Introduction: Paper Tweeter Bird Robot

By BCC Mobile + Web in MMARTS
About: Mobile + Web in Multimedia Arts at Berkeley City College is a Front-End Design and UI/UX Design incubator in Berkeley California. Our classes prepare students to enter the tech community after graduation or…

This is a cute robot that helps remind you of your current task. The construction of this paper robot is relatively easy and can be done within 15 minutes.

Step 1: Materials

Here are the materials needed:

1 piece of paper with the printed pattern (PDF file)

1 tube of Elmer glue (use warm rice if you can't find any)

1 pair of scissors

1 Exacto knife (might be able to cheat this with the scissors)

Step 2: Cutting the Shapes

Cut the general shapes out from the paper with the printed patterns. The shapes are the body, wings, leg, foot base, post-it holder and hashtag sign.

Shortcuts:

  • The bird: fold the paper in half along the dotted line, then cut along the shape outline once through both sides of the paper. Unfold and voila, you have the bird shape.
    • The arc on the body where the wings insert can be sliced with an Exacto knife.
    • If you don't have an Exacto knife, simply fold the arc in half along its symmetry center, then cut along the arc line with the scissors.
  • Similarly, the wings can be cut once after folder it in half along the dotted line.
  • The hashtag sign: fold the paper in half vertically along its center, then fold in half again horizontally along its center. You should have a shape of a cross. Cut out along the edges, then unfold for an easy hashtag sign.

Step 3: Folding Into Place

For the most part, the dotted lines are there to guide your folding. They generally created a valley fold. The reverse fold will create a mountain fold.

  • Leg holder and the post-it holder: Fold along the dotted line.
  • Foot base: Fold along the dotted line into a smaller square, then fold the flaps toward the center along the dotted line. You'll have a diamond shape at this point.
  • Leg: This needs a little more folding.
    1. Fold along the dotted line into the center, then fold once again along the dotted line into the center. You should have a strong skinny diamond shape at this point.
    2. Reverse fold (make a mountain fold) the dotted square at the fatter end of the diamond so it will make a square base for the leg to stand up. Refer to the photos to see how this leg should look.

Step 4: Putting It Together and Glueing

This is the fun and easy part.

  • The wings: Slide each wing into the cut arc on each side of the body.
  • The leg and foot base: Slide the leg into the foot base as if you are putting a shoe on the leg. Then glue the inside of the leg to the inside of the foot base. Together they can stand up in one piece.
    • Tip: Add a hard cardboard piece of paper at the bottom to stabilize the leg better. Glue the leg to this paper.
  • The leg holder: Apply glue all around the outside. Glue the insde of the leg holder so it should look like a flattened triangular hat. Then position the leg holder between the two sides of the bird's body. See the picture as reference.
  • The post-it holder: Apply glue to one side, then position the piece between the two sides near the top of the bird's head. Refer to the picture. The post-it holder should poke out a little to make a beak and fluff of hair on the bird's head.
  • Put glue along the side near the post-it holder and the tail as in the picture to secure the body.
  • Glue the hashtag sign near the beak.
  • Slide the leg into the leg holder.

Step 5: Decorate and Add Post-it Reminder! Finish!

Add your own decoration or coloring to the bird's beak and outline.

You're finish! Just slide any Post-it reminder in between the bird's head into the Post-it holder pocket.