Homemade Christmas toys have been relevant and popular at all times. After all, such a thing, created in a single copy with warmth and love, can not only decorate the interior, but also bring warmth, comfort and peace to the house. These are animal figures from papier-mâché, and various balloons painted by hand, and, of course, paper angels. A master class on their creation using several well-known techniques is presented below.
Flat paper figures
This is the easiest technology that even kids can learn. You will need white paper, a simple pencil, acrylic paints, brushes and the silhouette of an angel. You can draw it by hand, buy a ready-made stencil, or circle it using some book. Before you cut an angel out of paper, you need to draw the outline with a simple pencil. You can leave the finished figure snow-white or draw a face with the help of paints and paint the wings. An angel is hung on a chandelier, glued to a window or decorated with a Christmas tree.
To make the figure more openwork, the edges of the wings are figuredly cut off and the ornament is made of holes using an awl or a thin needle.
Fan-shaped angel
This technique is more often used when a bird of happiness is made from paper. But the angels, with their own hands from paper collected on this principle, are very cute. They are hung on chandeliers, Christmas trees, or simply on carnations in the wall. Thanks to the voluminous wings, it seems that the figure is floating above the floor. Any paper will do, but the most interesting option will be an openwork (but dense) napkin. Her edges should not be even, but fancifully carved or decorated with ornaments. 2 napkins (or 2 pieces of paper) are bent alternately in opposite directions, getting 2 fans. One of them is fastened with a thread in the middle or sewn together (these will be wings), and the second is attached to the edge (body). Then they are connected together. From thicker paper or cardboard make a face. Finally, the figurine is decorated with beads, paper flowers or other elements and a thread is attached to it. With a little imagination, you can detail the angel by adding arms, legs, a collar to him or by attaching a halo of wire.
Little magic
It turns out that the most ordinary paper napkins can turn into a desktop angel. This will require a minimum of effort, glue and a little imagination. Thick pastel napkins (not necessarily white) will do. Before making an angel out of paper using this scheme, draw a circle on it (or you can take openwork stands for coffee and tea cups). Then, having removed a segment approximately equal to a quarter of the entire area, the remaining part is folded and glued along the edge to form a cone. If the paper is thick enough, the blank will hold on a flat surface without any help. The wings are glued to it, cutting them out of the second napkin (you can combine different colors). A head is attached to the top of the cone. It can be just a circle made of cardboard, a small ball or a funny children's physiognomy, cut out, for example, from a postcard. If there is a spray paint of golden or silver color, you can give the shine to the finished composition.
Operating according to this scheme, disposable cardboard plates, napkins, paper coasters and generally everything that bends, sticks together and has a round shape is easily turned into angels.
Origami
This ancient Japanese technique, which allows you to create animals, people and other objects, will help those who have thought how to make an angel out of paper with their own hands. It should be noted right away that this art is not simple. So without experience and preparation to make an angel will not be easy. But with perseverance, patience and a certain skill, everything will certainly come out.
Paper is needed white or color, moderately dense, for example, a sheet of square shape. It is bent in half, and then doubled, but already as a book. Opening its edges and crushing them, form a trapezoid. Further, its upper part is lowered downward, having received the letter "T". This is the workpiece of the future angel. It needs to be bent along, and then with repeated deformations, wings are symmetrically formed. For beginners, it makes sense to dwell on several folds. Such angels do it out of paper with their own hands easily. Moreover, they will be quite recognizable. Those with more experience should continue and form additional folds, and then the head.
Papier mache
How to make an angel with your own hands out of paper to make a real sculpture? Occupation, I must say, is not simple. And it will take much more time to create one figure than in all previous versions. But the result will be completely different.
Any paper is suitable, but you also need glue (PVA or other available), water, acrylic paints, wire and stationery clips. And, of course, patience. Before you make an angel with your own hands, a mass is prepared from paper. It is torn, crushed and filled with hot water. And then boil or soak for about a day, so that it is softened. At the end, squeeze out well and, adding glue, bring to the consistency of the test.
The base is formed from wire and papier-mâché is wrapped around it. The result is a sculpture of an angel. Wings are made of wire, from paper clips or bird feathers. After the sculpture dries (about a day), it is covered with paints, a face is painted and decorated with decorative elements.
Paper angels can be created in any technique for working with this material. Both children and adults can do this. The most important thing is to work with a good mood, investing in each figure a piece of spiritual warmth. Then a real guardian angel will come out, who will bring light, peace and joy.