Customer Reviews

Elements Of Pop Up: A Pop Up Book For Aspiring Paper Engineers

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

When you first open the cover of this amazing book, you will be ASTOUNDED by the pop-up on the first page - one of the most incredible I've ever seen in a mass-marketed book - and you will immediately want to learn how to do something like that! However, be forewarned: this is NOT a how-to book. You won't be given a tidy list of instructions: "Fold line A, cut at B, join to C, fold and WALLA! A dinosaur!" What you WILL get is all the building blocks you need, in the form of examples of every conceivable type of pop-up mechanism (including ones you've probably never seen before, like neat-o spinning disks), to make incredible pop-ups like the one on the first page. This is more of a pop-up dictionary. It's an amazing overview, and the examples - all of which are neatly arranged into individual categories based on type of pop-up mechanism, and all of which can be taken apart and put back together to explore the mechanics - are inspiring. It's up to your spirit of exploration and creativity to figure out what sort of pop-ups you can create using these ideas. The easiest pop-up folds are marked with an "easy" star (sadly, not too many are "easy," but that's the world of pop-ups for you). I wished that there were clearer directions on the difficult examples, though - some are tricky to figure out just by taking them apart (I wanted to know if I was trying to use a particular fold how I would figure out how much space to leave, how to figure out what to glue first, etc. But there's much to be said for trial and error. I've figured out quite a few already.) Overall, though, it's a great book, and an invaluable resource for budding pop-up artists. I'm very glad I bought it!

I can't even do origami cranes, so when I picked up Elements of Pop Up it was really scary. Inside this volume you'll find a graduate course in how to turn paper into that beloved art form, the popup book. I wish I taught high school art because I'd use this book as the basis of a whole semester's course. The author, David Carter, has done some of my favorite popups (Bugs in a Box, being one). This book proves that true genius is proved by the ability to make the extremely complex simple enough for an idiot like me to understand. After I read it, drooled over the various elements that are taught (by example) I was ready to go get a razor knife and some card stock and give it a try. Other than skiing down hills in Taos, there is nothing scarier for me than following directions on folding and cutting. I tried it with his directions and managed to adequately produce a kind of Forrest Gump version of Robert Sabuda's Movable Mother Goose. If practice makes perfect, then I've got about a thousand years of practice to go, but thanks to David Carter and James Diaz (who lives in my old home town Albuquerque) for making it possible.

Elements of Pop Up is one of the few How To Make Pop-Ups books that features patterns for moving parts like wheel/tab mechanisms, which is why I purchased it. However, don't expect to be able to create anything extrememly fancy with this one. The examples are made of simple shapes that expect the user to expand upon them as necessary--this can be a detriment when you're trying to figure out how to alter the pattern to make something more complicated. The most useful part of the book, ironically, isn't even in the book: it's online at www.popupbooks.com, Carter's website. In the Surprise section, one can download all the patterns for making every example shown. Don't pass up buying the book, though. You'll most likely need Elements of Pop Up at your side to figure out how to assemble all your cut out pieces correctly. If you'd rather follow instructions and complete specific projects, I'd recommend Carter/Diaz's other book, Let's Make It Pop-Up! (ISBN 0-689-86508-2), which has pre-printed pictures and contains projects like Blooming Flower and Huggy Bear.

If you need examples of just about every kind of pop-up mechanism imaginable, look no further. The book is beautifully and thoughtfully designed as well, and the big surprise at the beginning of the book never ceases to astound. Although there are no step-by-step instructions, there are clear descriptions about how to do each pop-up. And if you're like me and shudder at the thought of taking this gorgeous book apart, just go to the website on the book and download the templates. (or buy a second copy!)Thank you Mr. Carter and Mr. Diaz for a book that makes me very happy! :--)

This, as the title says, shows a variety of elementary paper popups - the cute little folded thingies in books and cards that stand up when the page is opened. The book's a real strength that it includes an actual, working specimen of each structure it describes. Except for one or two demonstratons, the popup folds never pass the basic, and never show the incredible breadth of artistry that can go into the best of popups. Still, it's readable and gives you an unambiguous idea of how the finished product will look, work, and be assembled. From that point forward, combining ideas, adapting them to your application, and decorating the paper surface are all up to your creative expression.

But wait, there's more! This includes not just standard popup folds, but lots of little pull-the-tab, spin-the-wheel, and other bits of paper gadgetry, also in the form of working demonstrations, with variations on many of the themes.

It's a great book for the paper crafter, whether for personal enjoyment or professional inspiration. Yes, I know that the old pro will already be familiar with a lot of what's here - but that's not true for the student, and even masters might like to have their memories jogged when they're looking for inspiration. There's a lot of fun here, for both the recipient of the made thing and for its maker.

//wiredweird

It's hard to put an age range on this presentation which is definitely not for the very young: this provides a pop-up presentation on how to put together a pop-up book, surveying all angles of the paper engineering involved. From parallel and angle folds to pull tabs, this provides step-by-step coverage plus a history of pop-ups. Middle school age ranges on up will find it delightful.

I have been teaching pop-up book design in my college 3-D Design class for about 6 years. My students have created many wonderful and beautiful projects. They not only create the mechanisms, but also fine artwork to match them. One of the most time-consuming aspects of the project is learning the specifics of mechanical design, This book illustrates in three dimensions the underlying concepts. It is very easy for a novice to gain an understanding of simple mechanics, proportions, and gluing methods.

Elements of Pop-Up is a simple book. It alone is not enough to teach high quality design. Well-done artful books are a must. There are many excellent examples such as A POP-UP BOOK of PHOBIAS, FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT IN POP-UP, A VICTORIAN FARMHOUSE, THE 12 DAYS of CHRISTMAS: A POP-UP CELEBRATION (by Robert Sabuda), any of the National Geographic pop-up book collection, and those by Chuck Murphy.

Finally: A how-to book on pop-up engineering with REAL pop-ups for examples! Not only is this a how-to book for budding paper engineers, it is a pop-up collectible in itself. Authored and designed by two of today's outstanding engineers, it demonstrates with clear instructions and graphic examples (which dramatically rise from the page) the various means by which the magicians of pop-up technology achieve their almost-magical effects. This is a book for all ages, to learn from but also simply to enjoy.

I am the author of this book. I created this project because children and teachers often asked for my recommendation for a how-to-make-pop-ups book. I hope it inspires young creative minds of all ages to experiment with paper. Have fun!

I love this book. It's an excellent learning tool. The almost explosive front pop-up incorporates all the elements in the book, then each one is explained and demonstrated separately. I particularly liked the noise making pop-up, which had a saw-toothed mechanism. In visiting the author's web site I found he had dies (pdf models to cut out) for the elements in the book under "surprise". I think, considering the hand made nature of the book, and production costs, its price is not unreasonable. Another good book for learning paper engineering in which you construct the models is Paper Engineering for Pop-Up Books and Cards