While we do agree that arts and crafts is a budding profession, it doesn’t stop there. Art is also therapy and a hobby. The best thing about arts and crafts is that it is quite inexpensive. You can make art out of anything within your reach, even if it is a ball pen. Edward Bulwer-Lytton in his 1839 play, ‘Richelieu; Or the Conspiracy’ coined the phrase ‘The pen is mightier than the sword’ and we wholeheartedly agree. However, nobody should underestimate the power of paper either. The paper mustn’t only be seen as a canvas for pens and paint brushes, but rather as a versatile tool. One can make sculptural wonders out of paper – origami, lanterns, construction paper art, amongst more. It mustn’t come as a surprise that paper mache has been chosen as the most sought-after artistic and commercial medium in the regions of Kashmir and Orissa.
If you are as obsessed with South Park as we are, it mustn’t come as a surprise that the animations were made using construction paper and stop-motion techniques. But what is construction paper? Read on to find out.
What is Construction Paper?
Construction paper, also called sugar paper, is essentially coloured cardstock. Cardstock paper is thicker and more durable than normal paper, generally used for writing. However, it is thinner and more flexible than paperboard. Since it is made out of wood pulp, the construction paper texture is rougher than regular paper. It is also visibly unfinished; with small pulp particles dancing around the paper’s surface. Construction papers are quite versatile — coming in a wide range of colours and thicknesses, affordable, durable, and easy to cut.
How Is Colored Construction Paper Made?
Since it is made of wood pulp, the result would bear an unappealing brown construction paper. Earlier, powdered pigment and vegetable oil were used to impart colour to construction paper. These didn’t do the job well as they had weaker staining abilities resulting in unappealing coloured construction paper. With developments in synthetic dyes, they were sparingly used to colour construction paper. It resulted in diverse and vibrant coloured construction paper. The cost to make them was also lower than its predecessor. However, with time, the synthetic colours fade away leaving a greyish and brittle paper in tow.
How Do You Make Construction Paper At Home?
Making construction paper is quite easy. You simply have to mix wood pulp with water. Take a huge chunk of the mixture and press it to release excess water. At this point, synthetic dyes are added and then mixed vigorously. Now sieve the mixture into a papermaking screen and press on it (for better effects use a roller) to release residual water and mould it into the desired thickness. Leave it to air dry under the sun. Once dry, you can cut the sheets. Depending on your requirements, you can make small or big construction paper sheets.
Ideas for Construction Paper Crafts
Construction paper is quite soft and absorbs ink very easily. Hence, it becomes quite difficult to control the application of paint and colours on it. While they may not be ideal for painting, they can be designed and modelled to create sturdy sculptural masterpieces. Here are some construction paper craft ideas to get you started.
Halloween Construction Paper Crafts
If you invest in construction paper, you can reduce your budget for Halloween decorations. There are several Halloween construction paper crafts which you must use to decorate your porch and give out candies to the trick-and-treaters. Make a witch’s hat with black construction paper. Make a cone and fill it up with candies. Now glue a circle at the top and give it out to the kids. It will be their own personal piñata. You may also make a pumpkin. Grab a large construction paper sheet, preferably in orange. Cut out several sheets of different sizes. Make an accordion fold; glue the two ends together; and fan it out. In a decreasing order stack the circles on top of each other. Don’t forget to glue the green tendrils and pumpkin stalk made out of brown construction paper.
Christmas Construction Paper Crafts
Bring out your construction papers and scissors for these miraculous Christmas construction paper crafts. Make Christmas trees using green construction paper by rolling them up in a cone. Attach them to a stem made of brown construction paper. Decorate it the way you want it. Alternatively, you can even make candy cane Christmas ornaments using white and red construction paper. Just cut a red construction paper in the shape of a candy cane and attach white stripes all over it.
Construction Paper Flowers
Crafts with construction paper are especially fun if you are making construction paper flowers. Whip out your pink, white, purple, and blue construction paper. Fold the sheets in half along the breadth and cut stripes leaving 1 cm between each cut. Now glue them on a green construction paper stem. These flowers will definitely look divine when you make floral centrepieces.
Crafting with construction paper is very easy and hassle-free. So what’s stopping you? Get your Crayola construction paper (or any other brand that you like) ready and let’s get ready to craft some construction paper miracles.
Image Courtesy – First Cry Parenting
