Popularity for Asian designs is on the rise once again, particularly in interior design. sanitary paper Japanese lanterns give your home a Zen atmosphere because of their minimalist design made of paper and their gentle illumination.
Construction paper Japanese lanterns are a fun way to add some flair to outdoor deck events. Any type of lantern you decide to make is both comparatively simple and enjoyable to manufacture.
This article will teach you how to make Japanese paper lanterns with an easy step-by-step guide so you can have some fun making simple crafts and display them in your garden!
How To Make Japanese Paper Lanterns: Step By Step Guide
1. Buy Your Resources
Metal wire that can be bent is the most crucial item to get. Both hardware stores and arts & crafts stores typically carry this.
You can save time by purchasing pre-made wire structures rather than forging your own metal structure.
You’ll also need to purchase:
Tissue paper (different colors)
Hot glue or superglue
Scissors
Hole-punch
Cutter wire for strings
Paint in acrylic or watercolor (optional)
2. Look For A Lantern Mold
You’ll need a guide unless you are a master at creating wire forms. Find a suitable-sized ball, vase, bowl, metal can, etc. to wind the wire around if you would like a rounder lantern.
Find an appropriate item to wind the wire around if you would like a polygonal lantern, or create a special mold out of leftover materials.
3. Wrap Your Wire Around The Mold
Starting at the bottom of the form, wrap the wire once.
Spiraling around your frame, keep going until you reach the top. It could be a smart option to use wire straight off the spool rather than cutting it beforehand because the quantity you use will vary based on the size of your lantern and the tightness of the spirals.
Make sure your wire frame has openings at the top and bottom.
An entirely enclosed lantern will accumulate heat and present a fire risk. Try to space your wire wraps evenly, at least 1/2 inch apart.
At each end of the mold, ensure that there is a section of free wire.
4. Remove The Wire From The Mold
Remove the wire from the mold. When you’re finished, the frame can spring open a little bit, so be ready to adjust and reshape it.
Depending on the mold’s shape, you might need to totally open your wire frame to get the mold out. When you’re finished, reshape it carefully. Use wire to firmly fasten your frame’s openings.
To maintain the form of the opening, join the excess wire wherever the top and bottom spirals terminate (when it becomes extra wire). This can be accomplished by winding the wire or by soldering it.
5. Assemble The Base Of Your Lantern
Make sure to select the hole that will be poked by the lamp cable (if suspended) or lamp foundation (if upright). Depending on the lamp’s structure, your specific design will be determined.
If you want to suspend the lantern, run the excess wire directly across the top aperture of the frame, circling it once in the center, and then winding or soldering it onto the other side.
When your lantern is prepared to be hung, you will feed the light cable through this loop and secure it to the wall by tying a knot there.
6. Cut Paper Panels
This will be rather easy with a polygonal frame since the paper will be relatively rectangular. You’ll need to experiment with thin strips or paper panels in the form of almonds when using a round frame.
The final appearance of round frames will be smoother the smaller the paper bits are. Lay each piece you’ve just cut out carefully against the wire framework to examine how the paper fits there.
Pick the number of panels you require.
You can either make a distinct panel at each side of a square or rectangular frame, or you can wrap the entire frame in a single sheet.
7. Apply Glue To The Wire Frame
Super glue or a hot glue gun work best because standard table or school glue won’t hold your paper to the wire. Adhere paper where it crosses itself after wrapping the top edge all around the top opening inside the wire frame.
When you reach the base of the frame, pull the paper tautly downwards over the wire spirals, wrapping it once more around the opening before adhering it.
After finishing, let it dry for some time.
8. Glue Your Remaining Panels
From this point on, you can adhere at least one side of every panel to its neighbor. Do not apply another panel until the previous one has dried.
Go back and create extra paper strips if you find you don’t have enough to completely cover the construction. When you’re done, there shouldn’t be any gaps between the strips.
9. Dress Up Your Lamp (Optional)
Characters or patterns (see also, ‘What is Amigurumi?‘) are frequently painted on the sides of lanterns. You might also wish to draw stripes or a solid color on your page. Even better, consider including a typical Japanese motif, such as flowers, the outdoors, or native Japanese creatures.
10. Complete The Lamp
Only those who have hung their lanterns need to take this step. Make a hole in the paper of the lantern using a hole-punch. At the peak of your structure, you should have two holes, one right next to the other.
Obtain a string with a length of 12 inches or more in length by cutting it. Incorporate the string into each hole from the outside in.
To keep the lantern from falling, tie a knot at every end of the thread.
Final Thoughts
These vibrant paper lanterns will make your place sparkle! These pretty Japanese paper lanterns are ideal for use at celebrations or to add some glitz to regular life. Paper lanterns give practically any occasion a festive feel.
Paper lanterns brighten up your space and do so for a very inexpensive price. They can give your home the X-factor it’s been lacking.
These paper lanterns perform the same function better than even large, pricey lights.
However, since they are already quite plain and you will probably want to make them more beautiful, you could add some entertaining embellishments such as paint and drawings of Japanese animals or letters (see also ‘Do Japanese Read Right to Left?‘).
Hi, I’m Aura Ruggeri and I want to make sure that no one makes the same mistake that I did.
So, if you’re planning a trip to Japan anytime soon, do exactly that - plan! Read up on all of the amazing things to do here to make the most of your time. I can bet that you’ll still return home feeling like you could’ve explored much more.
