Platonic Solids Lantern Set

This tutorial will first teach you how to create 3D paper models of the Platonic Solids with any image on the faces of each shape. This is done using a free graphics program called The GIMP with some add-ons to create a tiling of the specified images that can be folded up into the 3D shapes. Then these images will be printed and folded into 3D geometric shapes that can be placed overtop of incandescent Christmas lights.

You will need:
- a colour printer
- some black electrical tape
- scissors
- incandescent Christmas lights
- excitement and patience :)

Step 1: Install The GIMP and Platonic Solids Foldables scripts

The GIMP can be run on most major platforms. For instructions on how to obtain and install The GIMP download page.

Now Download the Platonic Solids Foldables Plugin by clicking on gimp_foldables_scripts.zip. Then unzip the files into your GIMP scripts folder. From The GIMP documentation: Installing Script-Fus

You will also need to install the Kaleidoscope plugin for GIMP. Hopefully you are running Linux and can follow the instructions here to install the Kaleidoscope plugin. Otherwise acquire some other software in your chosen OS that will allow you to create kaleidoscoped images.

Comments

[admin]

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[iTraceur]

Hey, this is probably gonna sound like a bit of a stupid question, but what distro is that?

[iectyx3c]

Lots of good stuff in this instructable. Adding it to my favorites. Love the GIMP and can use this to learn more. Thanks for posting it!

[fwjs28]

WOW..that is SO cool!