Super Block Hero Wall Art

A quick history. Around Christmas we were tight on money. I thought about things I could make that couldn't be bought for our 6yr old boyo. He loves legos as most kids [and adults] do and super heroes. I had a bit of a stockpile of cardboard [from work] that was brought home to use for other nerdy 3d art projects. It was a good time to dive into it. Next, I did a google search for Lego Heroes based on the xbox360 games we have been playing with the boyo.

From there I sketched and sketched until I found a relatively quick way to put these characters together. Putting these together from scratch was a bit chaotic but I have since refined the steps and tweaked things that could've made the process easier. You'll see some of the pictures differ slightly from the instruction given. Of course after the first one I had a bit of a pattern to work from so it made it quicker to create more.

This instructable is for a Large-ish wall decoration but you can rework the measurements to make it any size you'd like.

SUPPLIES:

- CARDBOARD (How much depends on how many you want to make and the size you decide to use)

Head (1) - 16"L x 7"w * and (2) - 7"L x 3 1/2"w

Body (2) - 13"L x 13"w (If you don't mind the back being open a little bit you can just use 1)

Arms (2) -10"L x 2"w & (2) 5 1/2"L x 3"w

- Ruler

- Pen / Pencil / Marker

- Scissors / box cutter / exacto (something to cut the cardboard)
- Glue Gun (craft glue and patience or staple gun/stapler)

- Wide tape * this comes in handy if your cardboard pieces are not big enough. You can tape together pieces to make the size you want) and a quick way to secure pieces

- Craft Paint /Spray paint / Finger paint / Crayons / Markers...etc or what ever medium you want to use to decorate your Lego People. Its up to you. I used craft paint.
- Clear Spray paint or Modge Podge to seal the project at the end

- Stapler or Paper Fasteners (2 for hanging and 2 for the arms if you want them to move)

- Wire or string for hanging if you choose to hang them up.

- 3 Toilet paper tubes or 2 paper towel tubes

-compass / something small and round to trace the shape of

Step 1: the Head

The head I made requires 1 16"L x 7"w strip of cardboard and 2 8"l x 4"w pieces, and a toilet paper tube. You can make yours larger or smaller than this its up to you.

Starting with the 16" strip measure 4 1/2" in from each end and mark it with your writing device. This is where we will fold the cardboard to create the back of the head. After those pieces are folded pull them together creating an arch in the middle section. Once you have a nice rounded arch you can use a hot glue gun / stapler / paper fasteners to secure the pieces together. You can use craft glue to secure the pieces. Clothes pins/ large paper clip/ or binder clips can be used to hold it in place as it dries. I am not a super patient person so glue guns tend to be my "go-to" tool of choice.

Now that you have that piece complete you will use it as a guide for the top and bottom pieces of the head. Trace the bottom and top to the smaller 8" pieces. Once you have traced them onto your 8" pieces measure out 1/2" from the main traced line and cut out the pieces at the edge you measured out to. After you have those two pieces cut you will cut from the outer edge in to the 1/2" marking. *See picture above* This 1/2" is our 'salvage'. Your edges should look almost like fringe. Fold each of the 'fringy' cut notches all the way around the piece. This should now fit into the top or bottom of your 'Block Person' like a seamless lid. Test out the fit and adjust were needed. If it fits, GREAT JOB!! Time to hot glue that sucker in place. Or craft glue if that is what you chose.

Almost done here. Grab that toilet paper or paper towel tube and cut off a 3" piece. Chose an end and cut the same kind of fringe as before this time 1" deep. Tuck the edges flat. You can do both ends, because of time restraints I only did one end. Hot glue that to the 'top' of your "Block Person" head.

You can paint this section now or wait until the end. An additional piece of cardboard to fit across the back of the head will tidy it up, if you feel up to it. Paper mache the entire piece once finished if you would like a fully cohesive piece of 'art'. I did not have the time to do that but it is an option!

Onto the body....

Step 2: The BODY

The Body requires 2 13" x 13" pieces and any larger scraps you have or an additional 13" x 13" piece.

This is where my pictures slightly differ from the instructions. As I was putting it together I came up with a more cohesive method than what is shown in the pictures. I did not have a solid back on the ones I first made, mostly because I was tight on time and cardboard. You can see in the pictures I just folded the sides instead of cutting them off. You can go that route if you choose.

THE BODY:

Starting with one 13"x13" piece of cardboard (tape pieces together if you need to. make sure the center piece is a full solid section with the extras added on the to edges)

The 'top' of the body - Find the center of the piece and measure out 3 1/2" to the left and again for the right side. On the bottom find the center and measure 6" to the left and again for the right side. Use a guide/ruler/big piece of cardboard to draw a line from the top left to the bottom left, then top right to the bottom right. Cut the piece out from the markings you made. Fold 1/2" on the left and right sides. Then fold the top down 1" and fold the bottom up 1". Do this process again to the second 13" piece.

With both the Front and Back body pieces finished stand them up and decide how 'fat' you want your "Block Person" to be. Tape the folded top flap of the front piece to the folded top flap of the back piece. Using the body as a guide lay it down on a scrap of cardboard and trace the width you need. Cut 2 of them. Secure the front to the back using hot glue to the folded areas of the front and back pieces and the measured piece you created.

If you would like to hang your "Block Person" once it is complete you will need to grab some paper fasteners (or just poke holes in the back to feed wire or string thru. I chose to use paper fasteners. Measure 1/2" from the top and 2" from the edges on the back of the body and poke the fasteners thru or just poke some holes with a pencil/pen. With the bottom of the body still mostly (remember we folded the bottom sections too) open you can easily open the fasteners to secure them or just feed the wire/ string thru. If you chose to use a scrap to close the bottom of the body please wait until you have decided on static or moving arms. If you want your arms to move please wait to seal the bottom up. If you want static arms go ahead and close it up down below.

Hot glue the head to the body.

Onto the arms...

Step 3: The Arms

The ARMS require a toilet paper tube, Scraps or (2) -10"L x 3"w & (4) 5 1/2"L x 3"w or alternatively 2 toilet paper/ 1 paper towel tubes cut in half.

As you can see from the pictures...I didn't have time for arms when I first created these but had 2 options for making them later. Here they are.

Quick and easy: Use the 2 tubes as arms by hot gluing (if you don't mind them being static) or using fasteners (if you want them to move up and down). Easy peasy. Just toss them on and move on to the last step. :D

If you want a more polished look you can use the tube to trace the top and bottom of the arm onto cardboard *see picture above*. Add 1/2" salvage to that image and cut 4 pieces out from that pattern you just created. Cut 1/2" fringe around the edges of those 4 pieces. Using the 10" piece to create the depth of the arm. Bend it to the shape of the arm, hot glue the pieces together. If you want to arms to move use a fastener before you hot glue these pieces together. Push the fastener thru the backside of the arm so the prongs are outside the arm and the head of the fastener is inside. Open it slightly until you are ready to connect it to the body. Continue to hot glue the arms together.

When the arms are all glued together you can glue them to the body. If you chose moving arms go ahead and find the mid way point on the body and poke a hole with your pen/pencil and push the fastener thru. Reach in thru the bottom and open the fastener completely to secure the arms.

Going a step further you can cut a piece of cardboard to use as the hand. Bend a 2" or 3" piece into a half moon shape and glue onto the arm. :D

Going even further, if you want to add legs you can use the same process as the top of the head. 2 more toilet paper tubes or paper towel tubes. Cut fringe, fold those fringe pieces inward and glue into place on the bottom of the character (if you also chose to put a full bottom on your person).

Step 4: DECORATE!

This is your time to shine! Paint your newly created "Block Person" how you want to. Create versions of yourself, your kids, fave story book character, heroes, villains (which I'm working on now), princesses, animals...the option is yours. You can paint it, use markers, paper mache then paint, decoupage. Whatever you want. :D

Hopefully this was easy to follow and you make some awesome "Block People". You can tag me on Instagram with your creations at : Mia_Vox

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