How to Create a Paper Person

Paper people are a great way for imaginary play because they are easy and cheap to make. There are all sorts of paper people that you can make, from simple standing figures to clothed paper dolls. If you like origami, then you could try your hand at an origami man with dollar bills.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Making a Simple Standing Doll

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1
Cut a 1 in (2.5 cm) wide strip out of printer paper or cardstock. Use a ruler to draw a line 1 in (2.5 cm) away from the edge of the paper. Draw on the short end for a small doll, and the long end for a big doll. Cut the strip out with scissors.^{[1]XResearch source}
- Cardstock will work the best because it is nice and sturdy, but you can use printer paper too.
- Don’t use thin cardboard. Even though it’s sturdy, it will be too hard to crease.
- If you can, use a light color, such as white. This way, it won't show through the doll.
2
Fold and glue the strip to make a triangle. Fold the strip in half first so that the narrow ends match up. Open the strip, then fold the narrow ends to the crease in the middle. Overlap the ends until the strip turns into a triangle, then glue them together.^{[2]XResearch source}
- Run your fingernail across the folds first to make them nice and crisp.
- A glue stick will work the best. If you only have liquid glue, apply a thin layer and let it dry.
- The more you overlap the ends by, the taller the triangle will be. The less you overlap the ends by, the shorter the triangle will be.
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3
Draw a person on a sheet of paper, making them taller than the triangle. Alternatively, cut a person out of a magazine or catalogue. You can also print a picture out from the internet and use that instead.^{[3]XResearch source}
- Use whatever art supplies you want to draw and color the person: pencils, crayons, markers, or paint!
- You don’t have to draw a parson at all. It can be a cartoon character or an animal.
- Make sure that your drawing has legs, paws, or feet; otherwise, the person won't look like they are standing.
4
Cut the person out of the paper. You can cut right along the lines that you drew, or you can leave a slight gap around the person, like a sticker. Don't cut the space out between the legs, however; leave those intact.^{[4]XResearch source}
- For a sturdier doll, glue the person to cardstock or thin cardboard. Let the glue dry, then cut the person out again.
5
Glue the person to the side of the triangle. Stand your triangle up first. Next, coat the back of the person with glue, then press it against the triangle. Make sure that the bottom edge of the feet match up with the bottom edge of the triangle.^{[5]XResearch source}
- Use this method to create other props for your scene, such as trees and furniture.
- Use the same glue as you did earlier: a glue stick or liquid glue.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Crafting a Clothed Doll

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1
Fold and glue a sheet of paper into a 2 in (5.1 cm) wide strip. If you want to save paper, fold it only 3 to 4 times, then cut the rest off. Glue the longer end of the paper down to make an envelope or packet.^{[6]XResearch source}
- You will be cutting the paper strip shorter, so it does not matter which end you start folding from.
- A glue stick will work the best for this, but a thin layer of liquid glue will also work.
- Use a sheet of paper that's the same color you want for your doll. White, brown, and beige are great choices. If you want an alien, try blue or green.
2
Draw a head, neck, and armholes on the strip so they touch the edges. Turn the paper portrait style with 1 of the short edges facing you. Draw a large circle near the top, making it reach the sides of the strip. Add a neck and shoulders under the circle. Just below the shoulders, draw a C shape on each side of the paper to make the armholes.^{[7]XResearch source}
- The strip will probably be too long for your doll, so draw a horizontal line across to mark the hips.
3
Cut the excess paper off so that you have a person with no arms or legs. Cut around the top of the head, then trim the spaces between the bottom of the neck, neck, and shoulders. Finally, cut out the armholes and the bottom part of the paper.^{[8]XResearch source}
- Don't cut the sides of the head or the body; otherwise, it will come apart!
4
Fold thin strips of paper like the body to make the arms and legs. Fold the paper 3 to 4 times, glue it down, then cut off the rest; make sure that it is narrow enough to fit into the armholes. Fold another strip of paper in the same way, then cut it in half to make the legs.^{[9]XResearch source}
- For a more realistic doll, cut a hand or mitten shape into each end of the arm strip. Cut the end of each leg strip into a C shape so that it's rounded.
5
Slide the arms into the armholes and glue the legs to the bottom of the doll. Don't glue the arms into the body. This will allow you to pull them and trace the armholes to make a tank top for the doll.^{[10]XResearch source}
- If the arms are too wide for the armholes, just cut the armholes a little wider.
- For a nicer finish, open the bottom of the body like a pouch, then glue the legs into it.
6
Trace the doll's upper body onto colorful paper to make a shirt or dress. Set the doll down on a colorful sheet of paper. Trace around the sides, shoulders, and arms, then lift the doll away. Draw a U shape between the shoulders to make the neck hole. Draw a line across the bottom of the shape to make the end of the doll's shirt, and another line through each arm to make the sleeves.^{[11]XResearch source}
- How long you make the sleeves is up to you! They can reach the hands for long sleeves or stop partway for short.
- If you want to make a tank top, pull the arms out and trace around the armholes instead.
- For a shirt, draw the line halfway across the body. For a dress, draw it across the legs.
7
Cut the shape out, then use the same process to make more clothes. Use a different color of paper for each piece of clothing that you make. Construction paper works great, but wrapping paper or scrapbooking paper are also good options. You can even color your own paper! Here are some creative outfit pieces:^{[12]XResearch source}
- Skirt: trace the sides of the doll's body, then draw a line across the top and bottom of the shape to make a rectangle.
- Pants: start with a skirt shape, but make it end at the feet. Trace between the legs to turn the skirt into pants.
- Hat: trace the doll's head onto the paper first, then draw a hat around it. Try a beanie, cowboy hat, or top hat!
8
Place a sheet of paper over the doll's head, then trace the hair. Set a sheet of paper on top of the doll. Trace the top of the doll's head, then draw vertical or straight lines to make the head. Add bangs inside the doll's face.^{[13]XResearch source}
- Use thin, white paper so that you can see the doll through it. Alternatively, trace the doll's head onto colored paper, then draw the hair using it as a reference.
- If the paper is white, color it in with crayons, markers, or pencils.
9
Cut and glue the hair to the doll's head, then draw a face, if desired. Cut the hair out first, then apply glue to the back. Stick it to the top of the doll's head, and let it dry. For a more realistic doll, sketch a face in pencil, then outline it with a thin marker.^{[14]XResearch source}
- Your doll does not have to look human. Maybe your doll is an alien or a cyclops.
- For a girlie touch, apply some blush or chalk pastel to the doll's cheeks with your pinkie finger.
10
Stick the clothes onto the doll, then add details, if desired. Use a glue stick or school glue for a permanent outfit. For a removable outfit, use double-sided tape. Next, customize your doll's hair and clothing with markers and embellishments. For example:^{[15]XResearch source}
- Use thin markers to draw patterns on the outfit, such as stripes or polka dots.
- Cut shapes out of colored paper, like bows, and glue them to the doll's head.
- Use some kind of liquid glue to attach fancier embellishments, such as rhinestones or sequins.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Folding a Paper Money Man

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1
Get three $1 dollar bills, making sure that they have a face in the middle. Other amounts and currencies will also work, but make sure that they have a small face in the center. The money doesn’t have to be real; play money will also work.^{[16]XResearch source}
- Alternatively, cut 3 rectangles out of paper that are roughly the same size as a dollar bill, about 2.61 by 6.14 in (6.6 by 15.6 cm).
2
Take your first bill and fold it into fourths lengthwise. Fold the bill in half lengthwise first to make a crease, then unfold it. Next, bring the long, side edges to the crease. Finally, fold the paper in half along the central crease to finish the strip.^{[17]XResearch source}
- Run your nail across the folded edges to make them nice and neat.
- A bill has a different color on each side. Use the color you want for the legs on the outside of the strip.
3
Fold the strip in half to make a flat V-shape, then set it aside. Fold the strip in half at an angle, so that instead of sitting on top of each other, the ends have a V-shaped gap between them. Your bill should look like the letter V.^{[18]XResearch source}
- This completes the leg portion of the man.
- A 45-degree angle would be idle. If you want to make the man stand with his feet together, use a smaller angle.
4
Get out the next bill and fold the narrow end just past the middle. If you are using a US dollar bill, fold the narrow edge just past the head. For all other bills, just eyeball the middle, then fold it just past that.^{[19]XResearch source}
- Don't worry too much about how far down you fold the edge. As long as it's just past the middle, you're good.
- If you want to make a taller man, fold it halfway instead.
- Keep the color you want for the shirt facing away from you. Fold towards the color you don’t want for the shirt.
5
Bring the long, side edges to the middle of the bill. Keep the bill so that you can see the folded-over side of the paper. Next, fold it in half lengthwise to make a center crease, then unfold it. Finally, fold the long, side edges towards that center crease.^{[20]XResearch source}
- For a larger man, don't fold the long, side edges all the way to the middle; leave a small gap between them.
6
Fold the narrow end by ¹⁄₄ in (0.64 cm), then fold the corners to the back. Turn the bill over so that the flat side is facing you. Fold 1 of the top edges down by ¹⁄₄ in (0.64 cm). Flip the bill over so that the back is facing you, then fold the top corners down.^{[21]XResearch source}
- The top part that you fold over will look like a fancy dress collar. If you want a simpler man, then just fold the top corners to the back.
7
Bring the other narrow end to the corners, then set the bill aside. Take the bottom narrow end of the bill and fold it up so that it meets the bottom edge of the folded over corners. Run your nail across the bottom edge to crease it.^{[22]XResearch source}
- For a permanent piece of origami, glue the bill together.
- For a taller man, fold the paper less than halfway.
8
Take the final bill and fold the long edges to either side of the head. Make sure that you are folding the long edges to the back of the bill so that they don't cover up the face. Align the top folded edge with the top of the head, and the bottom folded edge with the neck.^{[23]XResearch source}
- This assumes that the face is right in the middle of the middle. If it isn't, just fold the top and bottom edges by about ¹⁄₂ in (1.3 cm). You'll draw the face later.
9
Fold the ends of the strip to the back of the bill at an angle. Take the left end of the bill and fold it back at a downward angle so that it aligns with the side of the head. Do the same with the right end. When you're done, you should have something that looks like a trapezoid.^{[24]XResearch source}
- If your bill did not have a face in the middle, just fold the ends back so that your trapezoid is about 1 in (2.5 cm) wide along the bottom edge.
10
Bend the strips back out at an angle to complete the arms. Turn the bill over so that you can't see the face. Take the right end that you just folded down and fold it away from the middle. Keep a slight gap between the 2 folds. Repeat the process for the left side.^{[25]XResearch source}
- Make the hands slimmer by folding them lengthwise.
- Bend the strips downward for a relaxed pose, or upward for a confused or cheering pose.
11
Attach the legs to the bottom of the shirt, and the head to the top. Use tape or double-side tape if you plan to give the man as a gift, or if you want to reuse the bills. Use glue or staples if you wish to make a permanent origami man and don't wish to take him apart.^{[26]XResearch source}
- If your bill didn't have a face, draw it with a marker, or use a sticker that has a face on it.
- Don't use a marker if you wish to give the man away or reuse the bills.

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How do I make an origami dragon?
Community Answer
See Make an Origami Dragon.
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Why do you waste money for a doll?
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No money is wasted. All you do after is unfold the money and use. It is just something fun for if you're out somwhere and feel bored, so you can make a doll on the spot.
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What if you don't have any one dollar bills?
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Find a member of your family, or a friend and switch 1 of your 5 dollar bills for 5 of their 1 dollar bills. Or, you could also simply use any other bill you have. If not, take a blank piece of paper, put it on top of any dollar bill, and cut out a dollar-sized piece of paper.
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Tips

Try a paper person chain or a paper doll!
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Your person does not have to be human. It can be an alien, monster, cyclops, or animal.
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You can totally make your person look like a cartoon, book, or movie character. Look up reference photos, then make their eyes, hair, and clothing the right colors.
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