Blizzard spotlights the growing popularity of WoW papercraft
by Lesley Smith 
Apr 28th 2009 at 8:00PM
I'm trying (and failing) not to go all fangirl over his papercraft moonkin (Druids FTW, etc., etc.) but it's impressive how intricate these models can be, from a mail box to a dragon. The spotlight also offers some hints on how to get started and while I'm totally useless at any crafty stuff, it makes me want to have a go at one of these beauties.
Filed under: Fan stuff, Odds and ends, Blizzard, News items, Interviews, Europe
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Reayski Apr 28th 2009 8:10PM
Wow..
Panzervi Apr 28th 2009 8:12PM
Some people have a lot more time than me... :)
Pretty cool though
Plastic Rat Apr 28th 2009 11:01PM
Nope, they just choose to spend it differently.
Teni Apr 28th 2009 8:19PM
I *really* wish the guy that does the amazing cube paper dolls over at Cubeecraft.com would make WoW toons. He has one of the guy from Halo (http://www.cubeecraft.com/cubee/master-chief) and the others are just terrific.
Bardo Apr 29th 2009 12:41AM
Thanks for posting this link. I run a print shop and I know exactly what I'll be spending my day doing tomorrow. :)
Pyornthe Apr 28th 2009 8:33PM
OMG.
Those are amazing. o.o
Stryiker Apr 29th 2009 4:14PM
Soo..... sell kits.... make millions?
Dementron Apr 29th 2009 12:00AM
What I find interesting is that they seem to use the actual polygons from the in-game models
rosencratz Apr 29th 2009 7:36AM
That's pretty much it.
Polygonal models are all you need to make a paper craft initially, it gets a lot fiddlier from then on in though.
Ted Apr 29th 2009 2:00AM
I made the Abomination found here (http://wowpapercraft.blogspot.com/2008/11/1-year-and-100-000-visitors.html); it took me about 8 hours and it stands 10" tall. It was a blast to make. Love me some papercraft.
Stomy Apr 29th 2009 7:49AM
I just put that site on my favs
Minidrake Apr 29th 2009 3:52AM
I have a classic old-world treasure chest sitting on my desk at home right now. About the only other thing I could wish for would be... oh... some sort of Ethereal, maybe a rogue, and perhaps, just perhaps a model of Dalaran to hang from my ceiling. :D
Forcepath Apr 29th 2009 1:09PM
Okay, a model of Dalaran hanging from my ceiling would be SO COOL. You just geeked me out.
I would love a Ragnaros model myself. Being someone who enjoyed oldschool stuff, I would enjoy Rag perched upon my desktop.
Minidrake Apr 30th 2009 8:13AM
With Pepakura and the WoW ModelViewer and some 3d program to manage the texturing, all things are possible.
That's how a lot of these templates are made. It's really hard work though, especially when you're dealing with the character and mob models. You have to get them posed the way you want, then you have to get the textures on them. Blizz lets polygons clip ingame, because there's only a tiny penalty. You can't do that in real life, so you end up doing a lot of work just trying to arrange the model's bits. After that, you still have to come back and then cut the seams to let the solid parts unfold. Then you'll do it again, and again, and almost certainly again. (and again) Then you re-do the seams until you get it exactly right. And you'll do about nine hundred test builds to make sure your cuts make sense...
But in the end, the results are *AWESOME*. If I ever do make Dalaran, it'll be getting menaced by a Taiidani fleet on my ceiling. :D
Talon Apr 30th 2009 5:16PM
Here's a cool program that can unfold 3D models and print them out on paper:
Ultimte Papercraft 3D
http://www.papercraft3d.com