Constructing Paper Feathers

These feathers I made I needed for a college project, a paper mache mask of the Jabberwocky poem's Jub-Jub bird. I initially had those colorful party feathers glued on, but I felt that they would not work. I actually saw this YouTube short made by RahatArtCraft as shown above that gave me inspiration (Shout out to the poster), so I had to rip out the old ones and start again with new paper ones. A little experimentation proved that they worked.

Of course, you can also use them for other craft projects like decor. After reviewing Instructables to see if there was a post about them, which there was not a lot, I decided to publish one.

Here is a short list of supplies needed to make the feathers.

1. Construction paper (regular paper can work just as well if you wanted some flimsier feathers)
2. Scissors
3. Ruler (It helps to measure how big and wide you want your feathers)
4. Pencil (or pen)

Just these things are enough simply to make the feathers themselves. Now that we have the supplies, it's time to make them step-by-step.

The first and simplest step is visualizing how you want your feathers to look. Think about its size and length and then measure it with a ruler on the construction paper.

To start for beginners, measure about three or four inches in length and about one to one and a half inches wide. You can measure bigger ones if you're unsure about cutting that small.

(Don't mind the hand turkeys in the background. XD)

Now that you have your measurements down, cut out the rectangle with your scissors and fold it in half lengthwise down the middle. Or in other words, fold it Hot-Dog wise.

Now you can draw out how you want you feather to look. Be sure to leave out a fifth of the length for the quill of your feather. The shape can look like a spade or an oval, it's up to you.

The next step is to use the scissors to cut out the shape. Hold onto the fold when you start cutting. Be careful not to cut out the quill or too much of your feather. If it's too big once you open it, you can refold it and cut to the size you desire.

(Optional Step: You can choose to color it with colored pencils or paint before starting the final step. Also, a quick note, check the sides of the feather before coloring it. You should color the outside of the feather to correctly show its design when you finish it.)

This final step is a bit tricky and requires a steady hand to cut carefully. The goal is not to cut completely through, but rather stop mid-cut and repeat to create a fringe for the feathers. They can be spaced widely or they can be close to each other. To make good feathery fringes, cut at an angle down from the tip and continue downward to the upper neck of the quill.

And you're done. Now you have a basic step-by-step process to make feathers for your own projects. Congratulations!