PAPEL PICADO
Perforated paper is a traditional folk art decoration used to decorate for celebratory occasions in Mexico and Central and South America. Celebrate today by making your own banner.
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Papel picados frequently have themes or tell stories with their designs. Be inspired by things you care about and the world around you. Common themes include birds and floral designs.You can design templates to make multiples panels of the same design.
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Cut a 5”x10” regular thickness piece of paper for the template design.
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Draw a horizontal line 1” from the top to mark the TOP area that will be secured to the banner string and should not be cut.
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Draw a design as solid shapes, keeping in mind that it will be symmetrical and mirrored for the papel picado. Make the shapes large enough that you can cut them out with a scissors and leave enough space between the shapes so the paper wont get too flimsy when it is cut. If you have a hole puncher, you can incorporate small circles in your design.
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To make your papel picado, fold a 10”x10” piece tissue paper in half. Place the template over it and cut out the design.
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To make the banner, create several panels. Lay the a panel flat and place the string at the 1/2” fold at the top. Apply glue to the top 1/2” and spread it around gently. Fold the 1/2” top over to secure the string. Space panels at least 1” apart.
