3D Cardboard Decor

A few weeks ago I received a parcel that I ordered from a website and I got 2 huge cardboard cartons with them as they were packed inside the carton and sent!

5 days ago I was about to throw those boxes away and then I had to wait a bit because the garbage collection truck didn't come yet, so I turn the TV on and went to BBC and they were talking about the 3 R's (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) and how to save the planet and how there is a lot of waste being produced etc, so then I thought for a while and decided that I will make something with the cardboard instead of just throwing it away. So then I go online and search for how to reuse cardboard, and after some searching I notice this:
http://www.ohbabystyle.com/browse.cfm/eyan-large-elephant-trophy/4,4932.html

After having a look at the elephant I was really amazed on how it was made, and wanted to buy it but then thought that 65$ for an elephant decor was just too much!

And then I suddenly realized that I had the 2 huge cardboard boxes with me, so I thought I could make one for my self, so then I thought about all the materials needed and had all of them at my hand, so I decided to make it!

After making one I thought it looked really cool and then wanted to make a deer one and I thought I would teach you all how to make it because I thought it was just brilliant and everyone should know how to make one for much cheaper(about 3-5$)

The only downside is if you do not have a laser cutter like me, as a laser cutter would give a precise cut and it would look really good, but the homemade ones will have some rough edges etc but its really really cheap, so I thought a little difference here and there would not matter much, and decided to make the deer as well!

After making the deer I wanted to try make some shapes as I had only some cardboard left (Not enough for another animal), so I made a sphere and a cube/cuboid and they came out really nice, so I will tell you how to make those as well!

I later spray painted them silver and figured out that the cardboard looked better in its original color rather than silver so I did not want to spray paint the deer as I didn't spray paint it by that time.

You could hang the shapes with string or attach them to the wall with nails or glue and as for the deer bust you can use nails to attach it to the wall or use glue or tape(Because it is very light), It looks really good on a white wall like the walls in my house.

So lets get started on making these cardboard decor!

Step 1 Gathering the materials

Okay now the first step is to gather all the materials required for this project, all you need are :

Cardboard( you will need a lot of cardboard)
Hot glue gun /  strong glue
Scissors

Tools that would be helpful but not required are

Cardboard cutters
Strong Tape
Thread
Spray Paint( After using it once I deiced to never use it again because it makes everything look really bad)

And that's all you need to make these 3D cardboard decor, its cheap and comes out really good with some work!
This project cost me no money because I had all the materials and I decided to reuse the cardboard boxes, but if you need to buy things like scissors and thread then it may cost anywhere between 3-5$ or maybe more depending on where you live etc

Here are some links to where you can get the stuff:

Hot Glue Gun :
http://cgi.ebay.com/20W-Electric-Trigger-Hot-Melt-Glue-Gun-Tool-Sticks-8826-/180644348697?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a0f3e0319

Scissors :
http://cgi.ebay.com/Home-Kitchen-Rubber-Wrapped-Handles-Cutter-Scissors-/270775258799?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f0b768eaf
(I know its quite expensive but you will probably have scissors at home)

Thread :
http://cgi.ebay.com/1x-Black-Crystal-Beading-Elastic-Cords-Threads-10m-C70-/180676422771?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a11276c73

Cardboard sheets if you haven't got any cardboard cartons :
http://cgi.ebay.com/Lightly-Used-Cardboard-Parts-Storage-Bins-/150625664858?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2311fd3f5a

Comments

[Bb902e]

Nice !! I was taking a 3-D class and someone made one ,now I know how . Thanks!

[vishalapr]

Glad you learnt something :)

[itsjustdoc]

This is awesome. What do you think of filling the deer's head-spaces up with papier-mache so's it'll look more deer-like and then painting it deer-like colors?

[vishalapr]

Superb idea....I will try do that soon! But then again this is supposed to be cardboard decor...maybe I will make another dear and add paper mache in the spaces and paint it!
Thanks ^_^

[Emerzyme]

This is so cool! I decided to try it. I used a Grape Nuts cereal box. :)
I made a smaller pyramid and sphere. They aren't as detailed or neat as yours, though. What a fun idea!

[vishalapr]

Thos look great! You will be patched!
I like the pyramid even more!!!!!

[collince]

i finished paper maching the deer head it went ok still trying to upload the pics...

[vishalapr]

cool!

[collince]

I saw this super cool unicorn kit for 34 bucks!! also at urban out fitters...

[vishalapr]

Unocprns Rule!!!

[symphonyinmymind]

Thank you so much for making this!!! I saw this a few months ago at Urban Outfitters for like you said 60- something dollars, and I refrained from buying. Thank you!:)

[vishalapr]

Welcome! Glad you liked it!

[collince]

i'm going to try to paper mache it wish me luck :)

[vishalapr]

Paper macheing it is going to be a hard job! Good Luck! And after you make it please post pictures of it as comment replies thanks!

[NE patsrock]

this is sooo cool i luv the deer head

[vishalapr]

! Really glad you liked it! I too like the deer head the most...I started with the cube, then made the ball and then the deer head!

[Electronics Man]

This is awsome!!!

[vishalapr]

Thanks! Glad you liked it!

[apfeffer]

Excellent! Voted! :D

[vishalapr]

Thx Glad you liked it!

[splazem]

Cool beans!

[vishalapr]

...?

[splazem]

I'm bringing back the phrase "cool beans." Don't worry, it's a compliment! I loved what you did, especially the dear!

[vishalapr]

Oh Thanks! Glad you like my deer!

[splazem]

Yup!

[splazem]

I meant deer. Sorry!

[mikeasaurus]

Nice work, and all without a printed template.
I've seen the deer head for sale for about $40USD in a store.

[vishalapr]

Yup there is no template for this project!
Glad you liked it!

And yeah 40$ is a lot whereas you can make your own for 2-3$, in my case 0$...
But I bet if I sell this I would get about 2$ maximum...

[sunshiine]

Wow! This is totally awesome! Definetely voting on this.

[vishalapr]

Thx Glad you liked it!

[CatTrampoline]

I love it! And you could even sell them without running afoul of the law!

[vishalapr]

Please vote for it in the contest if u liked it enough!
And about the selling bit, I have never sold anything so....I really don't know and am not really that keen on selling these!

[CatTrampoline]

I already voted for it! I vote for all the ones I really like. About the selling - most crafts take so much time to make that they aren't practical to do as a business. I was just comparing the cardboard art wildlife to the perils of trading in real wildlife parts. here in Texas it is traditional to decorate your house with deer heads and cow horns.

[vishalapr]

Thx

[MrF_DT_teacher]

Nice job. I noticed that you cut the slots for the head from the bottom. Might be a good idea to cut them from the top so your dividing pieces are sitting in the slots as opposed to hanging from them. This will mean they won't drop out if you make them a little loose. Hope you don't mind me saying :)

[vishalapr]

Thats a really nice idea will do that when I make any other cardboard projects like this! : D

Thanks for the great tip!
Maybe you could vote for this, if you liked it!
Thx

[CatTrampoline]

I vaguely remember making much cruder animal frameworks using this method as a base for paper mache many years ago. These are done so nicely that they are art in their own right.

[vishalapr]

Thanks and if you have any pics of those things you made then please add them as a reply to this comment! I would be glad to see them!

[CatTrampoline]

Sorry, that was in the dim and distant past. I may use that technique again for the 2012 Fire Ant Festival. If I do, I'll document it then.

[Verynicemice]

Oooh nice stuff. Like especially the reindeer lol.