✏️ Guide to getting started with Book Folding without fear

Imagine transforming an ordinary book into a three-dimensional work of art, just with your hands. No cutting, no gluing, no destroying. Just folding page by page.

That's book folding —and although it sounds complex, it's a more accessible and healing art than you might imagine.

In this guide, I want to explain how this process works, step by step, so you can overcome your fear and discover how powerful it can be to create something beautiful with your own hands.

📚 How do you make a Book Folding design?

There are several ways to practice book folding, but they all rely on a key sequence. Here's the process, which, in my opinion, is the best:

🧩 1. Define the figure

Before you begin, you must choose what shape you want to create. To get started in this world, I recommend a symmetrical shape like a heart, a butterfly, or a simple symbol.
That choice defines the structure of the design and how many pages you will need.

📖 2. Choosing the right book

You should look for a book that has the necessary number of pages for your figure.
For example, a simple design may require 200-300 pages, while a complex one may require 500 or more.
It's best to use hardcover books in good condition, so the end result is stable and beautiful.

📏 3. Measure

Here the technical part begins.
Each sheet should be measured twice (top and bottom) to know exactly where to fold.

And where do the measurements come from? This is the key point of the technique. Let me show you:

The success of book folding lies in ensuring that the pages together form the silhouette of the figure. To achieve this, the figure must be cut into "slices" of different sizes.

In the photo, you can see that the vertical lines, which represent the "slices," are integrated within the figure and do not extend beyond the silhouette. Once the silhouette is erased, the shape of the figure will still be visible. Each "slice" is the equivalent of a leaf, so the more "slices" you have, the better it will look.

The size of these "slices" is the size of your figure within the book, meaning that once you measure the length of each line, you'll have the measurements you need to mark on the pages.

✍️ 4. Mark

After measuring, you should mark those two points on each page. Make sure your figure is centered, taking into account the height of your book. To do this, you should leave a margin at the top and bottom to allow for folding the pages.

To mark the points, I recommend doing it with a pencil (in case you make a mistake), a ruler (preferably in millimeters), and a lot of patience, since this step can take several hours, depending on the design.

🔄 5. Fold

If step 3 was the technical part, this step is the magical part. This is where your book begins to come to life.

Once you have all the sheets marked, you begin to fold the corners towards each one at the indicated points.
And little by little, the figure will begin to appear on the edge of the book .
It is a mix of meditation, origami and paper architecture.

📘 What if there was a simpler way to achieve this?

This is where BookArt comes in, the answer I found to share this technique with more people, without losing its essence... but saving you potential frustrations.

💡 What is BookArt and how does it simplify the process?

BookArt books are pre-scored and come with pre-printed folding guides. Each page has precise guides that show you how to fold the pages without the hassle of measuring.

And the best part: anyone can do it , regardless of age, experience, or artistic skills.

🌿 Benefits of Book Folding

Beyond the visual result, book folding is a creative, emotional and transformative experience .

• 🧘♀️ Reduces stress and helps you stay present
• 🎨 Awaken your creativity without pressure or comparison
• 🙌 Improve your fine motor skills and concentration skills
• 💌 It gives you a real achievement : you made something beautiful all by yourself
• 🎁 It's a meaningful gift that you can create and give

✨ Create your first paper sculpture

If you've always wanted to do something artistic, but thought you weren't good at it...
If you like books, crafts, or just want to get away from the noise for a while...
This is your moment.

Fold a sheet of paper. Then another.
And in a few hours, you'll have more than just a figure:
You're going to have proof that you can create beautiful things.

🎁 Explore the designs

From words like “I Love You,” “Believe,” or “Thank You,” to hearts, butterflies, and spiritual symbols.
Each design has its own message and its own energy.

📲 Follow me on @BookArt_Co to see how they are made and discover new designs.

📦 Also available on Amazon