Just in time for the holidays!: we will make performative and entertaining paper cards. In this workshop, we will transform flat sheets of paper into several different types of animating paper cards. We’lll cover flexagons, paper automata, and waterfall card formats. Flexagons (a topological wonder) leverage paper’s inherent material memory to bring the recipient through a four-frame, looping story. In class, we will each sketch a simple narrative for our cards. We will then fold them together–while learning a little bit about the development, discovery, and history of this form. At the end of day one, each participant will have an animating card that fits into standard sized envelope sizes.  

Day two will focus on the cascading form of a waterfall card, which animates like a pull-tab flipbook. Each page on the pull tab dramatically flips over and disappears underneath the Waterfall cards can be used at a handheld scale to deliver a manual animation, or at the scale of signage to create an animated protest sign. Experiments in paper automata (with a sample project with a pull-tab hand card) will be explored.  

Required Materials: 

• A ream of classic crest 80lb cover stock paper or equivalent 
• Xacto knife and scissors 
• A steel ruler 
• Scotch quick dry glue 

Workspace (for online participants):  

• A table with a cutting mat 
• Good lighting 
• A computer or device with stable internet connection 
• Zoom app recommended 

Optional materials: 

• Access to a vinyl/paper cutter (like a Craft Robo Pro) 
• Access to a laser cutter 

Recommended paper suppliers: 

• Neenah Paper (paper) 
• Talas online (bookmaking supplies, paper, etc) 
• French paper (family-owned and hydroelectric!) 
• Staples also has good, inexpensive, readily-available cardstock