The easiest shape of course is the box, straight lines enclosing a space - but take a look at other forms as well, I did a 'Kzinti Assault craft' (hey, I was 12 at the time...) using the shape from the package that MacDonalds puts their apple pies in. (I still like the way that the fold forces the curve to the package.) Cylinders and cones are useful, as are variants on them.

Hmmm, remembering my first scratch builds (now more than thirty years ago) I used graph paper and pins, drawing the pieces on the graph paper, then sticking pins through the corners, using an exacto and a steel rule to connect the dots, using each graph paper pattern twice, just like building a gingerbread house. (My mom used wax paper for those.)

I then did a shrine, using a 'ufo' paper airplane design I had encountered for a roof. Basically just knowing what shapes paper would take, and how folds can force a change in shape. The ufo uses a broad cone folded up and then back down, creating a flying saucer look. Take a compass and some light card, marking the center, then draw three concentric circles, they do not need to be the same width. Score the circles for folding, then cut along the largest circle. Cut out a triangle that goes to the center for it's highest point. Fold along the second circleand again on the third, you should end up with a cross section like:/\/\/\ - though I made the central peak a bit taller.

Then I discovered that there were a whole bunch of paper modelers out there, and found pre-printed models.

But for me, gingerbread houses were the start.

The Auld Grump.

*EDIT* Another simple shape that can look good - cut a piece of cardstock (let us say for a roof) into a shape like a U that has been filled in. Score along the long axis. Cut a wedge running through the center of the circular part of the U to where the center of the circle would be. When you bring the edges of the wedge together it forces a fold at the line you have scored, making a pretty nifty roof. (I used similar methods to make paper masks out of construction paper, then paper 'muppets' by putting two with the same circumferance together with a hinges, and adding tabs for fingers and thumb.)

*EDIT* Ack! Some of the worst spelling and typos that I have ever inflicted on an unsuspecting world!

Ahh sweet memories...

I am not sure, but my first contact with paper models was probably the German Micky Mouse Magazine, which used to have paper models in it in the 1970's and 80's ( have a look at where you can download much of the old stuff)... but I started to build my own models soon enough!

No gingerbred houses for me, although cooking and baking provided lot's of useful material: the packages of cake sets (don't no the oorrect phrase in English: about the size of a cereal box with flour and everything you need to bake a cake) included some nice cake forms, made of aluminium coated paper... I used them as hulls for my pirate ships They even floated in water!

When playmobil published their Knights playsets they had lot's of really nice framework houses (tavern, shops, debtors' prison tower), which were sadly much to expansive... so I got the playmobil figures as birthday presents and build my own medieval town from index cards... nice town, very modular - think of it as the stone-age version of villageworks...

... the rest of my paper modellers life is history

And yet I was so very young when D&D first came out in 1975 or so, one of the youngest players in the group.

The Auld Grump, five years older than one of his player's mother!

I have to say that I knew nothing of paper modeling before I found Denny's site. Now I've seen (and downloaded!) a lot and have had a blast. Artistic magazine collage is my main paper craft, which I enjoy very much. Paper models are so much fun too.

These are all great stories from both sides of the paper fence! Designers and modelers alike

That is really frikking cool that you designed a transforming Optimus Prime. You would have been the envy of all my friends growing up, Mel. The only thing I could say about the time was that me and a few friends had made Swords, Helmets and Shields out of cardboard, wrapped them in aluminum foil and march in the parade(we were in the Cubscouts)

The only paper modeling I did as a kid was stand 2d paper models and cut outs for our D&D campaigns. Though I did alot of the graphic, map designs, etc.

It wasn't until I came across a friend whom gave me a whole 2nd Edition Warrhammer 40k set & I started getting White Dwarfs. This definately was the lynchpin for inspiration for me. I was already into Arts and Crafts, but nothing on this level. So I found a copy of an old issue of WD that had the basic layouts for scratch building a bunch of extrememly cool looking Ork vehicles and of course the uber tank at the time, a BaneBlade. Well with alot of patience I built most of those and then exapanded into Bunkers, Factories and whatever else was needed for our table top mayhem. But aside from the vehicles and tanks(which are mostly card) I had not done much paper craft. All of it was foam core, plasticard, cardboard, sand, styreme and alot of glue, paint and flock. (I still have my art room full of these supplies)

Well, I started to get into Formula De. Being a big race fan, and a D&D fan(of which Formula De uses all the platonic solids). This was a natural progression for me. But I also started scratch building my own tracks(at a bigger scale) and thought it would be cool to have "bigger dice". This is where I found out about RPGNow, Searching for Dice of all things. And found Mel(at the time Derelict 1)
& Denny's stuff(Chunky Dungeons was on the cusp of release). Anyway I found the paper dice designs. And quickly adapted them for my own use for special gearing.

The first real "professional" paper models that I bought were the "Warhorse" & "Guard Tower" by Fantasy Cutouts.I bought Chunky Dungeons, Classic(Warhammer Quest & own games) plus some of MicroTactix sets for use in the renewal of interest in Mordheim(Fantasy Necromunda) a week later.

This has now turned into an full fledged obsession. I've even started (tentatively) converting some of my old 3d models into paper (using Pepakura Designer).

I've got paper race cars, tons of HAKKO CLONES, A whole slew of Realistc "Aliens" paper models (anyone seen this guys work. WOW. He did a life sized M71 Pulse Rifle out of paper). Paper kitty cats and computer game figures.
Alot of different scenery & models. 1/2 of Dennys Catalogue. I am just starting on Mels stuff. Stone Edges is nice, but it looks alot like someone else's stuff... probably safer to assume "Imitation is the greatest form of flattery".

Anyway, I just need more time. More time. Maybe I can eliminate sleep.

-Floyd