Hello. This is Onogi from the design department.
I sometimes make paper dolls on my days off. There is a craft program on NHK called " Nosey's Inspiration Workshop ," and I have a lot of fun watching it with my daughter. In one episode, they made dolls using tissues and paper plates. At first, I made similar dolls for her, but gradually my creative desire grew, and I wanted to make my own paper doll that would make my daughter happy! That's what started it all.
If I'm going to make something, I want my daughter to praise me and say, "Dad, that's amazing!" so I try to incorporate new ideas every time and make something with a variety of shapes.
Yes, I am a designer when I go home.
I think carefully about how I want to play seriously.
The client is only 3 years old and probably likes cute things.
So,
- The colors are more saturated and colorful.
- The figure is two-headed and childish and cute.
- Fantasy elements that don't seem to exist in reality
Even though it's just for fun, the design direction is already decided.
Since I'm not yet a client who can properly listen to my needs (laughs), when I start making it, I decide, "Let's make something like this!" For example, "Let's make a bird motif this time," or "Let's make the overall shape chubby." Also, if I think about the personality of the doll, it's easier to decide the shape of the eyes when making the face.
However, just because I've thought it through in detail like this, it's a big mistake to think that I can make it exactly as planned. When I actually start making it, it doesn't go quite as planned. A slight difference in the curve when cutting the paper can make it not as cute, or depending on how you fold it, it might not be strong enough and end up being flat and bent... I pretend to be able to make it easily in front of my daughter, but my mind is always working at full speed. I'm making it seriously.
So, when writing this article, I decided to make one, including the trial and error process involved.
It looks difficult, and it's actually quite difficult!
I tried making a fox.
The tools I used were: colored paper, double-sided tape, and scissors.
I don't make rough sketches because I know I'll be making small adjustments as I go. Instead, I decide to make a fox, so I have a clear overall shape in my head and decide how I'm going to cut and fold the paper first.
Divide the double-sided tape into three equal parts and use thin strips. For very small parts, it is a good idea to stick paper to the double-sided tape before cutting. This way, the shape will not be distorted and you only need to cut it once.
First, make the face to get the excitement going. Since it's a fox, imagine a thin face. When making a face, the first fold is important. If it's a round face, make the face using a ring as a base, but if it's a slim face like this one, start by folding it in half. I made it interesting by using blue as the main color, which isn't typical of a fox.
The eyes and nose are small parts, so I used the same strategy of sticking paper to tape and then cutting. For the ears, I made a cut in the middle and layered them tightly inwards to create a three-dimensional effect.
I always start with a loop for the torso without giving it much thought. If you stagger the pieces so that they form a trapezoid when viewed from the side, it will look cute with a bulging belly instead of a cylindrical shape.
Perhaps because I was a little naive, I had trouble connecting the head and body. It's times like these that lead to new discoveries, and they're the best part of making things.
I decided to add a spine and somehow get around it from there (laughs).
The neck sways a little, which is cute in its own way. It looks like it will look pretty good.
It's like hair or scales. It's a lot of work to cut each one, so I cut the folded paper in a zigzag pattern and spread it out into strips. It's a technique to reduce labor hours! It's the same as work.
I stuck the blue and yellow on alternately. After this, I stuck the back of the ears in the same way.
To match the color of the back, add some yellow to the face to balance it out.
The arms and legs were cut into a slightly rounded shape and attached asymmetrically to give them movement.
After thinking about how to make it stand up, I came up with the idea to make it stand up by its tail, since foxes are characterized by their tails (is that okay?). I matched the color of the body and created a part that would become the tail.
Wrap it around a pencil or similar object to make it curl. We made the curls smaller toward the inside so that they look like they have gradations.
Attach the body and tail together and attach a base to the back of the tail.
Finished!
It stands up straight. Whew!
A commemorative photo with other friends.
My daughter plays by pinching her nose and shaking it.
What do you think? I didn't think it would be this much fun, and I want to keep doing it until my daughter starts giving me cold looks.
The biggest discovery in making it is that you can encounter new shapes by actually cutting and folding the paper. When you encounter an unexpected shape, it gives birth to a new idea, and it's fun to end up with a doll that is different from the one you had imagined in your head.
The joy of seeing things change at your fingertips is something you can't experience in your work as a web designer, where you usually design using a mouse. Also, because it's a three-dimensional sculpture, unlike designing on a flat surface, you have to be careful to make sure it looks natural from any angle. I think there are some tricks to making it look like it's the right thing to do, with small differences in the thickness of the parts, the positioning of where you paste them, etc. These are things you learn through experience, and the same is true for the work of a web designer, but I think the feeling of being able to intuitively convey the ideas you have in your head to your fingertips is the real joy of creating something real.
That being said, it's not completely different from web design, and the sensibilities cultivated through work are utilized, which I think is reflected in the attention to color balance and shapes.
I started making paper dolls by chance, but it has become a good life's work that combines work and play. Recently, my daughter has been strangely keen to play with the iPad, and occasionally watches YouTube. I think that can be educational, but as a parent, I'm a little worried if she does that all the time. I want her to use her hands, think with her head, and feel a sense of accomplishment when she finishes something, so I want to spend as much time as possible making and enjoying crafts with my daughter.
If you try making something with your hands, you might discover something new!
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