This comprehensive guide to pop-up design and paper mechanics is a delightful introduction to the intriguing aspects of a fascinating craft. This new and accessible approach to pop-up theory and practice distils the numerous mechanisms into a logical set of 18 underlying shapes and explains the techniques for building these shapes.

This comprehensive guide to pop-up design and paper mechanics is a delightful introduction to the fun, surprising and intriguing aspects of a fascinating craft. Duncan Birmingham’s accessible approach to pop-up theory and practice distils the numerous mechanisms into a logical set of 18 underlying shapes and the techniques for building these shapes is methodically explained with step-by-step pictures and text. Pop-up is shown to be a hands-on, sculptural skill, that is not dependant on mathematical calculation, measuring and technical drawing, indeed no measuring is necessary for most of the pop-ups and only card, scissors and glue are needed to make many highly complex folding sculptures. Duncan demonstrates how sophisticated pop-up designs are constructed and shows how to form a three-dimensional reference book, invaluable for both professional and amateur designers interested in this craft.