Shaping Tips

[Baltorigamist]

So I'm working on a new design (I've probably said it somewhere on the forum, but I'm not going to say it again). I precreased it and collapsed the base with no issues whatsoever, but I can't seem to get the shaping to work out. I've always just dry-folded and pinched the flaps in whatever direction I need them to be in, but this time I'm dealing with a lot of pleated layers.

Any tips? I'm using the thinnest paper I can find--tracing paper, ~21gsm. Should I use binder clips, wet-shaping, or what?

[roodborst]

Maybe you could make a test piece? Just fold some of your tracing paper a bunch of times and then see if you can wetfold it. I recently made a model that was so thick that it could not fold any futher and when I used water on it, I could fold and shape it. Then I use this paintingtape to keep the model in the shape I like and I let it dry overnight. Next day I gently take the tape off and the model is finished. But since you are using very thin paper, I'm not sure if this would work, the paper might tear or rip.

[mummykicks]

You've never wet folded/shaped before?

MC the paper first before you fold it or the wet shaping won't work all that well.
Tracing paper doesn't take MC all that well, but it will eventually work.

Standard wetfolding with MC solution should work fine then, and you can really collapse all the layers together. This is a piece of tracing paper and tissue MC'd together being held in place to dry. there are a large number of layers compressed together that wouldn't be possible without wetfolding it...


ZD wetfold moment by mummykicks, on Flickr