Paper Picture Frame made with Composition Paper

This is my fourth, and possibly last, in this series of how-to-do-something to mount a single image. While the first three were not specifically child-oriented, this one is most definitely for the young crowd. I suspect that any adult reading this will also find it irresistible to try out.

The frame above is made from lowly composition paper, but just any about any easily folded paper will do. Think: copy paper, origami paper, wrapping paper. You need to start with a square. If making a square is a challenge for you print out my handout on this skill of making a square and then take a look at my Square-of-Your-Own post, which has a degree more of sophistication.

Paper Frame for Children of All Ages PDF

I made the above handout about 25 years ago! The steps are laid out in the document above, but, to get your brain started, you may notice that it starts the same way the traditional fortune teller toy is folded.

Images that are quite a bit smaller than the frame opening can be glued into the center, but what’s even better is that if image is larger (up to half the height and width of the paper that is used to make the frame), its corners can be tucked into the pockets that have been created in each corner of this structure.

If that’s not cool enough, there’s more to appreciate! Those folded back corners can undergo transformations. For instance, wrap the flap at each corner around a pencil to make the paper curl. Then maybe glue down or draw some embellishments close to the corners.

Paper Frame with Accordion folded corners

Another playful alteration of the flaps is to accordion fold them, as in the frame above. See how many variations of whimsey you can come up with.

As much as I like folding this structure, it’s the possibilities for decoration that I find to be endlessly compelling.

The frame pictured above is made from notebook paper. What I love about using notebook paper is that it has lines, which provide a helpful constraint which I like to fill with border patterns…speaking of printed constraints, this reminds me, I wrote an article about using crossword puzzles from the newspaper to make frames. So fun.

Is there more? Yes!

Turn the frame around, partially unfold the bottom flap, and the frame will stand up by itself.

Well, generally, it will stay up by itself. In the case of the notebook paper, which is rather unsubstantial, there may be a problem with self-standing…

Here, a small box sits on that flattened flap, offering a bit of support.

Want to see a video with some tips? Here it is!

So there you have it!

Go forth, make frames and be sure to share this skill with a child in your sphere. It’s the best sort of thing we can do these days.

To see all four posts in this sereis, see Framing and Mounting – Playful Bookbinding and Paper Works

Published by Paula Beardell Krieg

Visual artist Paula Beardell Krieg has been teaching bookmaking to students in schools, to teachers and to other artists since the mid 1980's. View all posts by Paula Beardell Krieg