• More More

Search

My Account Logout
  • facebook
  • instagram
  • youtube
  • twitter
  • other
  • NEWS + FEATURES
  • VIDEO
  • FILMS
  • SERIES
  • INTERACTIVE
  • COMMUNITY
  • DATABANK
  • DISNEY+
  • More More
My Account Logout
  • facebook
  • instagram
  • youtube
  • twitter
  • other

ALL OF YOUR STAR WARS FAVORITES NOW STREAMING ON DISNEY+

All

  • Andor
  • Behind the Scenes
  • Books + Comics
  • Characters + Histories
  • Collecting
  • Creativity
  • Disney Parks
  • Disney+
  • Events
  • Fans + Community
  • Films
  • Force For Change
  • Forces of Destiny
  • Galaxy of Adventures
  • Games + Apps
  • ILMxLAB
  • In Pop Culture
  • Interviews
  • LEGO Star Wars
  • Lucasfilm
  • Merchandise
  • Obi-Wan Kenobi
  • Opinions
  • Quizzes + Polls
  • Recipes
  • Rogue One
  • Solo
  • Star Wars Celebration
  • Star Wars Day
  • Star Wars Rebels
  • Star Wars Resistance
  • Television
  • The Bad Batch
  • The Book of Boba Fett
  • The Clone Wars
  • The Force Awakens
  • The High Republic
  • The Last Jedi
  • The Mandalorian
  • The Rise of Skywalker
  • The Star Wars Show
  • Visions
{:title=>"Books + Comics", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/books-+-comics"} {:title=>"Interviews", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/interviews"}

Star Wars Kirigami Author Marc Hagan-Guirey on Papercrafting a Galaxy

January 9, 2018
January 9, 2018
James Floyd

StarWars.com talks to Marc Hagan-Guirey about his new book and the beautiful creations within.

The ships of Star Wars are simply iconic, inviting artists and crafters to reproduce and interpret their favorite vessels in exciting ways, through many different materials and media. When you think of model-making, you might think of plastic model kits, or even wood, metal, or cardboard -- but now you have a new option: paper! From Chronicle Books, Star Wars Kirigami by Marc Hagan-Guirey (a.k.a. @PixelDandy) brings the cut-and-fold pop-up style of papercraft to the galaxy far, far way for beginner and skilled makers alike. A collection of fifteen Star Wars ship and vehicle paper model projects from across the films, Star Wars Kirigami has the model templates printed on cardstock along with step-by-step instructions and plenty of photographs to help with the assembly and also inspire the final display. Rounding out the book, there is also concept art and cool background info about the design of the vehicles and vessels for the movies. StarWars.com reached out to Marc Hagan-Guirey via e-mail to learn more about the book and getting started in kirigami.

The book Star Wars Kirigami, by Marc Hagan-Guirey, which features a red paper star destroyer on the cover.

StarWars.com: Let’s start with the basics. What is kirigami?

Marc Hagan-Guirey: If you’ve ever made a paper-cut snowflake, then you know what kirigami is. It’s basically cutting and folding paper, as opposed to just folding it like origami. The cool thing about kirigami is that you can make pretty accurate architectural replicas from just one sheet of paper -- and in this case, vehicles from the Star Wars saga.

A page from Star Wars Kirigami, by Marc Hagan-Guirey, shows how to make a paper Jedi starfighter with a template.

StarWars.com: The book contains both printed templates on heavy duty cardstock as well as step-by-step folding instructions. What else do fans need to get started with these kirigami models?

Marc Hagan-Guirey: If you like crafting you’ve probably got everything you need already. If not, most things you can buy are inexpensive and easy to come by: a cutting mat, a steel ruler, and, most importantly, a decent cutting blade. It’s essential to get something like an X-Acto knife rather than a utility knife. Think surgeon’s blade.

A red Jedi starfighter paper cutout from the book Star Wars Kirigami.

StarWars.com: As an expert kirigami designer with a history of awesome Star Wars projects, how do you go about designing model templates for other people at various skill levels to cut and fold?

Marc Hagan-Guirey: When creating a new model my instinct is to go wild and to make something really advanced, but you’re right, I was very conscious of making this book accessible to a variety of skill levels. Luckily within the Star Wars universe, a template doesn’t have to be overly complex before you can see a recognizable ship take shape - say for example, a triangular shape becomes a Star Destroyer. When I was writing the book, I interviewed Jake Lunt Davies -- a concept artist for both The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi. He told me there’s an ethos in the creative department that states when designing a vehicle for the Star Wars galaxy, someone should be able to draw that ship with just a few simple shapes. When you look at the plethora of ships out there, you can see that’s really true. That’s why kirigami lends itself so well to Star Wars. You can create instantly recognizable vehicles with relatively simple techniques. At the same time, I do want to challenge people a little so that’s why the book has beginner to expert templates.

StarWars.com: Star Wars Kirigami has models of starships and vehicles from across the saga, from Anakin’s podracer through the rebel snowspeeder and X-wing fighter to Rey’s speeder and a First Order TIE fighter. How did you select which models would be included in the book?

Marc Hagan-Guirey: There were so many to choose from but I just had to include all of the classics. I had designs for the Alderaan cruiser, First Order transporter, Jabba’s sail barge, A-wing, B-wing, etc., but it all came down to which ships felt more iconic. Maybe I’ll keep the extra designs for a Special Edition.

StarWars.com: This book, combining your love of Star Wars with your skills in papercraft, is the result of an encounter with J.J. Abrams?

Marc Hagan-Guirey: That was possibly one of the most surreal experiences in my life. I’d been invited down to the set and was trying my best to keep out of everyone’s way. The next thing I know is that after talking to J.J. about my work, then he was frogmarching me across the Starkiller Base set to introduce me to Kathleen Kennedy. Prior to that, I’d actually been talking with Lucasfilm for quite some time. I’d had a couple of telephone calls and a few meetings at the Disney head offices in London but meeting J.J. cemented it. A few months after that meeting I had a call from the product development team at Disney saying they wanted to start talking again about potential projects.

StarWars.com: The book even includes [what was] a sneak peek for The Last Jedi with a model of the TIE silencer. What was it like to develop a model based on a ship that hasn’t even appeared yet in theaters?

Marc Hagan-Guirey: It so was thrilling to have early access to something from The Last Jedi! Isn’t that every fan’s dream? During my initial meetings with Mike Siglain, creative director for Lucasfilm Publishing, we agreed that we would be including something from Episode VIII. Lucasfilm sent me a rotating 3D render of the TIE silencer about six months before the ship was revealed to the public. My jaw hit the floor when I saw it -- I guarded that file like it was the missing map to Luke Skywalker. I felt incredibly privileged to be part of the secrecy that surrounds the film even in such a small way.

A BTS photo from the book Star Wars Kirigami features a star destroyer paper cutout lit by a desk lamp being photographed by an iPhone on a tripod.

StarWars.com: What tips do you have for fans who want to design their own kirigami models?

Marc Hagan-Guirey: Start simple! Learn basics like making cubed shapes and once you’ve got the hang of that, you can start to embellish them. Oh, and buy my book!

Released in September, Star Wars Kirigami is available in English from Chronicle Books and in French from Hachette Heroes Marc Hagan-Guirey can be found online as @paperdandy on Instagram, @pixeldandy on Twitter, and at Facebook.

James Floyd is a writer, photographer, and organizer of puzzle adventures. He’s a bit tall for a Jawa. His current project is Wear Star Wars Every Day, a fundraising effort for a refugee aid organization. You can follow him on Twitter at @jamesjawa or check out his articles on Club Jade and Big Shiny Robot.

Marc Hagan-Guirey kirigami Star Wars Kirigami

Related Stories

  • {:title=>"Books + Comics", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/books-+-comics"}

    From the Pages of Star Wars Insider: The Making of a Mandalorian

    February 7, 2023

    February 7, 2023

    Feb 7

  • {:title=>"Books + Comics", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/books-+-comics"} {:title=>"Games + Apps", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/games-+-apps"}

    Cal Kestis Looks to Infiltrate to an Enemy Stronghold in Star Wars Jedi: Battle Scars - Exclusive Excerpt

    January 31, 2023

    January 31, 2023

    Jan 31

  • {:title=>"Books + Comics", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/books-+-comics"}

    A Scoundrel’s Origin Story Revealed in Marvel’s Star Wars: Sana Starros

    January 30, 2023

    January 30, 2023

    Jan 30

  • {:title=>"Books + Comics", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/books-+-comics"} {:title=>"Characters + Histories", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/characters-+-histories"}

    Boushh Blasts His Way to New Allies in Marvel’s Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #28 – Exclusive Preview

    January 18, 2023

    January 18, 2023

    Jan 18

  • {:title=>"Books + Comics", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/books-+-comics"}

    Inferno Squad Strikes Back in Marvel’s April 2023 Star Wars Comics – Exclusive Preview

    January 17, 2023

    January 17, 2023

    Jan 17

  • {:title=>"The Bad Batch", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/the-bad-batch"} {:title=>"Interviews", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/interviews"}

    Star Wars: The Bad Batch: Dee Bradley Baker on the Return of Commander Cody – Exclusive

    January 13, 2023

    January 13, 2023

    Jan 13

  • {:title=>"Books + Comics", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/books-+-comics"} {:title=>"Characters + Histories", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/characters-+-histories"}

    Marvel’s Star Wars: Darth Vader – Black, White & Red Revealed

    January 12, 2023

    January 12, 2023

    Jan 12

  • {:title=>"Books + Comics", :url=>"https://www.starwars.com/news/category/books-+-comics"}

    Marvel Comics and Mateus Manhanini Reveal Stunning Star Wars Black History Month Covers - Exclusive

    January 11, 2023

    January 11, 2023

    Jan 11

  • More From Star Wars:
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • Youtube
    • SWKids
    • Terms of Use
    • Additional Content Information
    • Privacy Policy
    • Children's Online Privacy Policy
    • Your California Privacy Rights
    • Star Wars at shopDisney
    • Star Wars Helpdesk
    • Interest-Based Ads
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information

    TM & © Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved