Have you ever read a book with pop ups? If so, you have seen kirigami! The Japanese word “kirigami” translates as cut paper. “Kiru” means to cut and “kami” means paper. In Japanese, the “k” in “kami” is changed to the “g” sound when used in a compound word. Therefore, we have kirigami and not kirikami. The goal in making Japanese kirigami is to transform a flat piece of paper into a 3 dimensional object, but unlike origami, which does not allow cutting, you are allowed to cut the paper. Gluing and marking the paper is still not allowed in traditional origami or kirigami.
Kirigami Book Activity – Simple Activity from NR Creative Studios
Create a simple kirigami book. The video also shows ways you can decorate your book or card.
Butterfly Activity – Advanced Activity from kala kraft
Here some pictures from Ms. Lysne’s Paper Engineering class. Her 5th grade class used origami and kirigami technics to make pop up books.
Ms. Lysne’s 7th graders used the technics to make holiday cards for their service learning project. Here are some samples of the cards they made:
- What’s the difference between origami and kirigami?
- Name a few of the technological advancements where kirigami was used in the video.
- Did you try making kirigami? What did you make? We would love to see your creations or hear about your process.
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