Discover the Best Papercraft Classes in NYC
In addition to papermaking, papercraft includes a huge variety of other crafts that deploy paper as their principal medium. Today, papercraft is immensely popular across the world because paper is readily available, versatile, and easy to work with. Whether you’re a child learning numbers and colors from cut shapes or a professional maker with a handmade brand, paper is a medium you can transform.
While all papercrafts utilize paper, the end products can often end up looking completely different, and that’s because there are countless ways to manipulate paper for different effects. To name just a few, common papercraft techniques include cutting, tearing, layering, folding, curling, gluing, dying, painting, and mixing with wet ingredients to create a paste. In addition to flat crafts like cards and stationery, papercraft is popular for creating three-dimensional objects such as miniature dollhouse furniture, sculptures, and wedding bouquets.
While papercraft has grown into a global phenomenon, it originally started in ancient Egypt with the simple invention of papyrus, or paper. Along with using paper for writing and painting, ancient artists created ornamental boxes covered in intricate curled paper, known today as quilling. As paper spread throughout the world, new art forms sprung up: folded origami in Japan, papier-mâché in China, and papel picado in Mexico.
Today, papercraft has expanded to include bookbinding, decoupage, scrapbooking, paper layering, and machine die-cutting. In addition to its decorative value, papercraft is popular as a tactile teaching method in classrooms for young children. Like early Egyptians, many papercraft artists today make paper from scratch, and enjoy working with a wide variety of different paper types.
Why You Should Learn Papercraft in NYC
You don’t need to develop advanced art skills before you can start learning papercraft, and many types of papercraft are even easy enough for kids to learn. In contrast to mediums like metal, wood, or ceramic, which have a much steeper learning curve, paper is also much cheaper to come by. While handmade papers and fine art papers can be a bit pricier, they’re still significantly less expensive than full-sized painting canvases, fine textiles, and metal.
If that’s not enough, papercraft is filled with benefits for your mental and physical health. In addition to encouraging creativity, papercraft can give you a stronger understanding of geometry, which makes it an important element of children’s education. In addition, papercraft is a particularly useful skill to learn if you want to improve your hand-dexterity, as folding, cutting, and working intricate details increases fine motor skills.
Thanks to its many avenues for expressing feelings, papercraft is sometimes treated as a therapy activity. With the tactile feel of paper in your hands and your creative wheels spinning, you’ll likely find that papercraft decreases anxiety, increases self-worth, and aids concentration. Moreover, as a personal growth activity, paper crafting is a great way to increase your sense of self-efficacy. For those who struggle with loneliness, papercraft can provide opportunities to form new relationships at local clubs and craft fairs.
If you’re looking for an additional source of income, papercraft can even become a side hustle. Creative markets such as Etsy and Shopify make it possible for makers to sell their handmade goods online without needing their own website or marketing. In addition, some popular papercraft bloggers can make an additional sum by hosting paid advertisements on their blogs.
In-Person Papercraft Classes & Schools in NYC
If you’re a social butterfly who wants to make friends with other creatives, learning papercraft onsite isn’t a bad way to go. Join classmates in a fully-stocked classroom where you’ll learn from an experienced papercraft instructor. In addition to expert demonstrations, there will be scads of opportunities to ask questions and get feedback on your projects. As a result, you’ll learn more quickly than you would by yourself.
As a direct benefit of your fully-stocked classroom, you likely won’t need to purchase many papercraft supplies. However, if you’d like to collect some for home use, your instructor can be a great resource when it comes to learning about the best paper types, tool brands, and artist supply stores. Don’t be shy when it comes to asking questions. Visit CourseHorse to kick off your hobby education with an in-person papercraft course in NYC.
If you’ve ever drooled over the marbled paper in the interiors of books, consider creating your own from scratch by joining 92nd Street Y’s Paper Marbling course. Right in the Upper East Side, Manhattan, you can learn acrylic marbling techniques from Sheryl Oppenheim, a local painter, paper marbler, and bookbinder. As a bonus, she’ll also teach you the history of marbling up to today, giving you a firm grasp of the context you’re working in.
If you’ve got old print-jobs-gone-wrong lying around your office, why not transform them into recycled paper in 92nd Street Y’s Eco-friendly Papermaking class? Along with basic pulp pounding and screen use, you’ll get to dye and paint your pulp in beautiful colors of your choice. In addition, the course also covers more complex papermaking skills such as embossing and three-dimensional paper casting using a mold. By the end of class, you’ll have learned how to make environmentally sustainable paper for applications like card and stationery design, as well as paper sculpture.
Interested in learning how to make paper from plant fibers? 92nd Street Y’s Korean Papermaking: Joomchi and Beyond course will teach you how to create paper by agitating and layering plant pulp. You can use the mulberry paper you make in this course for a variety of projects, including painting, collage, origami, and sculpture. In addition to practical techniques, you’ll explore the historical uses and making of paper in Korean culture.
If you have a boring storage container that you’d love to decorate, check out 92nd Street Y’s Decoupage Objects class. With just paper and mod podge, you can transform otherwise ordinary objects into unique and decadent items. Just bring along a container you’d like to work with, and Omi Gray will teach you the secrets to a smooth decoupage finish.
Virtual Papercraft Classes & Schools
Why leave home when you can learn papercraft from an expert right in your living room? With an internet-connected device, you can participate in a live class where you’ll meet new friends, watch demonstrations, and be able to ask questions in real-time. Live online learning offers a convenient way to add new creative skills to your arsenal without the hassle of navigating traffic or finding parking.
While in-person courses are often limited to just a few options, live online learning allows you to choose from a wider selection of courses available throughout the world. In addition, taking the commute out of learning gives you more free time for papercraft outside of class.
Before starting class, be sure to equip your space with some papercraft supplies. If you’re especially lucky, your class might be willing to ship complimentary supplies to you as part of the course. However, most online instructors will provide you with a list of tools and materials to purchase yourself. Often, these lists will also come with brand recommendations and tips on where to find things. Begin your creative adventure by joining an online papercraft class on CourseHorse.
If you’re interested in bookbinding but not ready to dive straight in, start with learning how to Make a Photobook with One Sheet of Paper. Professional artist, printmaker, and bookbinder in NYC, Elizabeth Castaldo offers a beginner-friendly lesson in bookmaking that doesn’t involve any glue or sewing. In her two-hour course, you’ll learn how to cut and fold a book out of a single piece of paper. Afterward, you can use your book to show off photos, prints, or other artwork.
Alternatively, practice self-expression using pre-existing images with Evanston Art Center’s Paper Remix I: Inspired Collage I course. In addition to learning about composition, shape, and color, you’ll explore different types of paper and learn techniques for gathering images from surprising places. In addition, the class will also inspire you with themes, poems, landscapes, or personal imagery.
In a two-hour Suminagashi (Japanese Marbling) Course, you’ll enjoy a meditative introduction to Japanese marbling. During this relaxing class, you’ll use Sumi ink from the kit provided for you to make your own marbled rice paper and wood coaster.
Private Group Papercraft Classes in NYC
Does your event need a chill team-bonding activity? In addition to encouraging creativity, beginner-friendly papercraft classes are a great opportunity for friends and colleagues to sit down and socialize without the pressure of work looming over their heads. CouresHorse has private group papercraft classes for NYC businesses that you can book by visiting their website.
Try the Virtual Origami Workshop for a fun-filled night of folding three-dimensional animals out of paper with your group of 500 or fewer. From there, you can proudly display your paper sculptures on desks or delight small children by teaching them origami. Along with the class, each participant receives a colorful bundle of square origami paper that will last for months.
Groups of up to 200 can enjoy painting paper cube lights in the Virtual Shadow Light Making Workshop. With 12 paint colors and a sponge brush provided for you, you can transform your acetate-paper light cube into mood lighting that’s uniquely you.
If collage strikes your fancy, check out the Virtual Holiday Card Workshop that comes with complimentary materials. With a party of up to 100, you’ll design, cut, and paste your own unique three-dimensional greeting cards to share with family and friends this season.
For a winter-centric activity, you can also opt for the Virtual Holiday Ornament Workshop, which features collage alongside other papercraft skills such as papier-mâché. Your group of up to 100 will be gifted plenty of paper, glue, paint, glitter, and sequins to make ornaments one-of-a-kind ornaments you can be proud of for Christmases to come.
Having difficulty locating your ideal papercraft class? Luckily, CourseHorse is prepared to add new tailor-made classes just for you and your group. Consider reaching out to CourseHorse using their online contact form to explore available options.
When it comes to stress-free planning, CourseHorse is hard to beat. In addition to booking courses with no added booking fees, you’ll get a confirmation notice within 24 hours, allowing you to breathe easy knowing your plans are solid. For added flexibility, you’ll also retain the freedom to modify your group size after booking, making it easy to adapt if more people RSVP, or a guest no-shows due to illness. When you sign up, simply give CourseHorse your best group-size estimate and then adjust as needed.
