Magic Photo Folding Cube Craft
Dec 22, 2019 12:32:43 #
Every year I get crafty around this time and this year I'm making photo cubes, or at least attempting to. Here's a pic of my first two attempts, and the third one I'm working on. (Instructions at https://www.chicaandjo.com/magic-folding-wooden-photo-cubes/). They each take 8 1-1/2" wooden cubes, adhesive sheets or tape or glue (I use 3M 1-1/2" double sided carpet tape instead of the adhesive sheets in the video), two 3"X6" photos and eight 3"x3" photos.
My angel one was my first one, and I used contact adhesive and 24-lb bright white paper for the prints, as suggested in the video. The chipmunk one was my second, and I switched to carpet tape mostly because I had it available and didn't want to spend big bucks on adhesive sheets, and used the same paper as the first. The one I'm working on now are photos from a southwest trip we took with our son in 2008, intending to give it to him when I'm finished. I'm printing the photos onto photo paper. The video instructions suggested using the 24-lb paper because the photo paper might not bend well, but I've tested it and it bends just fine without cracking. I used the one sheet of Canon premium luster paper I had left and that seems to be a good weight, with the finish offering some handling protection for light use.
Half the fun of these photo cubes is the folding and unfolding after you get them all together.
If you're not up to making your own cubes, here's my source - well-made and already sanded, quick shipping: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MarlinsPlace?ref=shop_sugg
My angel one was my first one, and I used contact adhesive and 24-lb bright white paper for the prints, as suggested in the video. The chipmunk one was my second, and I switched to carpet tape mostly because I had it available and didn't want to spend big bucks on adhesive sheets, and used the same paper as the first. The one I'm working on now are photos from a southwest trip we took with our son in 2008, intending to give it to him when I'm finished. I'm printing the photos onto photo paper. The video instructions suggested using the 24-lb paper because the photo paper might not bend well, but I've tested it and it bends just fine without cracking. I used the one sheet of Canon premium luster paper I had left and that seems to be a good weight, with the finish offering some handling protection for light use.
Half the fun of these photo cubes is the folding and unfolding after you get them all together.
If you're not up to making your own cubes, here's my source - well-made and already sanded, quick shipping: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MarlinsPlace?ref=shop_sugg
Dec 22, 2019 12:39:44 #
Dec 23, 2019 08:05:27 #
Dec 23, 2019 08:32:02 #
BlueMorel wrote:
Every year I get crafty around this time and this ... (show quote)
I don't think it qualifies as "Cubism".
A great idea.
Dec 23, 2019 09:07:55 #
Abo wrote:
They look pretty untidy to me LOL
Yes, they are. Still perfecting my technique. Not as easy as the website makes it look!
Dec 23, 2019 09:16:28 #
Stephan G wrote:
I don't think it qualifies as "Cubism".
A great idea.
A great idea.
Well, the art is turning out better than the craft, so maybe
Dec 23, 2019 09:45:51 #
BlueMorel wrote:
Yes, they are. Still perfecting my technique. Not as easy as the website makes it look!
It's a good craft to go with photography anyway. And no doubt they'll improve with
practice.
Merry Christmas and good on you.
Dec 23, 2019 10:24:15 #
Dec 23, 2019 10:31:54 #
Very cool. I made some a couple of years ago and had a similar "learning curve" experience. They looked pretty good at first, but have become a bit "fatigued." 
Amazon sells the pre-finished wood blocks also- in 24-packs as I recall. It *is* a fun project if you are so inclined
Amazon sells the pre-finished wood blocks also- in 24-packs as I recall. It *is* a fun project if you are so inclined
Dec 23, 2019 10:50:04 #
That looks like a great idea.
I suggest putting a some kind of finish on the blocks to seal the grain.
Use a hard rubber roller to make sure the prints stick using a sheet of
paper between the picture and roller.
I suggest putting a some kind of finish on the blocks to seal the grain.
Use a hard rubber roller to make sure the prints stick using a sheet of
paper between the picture and roller.
Dec 23, 2019 10:54:27 #
duck72 wrote:
Very cool. I made some a couple of years ago and had a similar "learning curve" experience. They looked pretty good at first, but have become a bit "fatigued."
Amazon sells the pre-finished wood blocks also- in 24-packs as I recall. It *is* a fun project if you are so inclined
Amazon sells the pre-finished wood blocks also- in 24-packs as I recall. It *is* a fun project if you are so inclined
Glad to see someone else who's made these! Several challenges with this - selecting photos that can be cropped square, that have bright enough colors, narrowing down to 10 from a vacation folio of 1000, gunking up scissors or cutting blades, keeping the blocks straight. I bought a 50-block set, enough to make 6 cubes. Maybe by the sixth cube I'll have worked out the kinks.
The cubes do get worn out - flipping and folding the cubes is addictive!
Dec 23, 2019 11:01:35 #
dave.speeking wrote:
That looks like a great idea.
I suggest putting a some kind of finish on the blocks to seal the grain.
Use a hard rubber roller to make sure the prints stick using a sheet of
paper between the picture and roller.
I suggest putting a some kind of finish on the blocks to seal the grain.
Use a hard rubber roller to make sure the prints stick using a sheet of
paper between the picture and roller.
Dec 23, 2019 11:02:34 #
BlueMorel wrote:
Glad to see someone else who's made these! Several challenges with this - selecting photos that can be cropped square, that have bright enough colors, narrowing down to 10 from a vacation folio of 1000, gunking up scissors or cutting blades, keeping the blocks straight. I bought a 50-block set, enough to make 6 cubes. Maybe by the sixth cube I'll have worked out the kinks.
The cubes do get worn out - flipping and folding the cubes is addictive!
The cubes do get worn out - flipping and folding the cubes is addictive!
Dec 23, 2019 11:12:01 #
dave.speeking wrote:
That looks like a great idea.
I suggest putting a some kind of finish on the blocks to seal the grain.
Use a hard rubber roller to make sure the prints stick using a sheet of
paper between the picture and roller.
I suggest putting a some kind of finish on the blocks to seal the grain.
Use a hard rubber roller to make sure the prints stick using a sheet of
paper between the picture and roller.
Good ideas, though one site suggested rubbing with a bone folding stick to get the photos tightly bonded to the adhesive.
It would be nice to know if the various adhesives were archival, but in reality, all the handling of the cubes are likely to lead to shorter lives to the pictures. It leads to the charm of happy memories playing with what a grandparent made combined with photo memories. Made to handle, made to become worn.
I'm thinking of making one from cut-up Christmas cards, too.
Dec 23, 2019 11:18:05 #
Abo wrote:
It's a good craft to go with photography anyway. And no doubt they'll improve with
practice.
Merry Christmas and good on you.
practice.
Merry Christmas and good on you.
It's fun to do and keeps me busy! Merry Christmas back!
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