Introduction: Cardboard Comic Superhero Collage

About: I am 37, I have a job that allows me to build and make daily. I love my job. I have 6 children, my oldest is also a maker and has written her own instructables. I own a computer repair shop, and I build a lot …

Me and my five year old son made these the other day at the shop. They are a quick and easy way to fill an empty wall space. They actually turned out a lot better than I thought. We made the superman one first and then decided to make an instructable with the batman one. My five year old likes superheroes, so he thinks these are the coolest things.

Step 1: Gather Your Materials

These are the materials I used to make this project.

1. Cardboard -- I used a used USPS box for this as the cardboard is rather thin, but you could use any cardboard.

2. Comic pages -- I actually cut a comic book up and copied it on a color copier for the superman comic. The batman comic pages were from digital comics. I just saved and printed the pages I thought looked cool.

3. Misc Spray paint -- for this project I used Glossy Yellow, Flat Black, White Primer, Glossy Red

4.Glossy Mod Podge -- Here is a Link to it on Amazon

Step 2: Laser the Parts

I used coreldraw to create the DXF file that I lasered. To create the DXF First import the image file into Coreldraw, Then right click on the image and click "outline trace", Then adjust the "details", "Smoothing", and "Corner Smoothness" until you are happy with the outcome, then click "ok". Now you can click on the outlined image and find the "object properties". Change the "fill" to none, and change "outline" to hairline. Now you have an image that can be cut using a laser.

I cut the design on the laser. Cutting cardboard with a laser is a little bit of overkill but it does leave a nice clean cut, and can be cut at a very low power setting and a high speed.

I have included the dxf file and the coreldraw file that I used to design and cut this logo.

Step 3: Glue the Comic Pages

I found a nice piece of flat cardboard about 18in x 12in. I coated the cardboard with mod podge using a foam brush. Then I stuck the comic book pages one by one. I let the pages overlap the edge of the cardboard. Once all of the pages were glued down, I put a coat of the mod podge over the top of all of the pages.

Step 4: Paint the Cardboard

I took the cut pieces and put them in the paint booth, and gave them a coat of whit primer. Once that was dry I painted them with several coats of the yellow and the black. Once I was happy that everything was coated evenly I used hot glue to glue the two pieces together.

Step 5: Put It All Together

It is a good thing that all the edges have overhanging pages, because I put it on crooked. oh well, maybe nobody will notice. These are just going to be hanging in my boys room so its not a huge deal. Luckily the hanger I made adjusts easily.

Step 6: Add a Hanger

For the hanger I used two washers and a bit of string, then I hot glued the two washers to the back. It actually worked great.

Step 7: All Done

The Kids love this. It turned out really good. They helped me make it and it is pretty hard to mess up. Thanks for taking the time to check out my instructable.

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Cardboard Contest 2017

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Cardboard Contest 2017