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Handmade paper toys you squeeze, drop or tap for a fun surprise

Adding a mechanical touch to the ancient art of paper crafting, Japanese designer Haruki Nakamura brings his artwork to life. Inspired by kirigami—an origami-like technique that employs cuts in addition to foldsHaruki creates paper toys that move in unexpected and unusual ways.

Through his masterful understanding of engineering, he combines kirigami with the traditional karakuri, or mechanized puppets. Haruki constructs his whimsical creatures with a paper twist, and each figure’s movements are prompted by human touch; the simple act of tipping, poking, or dropping them on a table reveals the true selves of the paper toys.

Haruki Nakamura paper toys to you squeeze, tap or drop

Whether they’re shedding surprising disguises, showcasing amazing acrobatics, or retreating to the comfort of their protective shells, you won’t know how the paper toys will react until you play with them—which is all part of the fun.

Haruki Nakamura paper toys to you squeeze, tap or drop
Haruki Nakamura paper toys to you squeeze, tap or drop

Haruki is self-taught and his main goal is to entertain people with his work. For the past 19 years he’s been honing his craft, not long after he first picked up a book called Paper Craft Techniques Encyclopedia.

While the book helped him improve his work, he really began pursuing the field in earnest after he saw the joy that his paper toys brought people. He continues to keep this in mind today when building his more recent creations.

Haruki Nakamura paper toys to you squeeze, tap or drop
Haruki Nakamura paper toys to you squeeze, tap or drop

Haruki does sell his paper toys as kits on his website. Unfortunately, the designer only sells in Japan. But there is hope for those abroad—his popular Penguin Bomb toy is available on Amazon.


Source: https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2018/11/new-handmade-paper-toys-by-haruki-nakamura/

1 Comment
  1. Suzanne

    That is so amazing!!! I’ve tried to make when I was younger never could. I hope it shows you how t you make them, I want to try again…maybe I will have more luck now that I’m in my 50s….sent to my niece who is very good at this art stuff for her 5 year old who is very creative like my mom and her mom …..and I’m sure she will make something. Thank you Suzanne

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