your paper from right to left until the
next corner faces you. Cut. Move the paper from right to left again
until the third corner faces you. Cut. Bring the fourth corner to face
you. Cut. There are now eight points. Turn each alternate point to the
center, run the pin through all of them and fasten the wheel to the
stick."
_Final questions._
_Teacher_: "What did you make?"
_Pupil_: "I made a pin-wheel."
_Teacher_: "What have you made?"
_Pupil_: "I have made a pin-wheel."
_Teacher_: "What has Ellen made?"
_Pupil_: "Ellen has made a pin-wheel."
When older pupils have completed a model it is excellent practice to
have them write a full description of how it is made and the materials
used.
1 Windmill, or Pin-Wheel
_Material_--One piece of construction paper, 5×5 inches.
Stick, 5×1/4×1/4 inches. One pin. (See pages 28 and 30.)
Fold the square on the diagonals. Cut the diagonals to within one-half
inch of the center. Bend alternate corners over until the point of each
touches the center. Fasten the four points in the center by running the
pin through them and driving it into the stick.
2 Square Tray No. I
_Material_--Construction paper, 5×5 inches. (See page 32.)
Measure off one inch on four sides, and connect the points with a line
parallel to the edge of the paper. Score lightly each line. Cut out the
four corner squares. Turn up the sides, fasten the corners together
with raffia or cord, tying a small bow.
3 Square Tray No. II
_Material_--Construction paper, 5×5 inches. (See page 33.)
Fold and crease into sixteen small squares. Score lightly the four
lines nearest the outer edge. Draw one diagonal pointing toward the
center of each corner square. Next draw half of the diagonal extending
in the opposite direction. Fold the paper on the lines scored. Crease
the diagonals 1-2, making the crease extend to the inside of the tray,
and press until lines 1-4 and 1-3 meet. Now we have a triangle on the
inside of the tray. Fold this over on half-diagonal, No. 5, and press
to the side of the tray. This will fasten together firmly the corners
of the tray.
[Illustration: SQUARE TRAY No. I--(For description see page 31.)]
4 Square Box with Cover
_Materials_--Construction paper, 6×6 inches. (See page 34.)
Measure off from the outer edge two lines, one inch apart. Score these
lines. In each corner there are four one-inch squares. Cut off 1, 2,
and 3; then draw the diagonal of 4 pointing toward the center of the
paper. Crease and fold on these diagonals, extending the triangle
inward. Fold this triangle over to half its size; press to the inside
of the box. Edges 5-6, 5-7 will meet to form the corners of the box,
and cover flaps 8-9 will fall naturally into place. Result, box four
inches square, one inch deep, with folding cover.
5 Square or Rectangular Box
[Illustration: SQUARE TRAY No. II--(For description see page 31.)]
_Material_--Construction paper, 4×4 inches or 4×6 inches.
Measure off a margin one inch all around, and score. Cut as indicated
on page 35. Fold over the border to half its width, as 1 over to 2.
Bend up on line 2-3. When the edge is folded over a little tongue is
formed at each end. Slip this tongue under the fold of the adjacent
side, and it will fasten the sides of the box firmly together. A lid
may be made exactly as the box is made.
[Illustration: SQUARE BOX WITH COVER--(For description see page 32.)]
A beautiful Christmas box may be made of red paper, or gray decorated
with holly. Made of white paper, with a chicken (in yellow) painted on
the lid, it is appropriate for Easter.
[Illustration: SQUARE BOX--(For description see pages 33 and 34.)]
6 Pencil Box with Sliding Cover
_Material_--Construction paper: one 7-inch square; one
rectangle 4×9 inches. (See page 36.)
_Drawer._ Lay the rectangle on the desk with the nine-inch edge
parallel with the front edge of the desk. Draw a line one inch from the
back edge and parallel with it. Draw a line one inch from the front
edge and parallel with it. Draw a line one inch from the right edge and
parallel with it; and a line one inch from the left edge and parallel
with it. Score, bend and crease on these lines. Cut the lines on the
right and the left edges to where they intersect the lines on the back
and the front edges. Fold and glue. The laps are pasted on the inside
and give strength to the ends of the drawer.
[Illustration: PENCIL BOX WITH SLIDING COVER]
_Cover_ (seven-inch square). Measure off one and one-fourth inches, and
construct a line parallel to the back edge. Measure one inch and draw a
line parallel to this. Measure off two and one-sixteenth inches (shy)
and draw a third parallel line. Measure one inch again and draw a
fourth line parallel to the other three. Score and fold on these lines.
Lap the space at the back edge over the space at the front edge until
they form a rectangle two and one-sixteenth by seven inches in size, to
correspond with the opposite one, which is the top of the cover. Glue.
Slide in the drawer and the pencil box is completed.
7 Seed Box with Sections
_Material_--Construction paper: two rectangles 8×9 inches;
one rectangle 2×5-1/2 inches; one rectangle 2×4-1/2 inches.
(See page 38.)
Take one 8×9-inch rectangle for the body of the box and lay off a
two-inch space all around. Cut on dotted lines. Score and crease, fold
and glue. The laps are glued to the inside and each one turned to the
right. When the partitions are put in the laps mark where the ends go,
as well as brace the ends of them. Take the two rectangles, 2×4-1/2
inches and 2×5-1/2 inches, and draw a line one-half inch from each of
the two-inch edges. Score and crease. These form the laps for pasting
the partitions in. On these partitions turn all four laps to the right,
to coincide with the laps on the box. Dovetail the partitions by
cutting a slit one inch deep in the center of each and slipping one
over the other. Next glue them to the inside of the box.
_Cover._ Take the second 8×9-inch rectangle and mark off a two-inch
space (shy) all around. Find middle of nine-inch edges and draw lines
1-2, 2-3, and 2-4. Cut out these two triangles. Cut the corners on the
dotted lines. Score, fold, and glue. Notice that in the lids the laps
are not turned as in the body of the box. Here, as in the drawer of the
pencil-box, the laps are glued to the ends of the cover, concentrating
strength there and producing symmetry in construction.
8 Picture Frame No. I--Diagonal Folds
_Material_--Construction paper, 5×5 inches. (See page 39.)
Fold on the diagonals. Bring each corner over until it touches the
center; crease. Fold each corner back again until its point touches the
outside edge at the middle section; crease.
[Illustration: SEED BOX WITH SECTIONS--(For description see page 37.)]
9 Picture Frame No. II
_Material_--Construction paper, 4-1/2×16-1/2 inches. (See
page 40.)
Divide the length into three equal parts, making three rectangles
4-1/2×5-1/2 inches in size. In the middle rectangle, measure off and
cut out a rectangle 2-1/4×3 inches in size. Fold rectangle No. 3 up and
back of rectangle No. 2. Holding the two firmly together, punch two
holes, one-fourth inch apart, on each side, and one-fourth inch from
the outer edges (see diagram). Draw a piece of raffia or ribbon through
these holes and tie in a bow. Fold back rectangle No. 1 for support.
[Illustration: PICTURE FRAME No. I--(For description see page 37.)]
[Illustration: PICTURE FRAME No. II--(For description see pages 37 and
39.)]
10 Portfolio
_Material_--Heavy manila paper, 7-1/2×12 inches. (See page 41.)
Fold edge No. 1 over and even with edge No. 2. Crease and fold. On each
side of A mark and cut off one-half inch. Clip off the corners of the
flaps on B. Fold the flaps of B over on A and paste. Find the middle of
edges 1 and 2. With a radius of one inch, describe a semicircle and cut
it out.
[Illustration: PORTFOLIO--(For description see page 40.)]
11 Barn--House--Furniture
_Material_--Construction paper, 8×8 inches or 10×10 inches.
(See page 42.)
Fold a square into sixteen small squares of equal size; crease. With
this as a basis throw the child on his own resources, allowing him to
invent a pattern and make a chair, a sofa, or any piece of furniture
that he can devise from such a square. A corner may have to be cut out
or a slit made, but impress upon the child that, as far as possible,
the model must be gotten by folding, with very little or no cutting.
By using a larger square and folding in the same way, a house or a
barn may be made. Add a chimney and steps from an extra piece of paper.
[Illustration]
12 Hexagonal Tray
_Material_--Construction paper, 7×7 inches.
[Illustration: HEXAGONAL TRAY]
Draw one diameter; find the center. With a radius of three and one-half
inches describe a circle. (The circumference of a circle is six times
the radius). Place a point of the compass at one intersection of the
circumference and the diameter, and divide the circle into six equal
parts. With a radius of two inches, describe an inner circle parallel
to the outer one. Connect opposite points of the outer circle by
drawing two more diameters. This will divide the inner circle into six
equal parts. Connect by straight lines the adjacent points of the inner
circle, as 1-2; score. At the intersections of the outer circle, mark
off one-half inch on each side and by straight lines connect both these
points with the opposite points of intersection of the inner circle, as
2-3, 2-4. This forms two equal triangles, one of which is to be cut
out, as 4-2-5, and the other, as 3-2-5, left. Having cut out the six
triangles, bend up on lines scored, bring the sides together, and use
triangle 3-2-5 as a lap for pasting.
13 Lamp Shade
_Material_--Construction paper, 7×10 inches. Japanese rice
paper, 7×10 inches.
[Illustration: LAMP SHADE, A]
Select a pretty shade of brown, green or red construction paper.
Measure off two inches and construct a line parallel to the ten-inch
length. Bisect this line. Place the compass at this point of bisection
and with a radius of four inches describe a semicircle, 1-2; extend
this arc to 3, and draw the line 3-4. With a radius of one inch
describe an inner semicircle (5-6) parallel to the outer one. Again,
with a radius of one inch describe a third semicircle, parallel to the
other two. Set the compass at half the radius and divide each
semicircle into six equal parts. Connect these points of intersection
by straight lines (9-10). Make a stencil that will fit in one of these
sections. Using the stencil, draw the same figure in each section.
Carefully cut out the stenciled space. Next lay the construction paper
on the Japanese rice paper and trace on it the stencil design. Remove
the construction paper and, with two blending colors of crayon, color
the figure or design traced on the Japanese paper. Again, lay the
construction paper on the rice paper and glue the two together. Cut out
the shade as marked off, bring the two edges together, and glue.
[Illustration: LAMP SHADE, B]
If you wish the lower edge scalloped, cut it as shown in the diagram.
By folding and creasing on the lines of intersection the shade may be
made hexagonal in shape. All designs for decoration are supposed to be
original.
14 Star
_Material_--Construction paper, two 8-inch squares. Raffia.
Take an eight-inch square. Fold the front edge over to the back edge;
crease. On the left edge place a point one and one-half inches from the
left-back corner. Carry the right-front corner over to this point; fold
and crease. Turn the left triangle under; fold and crease. Next, as the
paper stands in your hand with the triangle facing you, fold the right
edge over to the left edge; crease. Where the three edges of the paper
come together, begin at the highest point and cut across the paper from
right to left to within two and one-half inches of the center. Open out
the paper and you have the star.
A picture frame made of a five-pointed star is very pretty. Cut two
stars of the same size. From the center of one cut a star one inch
smaller for a mat. Lay this mat on the solid or foundation star and
glue four of the points together. In the fifth point pierce two holes
through both pieces, about an inch from the apex of the point. Slip in
the picture. Take a piece of raffia or cord and tie a loop with two
ends. Bring these ends through the holes from the back to the front and
tie them in a bow. By the loop at the back the frame is hung.
[Illustration: PICTURE FRAME FROM FIVE-POINTED STAR]
15 Notebook
_Material_--Construction paper, 6-1/2×7 inches, for cover.
Manila paper, four pieces 6×6-1/2 inches, for leaves.
Fold the piece of construction paper down the middle, so as to form the
3-1/2×6-1/2-inch cover. In the same way crease the manila paper for the
leaves. Place the leaves within the cover; with heavy silk or fine
twine sew them to the back. Bring the needle through one inch from the
upper edge, one inch from the lower edge, and in the middle. The long
stitch is on the inside, the two short ones are on the outside, both
ends of the thread are brought through the center to the inside and
tied over the long stitch to hold it in place. Leave the ends an inch
long and fringe them.
[Illustration: NOTEBOOK]
16 Bound Book
_Material_--Heavy construction paper, colored, 5×6 inches,
for cover. Four pieces white paper, 11-1/2×19-1/2 inches,
for leaves. Two pieces tape, 1/4×2 inches.
_Cover._ Mark off and rule two and seven-eighths inches from each edge
of the five-inch length; crease. This will leave in the middle a
1/4×5-inch space, in which the back of the leaves will go. Take each
sheet of white paper, fold it once lengthwise, and once crosswise; this
will make a "folio" four leaves thick, 2-3/4×5-3/4 inches in size. We
have four of these folios to be joined together and bound to the back.
Take folio No. 1 and with needle and silk sew the leaves together,
running the thread one inch from the upper edge and one inch from the
lower edge and in the center, seeing that the last stitch brings the
thread on the outside of the back of the leaves. Do not break the
thread. Take folio No. 2, hold it close to folio No. 1, carry the
thread across and take it through the middle of the back, one inch from
front or back edge, as in folio No. 1.
[Illustration: BOUND BOOK]
On the back edges of these folios there will be two long stitches.
Under these stitches pass the two pieces of tape. Keep one of these
tapes as near the upper and the other as near the lower edge as the
stitch will allow. As a folio is added and the leaves sewed together,
connect the exposed stitch of the one previously added to the one last
added, at the three places where the thread holds the leaves, by a
buttonhole stitch (in bookbinding known as the "kettle stitch"). When
the last folio is added, place the back of the leaves to the back of
the cover in the 1/4×5-inch space. Stretch the tapes down on the cover
and paste (1-3). Take the first and the last leaf and paste them over
the tapes, to the inside of the cover. The outside of the cover may
have some simple decoration if such is desired.
In Book VII of the _Text Book of Art Education_, published by The Prang
Educational Company, is worked out a very interesting problem for the
making of a scrap-book, and suggestions given for decorating the cover.
The scrap or clipping books shown here were made in a similar way. The
decoration and cover are left to the taste and ingenuity of the teacher
or the child.
17 Japanese Book
_Material_--Construction paper, colored, 4-1/4×12-1/4
inches, for cover. Manila paper, six leaves, 4×6 inches,
double, with fold on outer edge.
[Illustration: JAPANESE BOOK]
The paper for the cover is 4-1/4×12-1/4 inches in size. Place the paper
lengthwise in front of you and bring the left edge over to the right
edge; crease, fold. Mark off a space three-fourths of an inch from the
edge of the fold, draw a line, A-L. On this line three-quarters of an
inch from the upper and the lower edges, place dots, B C, and
one-fourth inch from B C place dots D E. Hold the leaves evenly
together and press them in between the cover. With a large needle and
cord sew through C, under, up, and over A, through C again, under to
F, over through C, under and up through E, back to G, under and up
through E, down to D, through and over H, back to D, down and up
through D, then to B; down under to K, back to B, through and under and
around to L, to B, to D, to E, to C. Tie the two ends of the cord,
which come together at C, and fringe them out.
[Illustration: SCRAP OR CLIPPING BOOK
Cover of grass cloth.]
18 Scrap-Book
_Material_--Construction paper, colored: 6-1/4×8-1/4 inches,
for cover. Manila paper: three leaves 6×8 inches; three
strips 1-1/8×6 inches. Two paper clamps.
Double the 6×8-inch leaves into six leaves 4×6 inches in size. Between
leaves 1 and 2, 3 and 4, 5 and 6, place the 1-1/8×6-inch guards at the
back. Have leaves and guards even and compact; then set them between
the cover. Measure from the back edge of the cover a space
three-quarters of an inch wide, and draw a pencil line. Placing the
sharp edge of a ruler on this line, bend the back edge toward the front
until it is well creased. In the center of this 3/4-inch space, one
inch from the upper edge and one inch from the lower edge of the book,
pierce a hole and insert the brass clamps.
[Illustration: SCRAP OR CLIPPING BOOK
Cover of linen, stenciled.]
A PASTE
Mix until perfectly smooth one cup of flour with one cup of cold water.
Put two cups of water in a vessel and set it over the fire until it
heats. (Do not let it boil.) Add one teaspoonful of powdered alum, then
stir in the mixture of flour and cold water. Continue stirring until
it thickens to a good consistency. Remove it from the fire and add one
teaspoonful of oil of cloves or peppermint. Pour it into an air-tight
jar and when it is cool screw on the top.
[Illustration: SCRAP OR CLIPPING BOOK
Cover of fancy paper--(For description see pages 51 and 52.)]
Use the same cup all through. The oil of cloves or peppermint is simply
a flavoring, and does not add to the quality. This quantity will nearly
fill a quart jar.