What Is Pepakura and How to Start

In this tutorial, you will learn what is Pepakura and how to use it.

This is short 6 step, comprehensive introduction into a world of paper models ;)

How to:

• work with paper,
• what type of paper (how hard / heavy),
• and what tools you need to start

Updated: 2017/01/15

You will need a HARD, HEAVY, SOLID, THICK paper !
Ignore office paper which is soft, too thin, easy to bend = useless.

What you need is CARDSTOCK !

Card stock = paper with weights from 50 lb to 110 lb (about 135 to 300 g/m²).
I use 200 g/m² paper and I find it best combination to print on and work within smaller details.

Size / format of paper:

• standard for EUROPE = A4 ... 210 × 297 mm
• standard for USA = Letter ... 215.9 mm × 279.4 mm (8.5 × 11 inches)

First time a lot of people may have a problem how to actually fold the paper:

• what are all the different lines (solid, dash, dash-dot-dash) ?
• what direction should you fold ?

• imagine a letter ... A ... you can "touch the top" edge of the paper
• basically fold the paper on its edge: DOWN
• "dash dash dash"
• _ _ _ _ _

VALLEY

• imagine a letter ... V ... in where you can "put your finger inside" the shape
• basically fold the paper on its edge: UP
• "dash DOT dash DOT dash"
• _ . _ . _ . _

SOLID LINE

• this is the line where you cut your shape out !
• __________

TOOLS

• $50 - printer
• $5 - scissors
• $3 - plastic ruler
• $2 - plastic chopping board ... OR ... * $20 - cutting matt
• $5 to $10 - hobby knife = scalpel = X-Acto (exacto knife)

Price= $65

MATERIAL

• $15 - cardstock paper (package of 100pcs)
• $3 - liquid paper glue ... OR ... $5 hot glue gun

Price = $20

SOFTWARE

• programme = Pepakura Viewer (2 MB)
• file = model you want to print + build: cube.pdo (4KB)
• some basics: How-to-use-Pepakura-Viewer
• advanced stuff: How-to-use-Pepakura-Designer

Price = $FREE (PV) and $38 (PD)

EXTRA STUFF (optional)!

I find it more convenient to use a following stuff to make my work easier:

• cotton swabs = to clean off excess glue and/or to spread it in tiny spots
• extra scalpel blades = you need these in case of using a hobby knife!
• aluminium foil = a place where I lay down glued pieces to let them dry out
• old cloth = to clean your tools, table and fingers :)

The choice is yours!

LIQUID PAPER GLUE
GOOD: if you use a small bit!

• no smell
• dries quick (3 to 5 mins)
• easy to use and is more precise

BAD: if you use a lot of it!

• hardens in 60 mins
• dries slower (5 to 15 mins)
• can soak your paper and distort it
• cannot redo mistake, once dried, it is glued forever

How much do you need?
My glue has 100 ml = 3.4 oz ... and I glued 50 pages.

HOT GLUE GUN
GOOD:

• hardens in 30 mins
• cools down + dries quick (2 mins)
• you can heat it and "move" your glued parts a bit if you made a mistake

BAD:

• less accurate
• needs electricity
• burns your fingers if not careful
• smells a lot (makes you sick, headaches)

How much do you need?

Cannot help here. I got sick from the smell of it after I glued like 1 page of pepakura and the glue stick barely shrank.

SOLID GLUE STICK

• It is less precise, and it dries out way too fast for my taste.
• I do not use this glue and do not advise it.
• If you push hard on it, breaks down leaves big chunks all over which is bad.

.

Now you have all the info you need to start building !

1. Print it.
2. Cut it out with scissors.
3. Get details with a hobby knife.
4. Glue it.
5. Build it.

First 3 pictures = not Pepakura but custom papercraft !
The rest = real Pepakura example: Dragon_Priest_Mask

Fair warning !
Pepakura is really time consuming hobby !

My Dragon priest helmet took me 14 hours to complete:

• cutting the paper (3 hours)
• glue all parts (11 hours)

Well it depends on how handy and skilled you are :)