Adjustable Paper Drawing Holder (4 in X 6 in to 6 in X 4 In)

I made a drawing holder for some of my artwork/photography to put on my desk. I always wanted to have a drawing holder that was lightweight and travel-friendly. It can hold drawings from 4 to 6 inches in length and 4 to 6 inches in width. The drawing holder is easy and short to assemble. For your information, the photo of Heart’s Desire Beach is 4 by 6 inches in length and width, and the picture of an American flag is 6 by 4 inches in with and length (These are all my photos).

Supplies

Scissors or a craft knife

Card-stock or paper (any color works fine; cardstock recommended)

Tip: If you do use paper, I recommend doubling the thickness of the templates by increasing the length dimensions

Tape (Scotch Transparent Tape or any other transparent/translucent tape)

Ruler

Pencil

Eraser

Silicone craft mat (optional)

Step 1: Read Diagrams

You should read the diagrams to understand how to build the craft and how it works. The images above are diagrams of the model. The picture on the left shows the measurements of the individual parts of the holder. The one on the right is a diagram of how the contraption works. The last photo shows all the the supplies you need.

Step 2: Cut Out the Parts

Print out the parts from the print sheet and cut them out along the lines. For the claws, make sure to pay attention to the lines that divide Claw A and B.

Step 3: Fold and Score the Parts

Fold and score the parts according to the folding guide and video. If you need a more detailed fielding process, refer to steps 4 to 6.

Step 4: Folding Pt 1

Fold the parts. A dashed line means that you do a “mountain fold”, while a dotted line with dots means a “valley fold”. In traditional origami, the symbols are reversed; for now think of a dotted line with dots as a river with debris flowing though a valley. For more clarification, search up “ how to make mountain and valley folds in origami” in your preferred browser.

Step 5: Folding Pt 2

Fold the “tail” and middle section in half and crease along lines.

Step 6: Folding Pt 3

Flip over the claws and fold along the creases. Fold tail. Finished tail and middle section. The claws will be completed in the next step.

Step 7: Finish Folding the “Claws”

Fold and “X” over the blue line (on template) and make sure the black dash line (not in template) is somewhat aligned perpendicular to the bottom edge of the “claw”. Repeat on the other side for both claws A and B.

Step 8: Finished Parts

The finished parts; we will assemble them in the next steps.

Step 9: Assemble the Body Part 1

Assemble the "claws" and "middle section" together. First, open the middle and hook the sections of the claws that we folded first (the part that looks like a collar around the front of each claw's base) on each of the horizontal sides of the middle. Then, fold the middle back together.

Step 10: Assemble the Body Part 2

Finished middle section.

Step 11: Assemble the Body Pt 3

Align the “tail” with the rest of the “body”. Then, tape the parts together with one or two pieces of tape.

Step 12: Assemble the Body Part 4

Flip over the contraption and tape the back of the “tail” to reinforce it.

Step 13: How to Store Holder

You store your image/drawing holder by folding the “tail” and tucking it in the gap holding the two arms. If your tail is sticking out, you can weigh it in with a paperclip.

Step 14: Done!

Done! Move the “arms” and adjust them to fit a photo or drawing. Here are some example images and configurations. Have fun with your new holder :)