Pop-Up 3D words and messages!

Use this simple technique to turn any simple font into a full 3D pop-out message. Thanks to the awesome people at Comicraft http://www.comicraft.com for creating a special font to make this process even easier:
http://www.balloontales.com/articles/popup/

Step 1: Print out the words you would like to throw into 3D perspective on a sheet of paper. A heavier card-stock works even better if your printer can handle it.

Step 2: If you are not using the comicraft font then you will need to add the vertical lines on the tops of the words.

Printout a message in a font that you like.
Draw vertical lines from your font up to a line that you draw, parallel to the bottom of the letters.

Step 3: Cut out the sides of the letters. do not cut the tops and bottoms

carefully cut all the way through the paper on the solid outlines on the sides of the letters.
also make sure to cut out the central holes in the letters such as o,p,q,r,d

Step 4: Score (as opposed to cut) the center line through the words and all the way to the edge of the page.

Step 5: Score the dotted lines at the top, bottom, and middle of the letters.

The green lines in this image should also be scored. They are the dotted lines in the comicraft pop-up font. This will help your letters fold easily. As with the blue central line score the paper lightly. Be careful not to cut all the way through.

Step 6: Fold out your 3D message!

As you fold the paper around the central score you will also need to push the letters out from behind. The blunt side of your knife is useful for this process. It takes a little practice and patience, but after a while this bit becomes easy!

Step 7: For extra credit you can make it even more 3D by first stretching the letters in a graphics program.

by keeping the central fold line parallel and distorting the rest of the letters on either side you can make even more pronouced 3D effects. Experiment with this part and you can make some very cool pop-outs. You will need some image editing software like photoshop or illustrator to do this, or you could even try drawing such a font by hand !

Comments

[snotty]

[YellowBlu Co.]

Hi everyone! The price was once $999, but now it's $59! Either way, it's really expensive. Luckily, I found a Pop-up font that's free (for personal use) here.

[elemenoh]

Great documentation. I used a similar technique to make a valentine. You can see the rest of it here: http://flickr.com/photos/_elemenoh_/sets/120134/

[sukicheah]

hey can teach me how to do it??
thanks

[kcls]

Is it just me or does the comicraft pop up font cost $999 for everyone?

[Win Guy]

Oh my gosh, you can't be serious.

[MrL33TPenguin]

 So, you save $1200!

[freakyqwerty]

Yeah I'll go buy it, I've got that sort of money to blow on a font when I could do it myself....

[djr6789]

ye it costs $999 i think :O wot a rip off!

[jsu2]

i know!

[hjostrander]

wow.
:P lol

[selvee]

vry beautiful especially the interesting new yea rcard

[mr monoply33]

ha ha, Irememebr doing these in 3rd & 4th grade years ago, thanks for posting, brought back memories

[oink_09]

Love it! Thanks a lot .
Already made 3 dummies and they all look great!
Can't wait to make the real one for upcoming birthdays =D

[notveryreal]

I remember doing this in art class. :D

[pierlo]

ehr,... what!?! i mean, the font's not free!! or am i wrong?

[vianka99]

how many cm do we need in the upper part?

[cleversomeday]

Thanks for this great technique. I created a font that would work on die cutting machines like the Cricut.
You can get a copy, along with instructions on how to use it, here:
http://cleversomeday.wordpress.com/2009/01/23/3d-text-made-easy/

[anetfrank]

I have done this by using the word art feature in MS word. I reverse the letters so I can print on the back and not let the lines show on front of word.

[Fasteners]

hey, thanks for the instructible.

[animes25]

or you can use this free program that can save you from the hard work

http://www.tamasoft.co.jp/craft/popupcard_en/

and there is a Japanese Pro version from those guys

[F-zero]

This program actually helped me plan out my card, as I was having some difficulty imagining how it should look. Thank you very much. Pics will be up soon.

[benthekahn]

well, here's the card i made for my mom. Behind the text is mirrored paper. It turned out well and she liked it.

[rosanna]

I used to spend hours years again trying to work this out and then making the cards, how easy is this. Thanks for sharing this with us, I am still amazed at the stuff I find on this site.

[ile]

Thanks for the inspiration! I didn't use the font, just did it free hand. (It's a birthday card and it's in Finnish)

[Merlin2007]

Excellent and very creative !

Here is a link to a video at metacafe.com showing you how to create your own fonts using a built in program in a Windows XP OS.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/371580/windows_hidden_programs/

[claudiafaj]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/super_ziper/539503399/I used the technique with drawing, instead of letters, and it worked! Thanks for the tutorial!

[andresm]

kguen10 to who is that "te amo" intended to???and where ae u from? mexico spain ?

[robodud3]

hey r on that english show thats on g4 the one that has the fizz or exsplosion thing or u just got the picture?

[kguen10]

to my girl and im from spain

[kerosene-soaked-clothes-arent-fun]

I would have wrote cabron, -not sure of spelling- subtel, yet offensive

[javadjafari]

waw! that`s interesting idea!

[hubert]

That really wonderful and useful instruction. I use the technique make a bDay card to my gf. Thanks.

[royalestel]

Oh yeah. I'm diggin this movie.

[tskdesign]

Very interesting instructable. Congratulations. I just found some perfect inexpensive gift ideas with this tut. Thank you for sharing

[StaneStane]

Weee coool!

[instructo44]

how do you get that font or software?

[spinach_dip]

Free popup fonts @ http://niagaracalligraphyguild.netfirms.com/news0300/popup.htm

[prank]

I tried them--they're not quite as cool as the comicraft font--the have little tabs to space the letters away from the background, but they don't have the broad folding sides that the comicraft letters do that give that 3D look

[edwin1989]

I don't think it's hard to make your own popup font, or is it?? So I'd say: give it a shot :P (I'm too lazy to try :P)