Making a photo frame by hand from cardboard. How to make a vintage frame with your own hands from cardboard. Cardboard frame: principles of use

In our ever-rushing digital age, sometimes you want to stop, sit down in your favorite chair and just relax. It is at such moments that many of us pick up the big one with photographs. When looking at a photograph, the thought suddenly arises that it would be nice to put it on a shelf or hang it on the wall. But due to the fact that there is no suitable frame, we again send the photo to lie between the pages of the album. Wait, don’t rush and hide the picture, you can create a frame from scrap material. What and how to make a frame from? From cardboard. Yes, yes, ordinary cardboard, which is found in every home.

Cardboard frame - a new activity

So, one cozy evening, flipping through the pages of the album, laughingly telling your child about how once upon a time you were also a baby, you suddenly wanted to leave a couple of pictures in sight, enclosing them in an original frame. Creating a frame out of paper and cardboard will help you pass the evening, and this is another great way to teach your child something new and interesting. Feel free to get down to business! Its production will not require large time and financial costs.

Cardboard frame: necessary materials

A simple do-it-yourself cardboard frame is made using the most common materials, such as cardboard, ribbons, fabric, leftover wallpaper, beads, shells brought from a summer vacation, and other items suitable for decoration. You will also need scissors, a ruler, a pencil. Raw cereals can be an interesting design solution - it can be peas, buckwheat, semolina or any other. How to make a frame from cardboard using cereal will be discussed below; undoubtedly, many will like this decoration option.

Simple frame

To make the simplest frame you will need:

White cardboard;

Decoration items (in this case, beads were used);

Stationery.

Two rectangular blanks are cut out of cardboard. For 10x15 they should be 13.5x18.5 cm. Now in one of them you need to cut a window, which should be slightly smaller than the photo itself. If desired, you can attach a film to this window on the back side, for example, a piece from a transparent file, to protect the photo from dust. The photograph must be secured at the corners using thin strips of paper between the blanks, with the image in the window. Now you can cover the blanks with fabric and decorate them with beads. Don't forget to attach a stand to the back of the frame - a triangle cut out of cardboard or a loop to hang it on the wall. This is how a simple frame is made quickly and easily. Agree, even a child can handle this.

Simple frame decorated with cereals

Creating such a frame is not at all difficult. The principle of its manufacture is the same as in the previous description. Only the decoration method changes. The cereal is glued onto the front blank using PVA. If it is peas, then each pea is glued separately. You can even use semolina, millet, buckwheat. After the glue has dried well, the cereal must be varnished, allowed to dry, painted in any suitable color and covered again with a layer of varnish. The result is a very unusual cardboard frame made using the “cereal” technique. Made with your own hands, it will delight your eyes for a long time.

Scrapbooking frame

This option is somewhat more difficult to implement than the previous ones and will require a little more time and effort. A photo frame made of cardboard, decorated with fabric, looks stylish and quite unusual. To make such a thing you will need:

Sheet of scrap paper 30x30 cm;

A piece of scrap paper 10.5x15.5 cm;

Brads (nails or buttons with a decorative head);

A small piece of padding polyester;

- "Moment Crystal".

To make such a frame from cardboard, you need to cut out several parts: the front and back sides (size 24x18.7 and 18.5x13.5 cm), the leg (16 cm). The window in the frame is cut out based on the size of the photo. The cover of the frame is cut out of fabric. When cutting, do not forget to make a small (approx. 1.5 cm) indentation from the edge for bends. The front part is cut out of padding polyester, the one with the window. You can begin to form the frame itself. To do this, the front side needs to be smeared with a thin layer of glue and the synthetic padding is secured; prepared fabric is placed on top of it, which needs to be glued, bending the material to the back side, starting from the corners. It should look like a pillow. Now you need to make the middle of the frame, that is, the very window. Carefully, not forgetting about small indents, a rectangle of the required size is cut out, the fabric is folded and glued. To make the frame even more attractive, you can stitch its edges using a sewing machine. To decorate a scrap frame, you can use ribbon bows, brads, beads and other small decoration items. The back side is covered with scrap paper, and a leg is attached to it for stability.

Cardboard photo frames made using the scrapbooking technique differ from all others in their delicate, extremely attractive design and can serve as an excellent gift.

Coffee frame made of cardboard, master class

Necessary materials:

Thick cardboard;

Coffee beans;

Acrylic lacquer;

Stationery;

1. Prepare the base for the frame. To do this, rectangles are cut out of cardboard, front and back sides. In the front part, depending on the size of the image, a window is made.

2. The front side is covered with a material of a suitable color.

3. A window for the photo is carefully formed.

5. Coffee beans are glued to the fabric. For this purpose, it is better to use “Moment Crystal” or liquid nails.

6. After all the grains are glued, you can cover them with two or three layers of varnish with intermediate drying of each layer.

7. The frame can be decorated with a variety of little things - such as satin ribbons tied in beautiful bows, figurines of coffee cups and spoons.

8. The desired photo is fixed in the window.

9. The front and back parts are glued together.

10. The stand for the frame will be a rectangle cut out of cardboard, which is attached to the back of the product.

Frame with eggshells

You can also decorate the cut out base for a photo frame with eggshells.
The result is a certain effect of aging with cracks, or a mosaic. Before gluing the shell onto the cardboard, it must be properly prepared. First, rinse thoroughly. Secondly, remove all internal films. Thirdly, dry it well. Only after such preparation can the shells be painted with acrylic paints in any colors, let the paint dry and break the shells into small pieces.

The front side of the future frame must also be painted in a suitable color. It is not at all necessary to use paint of the same shade. For example, bright pink, bright blue, raspberry and white colors combine perfectly with each other. Playing on their contrast gives a stunningly beautiful result. Shell fragments are glued to the front side in random order, forming a kind of mosaic. In this simple way, using available materials, you can make a cardboard frame with your own hands.

Good luck with your ideas and success!

When you are engaged in cardboard creativity, sooner or later the question inevitably arises of how to make a photo frame from cardboard with your own hands. We have already touched on this topic more than once in our cardboard workshop, but it would be premature to consider it exhausted.

Today we bring to your attention another version of a photo frame made of cardboard using the 3D applique technique. This will be a real boyish frame in the shape of a car, and in a desktop version.

You can make such a photo frame together with your children, especially since the presence of templates will greatly facilitate the process.

Materials and tools:

office paper (for printing templates);

micro-corrugated cardboard 1.5 mm thick, cardboard for children's creativity or thick paper;

standard (stationery) knife or scissors;

creasing tool;

double-sided tape (for attaching templates to cardboard);

glue “Moment Crystal”;

acrylic paints (optional).

Download templates for making a photo frame in the required format:

Our “Car” photo frame is made of micro-corrugated cardboard (its thickness is 1.5 mm). This cardboard is quite easy to cut, even small parts can be cut out.

And micro-corrugated cardboard itself is a completely affordable material: you can use used confectionery boxes, for example, or buy sheet cardboard from a factory or in craft stores.

But if you wish, you can replace corrugated cardboard with cardboard for children's creativity (white or colored) or thick paper (it is better if the density is above 200 g/m²). True, in this case the photo frame will not be as voluminous, but this is not critical. The main thing is that its functionality will not suffer from this.

By the way, when using thin cardboard, you can add additional volume by lifting the layers using double-sided foam tape or cardboard spacers (see example).

The principle of making this type of photo frame from cardboard is extremely simple: we cut out several layers of parts according to templates and then glue all the layers one by one.

To cut out parts, use a standard (stationery) knife.

At the same time, to cut out round parts of headlights, it is very convenient to use punches of different diameters (see example). Or for such small things you can take thin cardboard and cut it out with scissors and/or a hole punch.

As a result, the product acquires relief and volume. It looks very impressive and realistic!

If you look at it from afar, it may even seem like it's a real three-dimensional model, until you look at it from the side. This is an optical illusion.

Since our photo frame is tabletop, we also need to make a special support.

It can also be made from cardboard. To do this, you need to prepare 2 parts: one is glued to the back side of the frame, the other (part P-1) is inserted into the first one.

Support detail P-1 it is necessary to pre-punch (for example, with the tip of a compass, the end of scissors or a special creasing tool) so that the fold lines are accurate and neat.

Pay attention to the direction of the lines on the back of the corrugated cardboard. When cutting out parts, it is advisable to follow approximately this direction.

When gluing the fixing part of the support, I recommend doing the following:

• Mark with a pencil the place of fastening of the fixing part of the support (consisting of elements P-2, P-3 And P-4); use a special template for gluing parts for this P-2, P-3, P-4;
• assemble the entire structure of the support fixing part and apply glue to the elements P-3 And P-4;
• attach the assembled support to the back side of the photo frame and, placing the entire structure on the table, determine a stable position, then press the fixing part and wait for the glue to dry.

This photo frame is easy to disassemble and assemble. This means it is convenient to transport it if necessary or pack it in a box to present it as a handmade gift.

Painting a cardboard photo frame

The easiest way to do this is before gluing, when each part can be painted separately.

For corrugated cardboard, use acrylic paints (aerosol paints are also possible). In this case, on the parts of the lower layers it is enough to apply them only to visible areas.

Alternatively, you can use colored thin cardboard, and the issue of coloring will disappear by itself.

Or you can leave the frame in natural cardboard colors. This, as they say, is a matter of taste.

So, our photo frame is ready. All that remains is to insert a photo in size 6×4 cm. For example, like this:

That’s actually all the wisdom on how to make an original photo frame out of cardboard with your own hands.

If you know how to draw, I think you can easily draw an interesting layout and divide it into layers according to the same principle.

Or you can find a suitable picture on the Internet and, based on it, prepare templates in a graphics editor or with a pencil by hand.

Such photo frames “work” perfectly both in desktop, so wall-mounted performance. And in the second case, make entire thematic collages from photo frames. For example, a rocket and space composition.

Or this cardboard castle for 11 photos 9×13 And 10×15 cm:

You can insert photographs of all family members into the frames - you will get a kind of family castle, an alternative to the family tree. This is a worthy decoration for a child’s room, and maybe not just a child’s room...

In addition, a cardboard castle can no less successfully serve as an information stand in a kindergarten or elementary school. The dimensions of the frames allow you to place both photos and sheets with useful information in them.

And the stand itself will not get lost on the wall of a large room; its dimensions are: 80×86 cm.

An excellent budget alternative to factory-made plastic stands or ordinary boring bulletin boards. Can you imagine the kids’ impressions?..

Of course, even we would not undertake to make such a large-scale product from scratch. But for this cardboard castle we have it, drawn and prepared for easy use by our team.

There are no difficulties with templates! In fact, making a castle is no more difficult than making a “Car” photo frame, there are just more details.

Do you need a new original stand or collage of photo frames (for example, as a birthday gift)? Order templates from the KARTONKINO Store.

And that's all we have for now. See you again in KARTONKINO!

Do you want to hang your favorite photo on the wall, but don’t have a suitable frame?

The easiest way is to buy it in a store. However, this is not interesting.

Why not make your own photo frames? This is a useful and creative activity that does not require special tools and materials.

First things first.

Cardboard photo frame: tools

Creating beautiful frames without the appropriate equipment is problematic. Therefore, collect a minimum set of tools. It should include:

large scissors; stationery knife; PVA glue; simple pencil; tape; small scissors; fine-grained sandpaper; ruler.

Note: It is advisable to get a cutting mat; it makes it much easier to mark out the details of the future frame.

If you are not happy with the color of the cardboard for the frame, purchase a can of spray paint. To decorate photo frames, use shells, pebbles, glass, rhinestones, beads, etc.

In addition to the basic tools, you will need: a paint brush with soft bristles, a spray bottle, water and tongs. They will be needed to prepare the material for use.

Photo frames: preparation of material

The best material to make your own photo frames is cardboard. Why? It is cheap and easy to process. Every home has at least one cardboard box and glue with scissors.

In its raw form, cardboard is of little use for making a photo frame. Its preparation comes down to the following - separate the top layer so that the corrugated part appears.

Sometimes this is not easy to achieve, since different types of cardboard are made with different amounts of glue and they have different thicknesses.

Find out how to quickly peel off the top layer of cardboard:

Wet the part of the paper that needs to be removed. Distribute the moisture evenly over the surface using a brush. Wait 2-3 minutes until it is saturated. Using your fingers or a knife, pry up the edge of the layer and try to remove as much of the piece as possible. Cut off the remains. Clean off the dried glue with sandpaper.

The method described above is applicable to large pieces of cardboard; for small ones, sometimes it is enough to rub the top layer.

Note: Spray the water more carefully. If you overdo it, the cardboard will become soggy. At best, you will have to wait until it dries. At worst, start the work all over again.

How to make a frame out of cardboard: instructions

First you need to decide what kind of photo the frame is being created for. It is not the content that is important, but the size and orientation of the card (vertical or horizontal). Based on this, proceed:

Step #1. Cut out the base.

Cut out the base of the frame from a large piece of cardboard. Its dimensions should be at least twice the size of the photo. Next you will understand why. Using a ruler and pencil, mark the contours of the future part. Then cut it out with scissors.

Step #2. Making a compartment for photography.

In the middle of the base, draw a rectangle slightly smaller than the photo for which the frame is being made. Carefully draw along the outline with a stationery knife and cut out a window.

Cut out a rectangle that will cover the photo hole on the back of the frame. Glue the door with tape on one side.

Step #3. We complete the preparation.

Make several cardboard strips of different lengths. Stick four of them around the photo compartment. Use the rest to create the structure of the front part. For clarity, look at the figure below.

To make the frame fit more tightly to the wall, glue triangles at the corners of the back. They compensate for the thickness of the door and allow the photo frame to hang more evenly.

Making triangles couldn't be easier. Cut one out using a pencil and then use it as a stencil.

Step #4. Decor.

Everything we did before had little to do with creativity. It's time to turn on your imagination to the fullest. Here is one of the options for designing a frame, but this is just an example, you can come up with your own version.

So, to decorate the photo frame we use the same cardboard. Take the prepared material with bare corrugation and cut it into ribbons. Divide several of them into elements as shown in the figure below.

Regular handicrafts with your child develop fine motor skills and imagination. Most often, children like to glue applications from colored sheets, which are then designed in the form of postcards. But sooner or later there comes a time when all relatives are loaded with greeting cards, and there is not enough space on the shelves for children's masterpieces. This situation is not a reason to throw away old products or forbid your child to create something. You just need to give him an idea to do something more practical.

An excellent alternative to pictures would be photo frames made by yourself from ordinary cardboard and paper. Kids can choose their favorite photo and paste it into the crafted rectangle. This product is suitable as a gift: for example, just add a photo of your dad with symbolic decor and you will get an excellent present for February 23rd. The most important advantage of this product is the many manufacturing techniques and decorative options.

To bring creative frame design ideas to life, you must first learn the basics. That is, you need to learn how to make a regular rectangular frame from cardboard.

It must be neat and strong in order to please the eye for many years.

After this, you can experiment with materials, shapes and colors, creating a unique decorative item. There are two options for making the base: the first is suitable for small photos, and the second is for large paintings or portraits.

First way

Necessary materials:

• cardboard;
• scissors and stationery knife;
• ruler;
• glue;
• pencil.

Instructions for making a frame:

Office paper is also suitable for this craft.

In this case, you can do without glue at all, since the sides of the frame will hold each other.

Second way

List of required items:

• thick cardboard from boxes;
• large scissors or stationery knife;
• PVA glue;
• pencil;
• ruler;
• spray bottle with water;
• scotch.

You can make a strong frame like this:

Frame made of cardboard and colored paper

The most obvious way to decorate a product is to use colorful paper. But this option can also be made very interesting. It is enough to twist the material into a tube and place it in this form on the base. A frame made using this technique is suitable as a children’s craft or a stylish decoration for a teenager’s room. It's also a great way to recycle old ones.

• patterned paper or old unnecessary gloss;
• glue stick;
• hot glue gun;
• scissors;
• a knitting needle or similar item;
• cardboard.

An easy way to decorate a product:

1. Using the previous diagram and template, make a cardboard base. You can also take a ready-made wooden frame.
   
2. From the magazine pages, cut out the required number of strips (minimum 80), 10-15 cm long and a width equal to the width of the cardboard rim.
   
3. Using a knitting needle, wrap each piece into a roll. Secure the end with glue.
   
   
4. Decorate the frame starting from the corner. You should be careful with hot glue so as not to move the already glued parts.
   
5. You should experiment with the direction of the rolls and their colors.
   
6. Glue in your favorite photo and attach a leg or nail loops to the back.

If the tubes protrude beyond the edges of the product, they can be cut off.

Master class on making a children's photo frame

When there is a child in the house, you want to fill all the shelves with his photographs. But ordinary store decor is not cheap and does not always look beautiful. This problem can be solved with your own hands and a little imagination.

For example, in just one hour you can make a frame in the shape of a funny animal. The child will like to follow the process and help his mother.

• white sheet for templates;
• thick cardboard for the base;
• multi-colored paper;
• ruler;
• glue;
• scissors;
• markers or pencils.

To get a cute teddy bear, you need to repeat these steps:

1. Make templates from scrap paper. Their size should be calculated based on the size of the photograph: it is indicated by a rectangle on the template.
   
   
2. Lay out the parts on cardboard, focusing on the photo. Trace the silhouette of the bear and cut out to create a solid base.
   
   
3. Cut out parts from paper of the desired color according to templates, not forgetting about the spout.
   
4. Glue the ears and body onto the cardboard cutout.
   
5. Mark the outline of the photo and apply glue to three sides of the frame. Attach the head, leaving a hole for the photo card.
   
   
   
6. Using paper and a felt-tip pen, add the remaining details.
   
7. Attach a stand made of thick material to place the photo on a table or shelf.
   

The simplest children's crafts - photo frames that a child can make himself

A 6-9 year old child is very eager to do everything on his own. This quality is worth developing both in everyday activities and in handicrafts. You should trust the child to do the craft himself, without the help of adults. But for this you need to choose the appropriate difficulty level. At first it may be simple applications from colored sheets, but over time it is worth moving on to more interesting materials.

For example, you can make a photo frame and decorate it with buttons.

Necessary materials:

• corrugated cardboard;
• 2 sheets of A4 white cardboard;
• scissors;
• glue;
• buttons of different shapes, sizes and colors;
• pencil;
• ruler.

Frame making scheme accessible to children:

1. Draw a frame silhouette on the back of regular cardboard. Cut out the shape.
   
2. Make another such piece from a white sheet, but make a hole for the photo card. Repeat these steps using corrugated cardboard. There should be three parts in total: 1 solid white, 1 white with a compartment and 1 brown with a similar slot.
   
3. Glue two frames together. Glue must be applied around the entire perimeter, not forgetting the corners.
   
4. Using all-purpose glue, add buttons. You need to place them very tightly, moving from top to bottom.
   
5. Apply glue to the reverse side of the decorated part from the bottom and sides. Attach a white sheet base. There should be a slot at the top to place the photo inside.
   

How to make a photo frame with your own hands for dad on February 23

The product can not only decorate your home, but also become an excellent gift for any occasion. For example, every dad will be touched if on Defender of the Fatherland Day his son or daughter gives him a photograph in a handmade frame. To make the present thematic, you should use appropriate details: camouflage or stars. A good solution would be a combination of the three colors of the flag.

The photo frame will be original if it is made using the origami technique.

Required materials:

• double-sided sheets of red, blue and white;
• pencil;
• scissors;
• ruler;
• glue.

Detailed explanation of how to make a gift:

1. Prepare 4 pieces of each color measuring 10x10 cm. You should get 12 squares in total.
   
2. First fold one piece of paper in half, and then fold it in half again.
   
   
3. For convenience, mark the point of intersection of the fold lines. Fold all corners to this point.
   
   
4. Fold the resulting square in half again.
   
5. Bend one of the corners, as in the picture.
   
6. Turn the workpiece over to the other side and raise another corner.
   
7. Repeat these steps 12 times to make the required number of modules. Then assemble the circle by inserting the two corners of one element into the two pockets of the other. For reliability, you can lubricate the inserted parts with glue.
   
   
8. Cut out the photo in the shape of a circle and paste it into the craft. If desired, you can attach more tape.
   
   

The size of the product can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the number of modules.

Unusual photo frames made of paper for an album

You don't always need to buy expensive colored paper to make something beautiful. These cute photo frames are great proof that you can create great decor from a regular album sheet.

Such material will allow children to learn accuracy and show their imagination without fear of ruining the paper.

Items needed:

• album sheet;
• colored paper (optional);
• scissors;
• ruler;
• pencil;
• markers.

Another way to decorate a family or children's photo:

1. Cut two 10x14.5 cm rectangles from paper. Add an auxiliary horizontal line 5 mm above the bottom edge. Also, on one part, draw a frame 2 cm thick, as in the photo.
   
2. Remove the center from the rectangle with lines.
   
3. Make a fold at the bottom of each element along the auxiliary line.
   
4. Apply glue to the outside of the folded edges, turn one piece upside down and fasten the two pieces together. This creates a photo frame into which you can insert a card on the left or right.
   
5. Glue a loop or a stand leg.
   
6. Use colored paper and markers to decorate the rim. For example, you can draw ice cream on a separate sheet, cut it out and attach it to cardboard.
   
   

This scheme is very simple and accessible even to a child, so you can trust him with all stages of the work. This frame can be pasted into an album or placed on a table.

Most popular questions

How can you decorate frames?

When choosing decor, you can use your imagination as much as possible: designer paper, beads, ribbons, fabric, rhinestones, ready-made cuttings for scrapbooking. You can make your photo frame more interesting using pasta, cereals, coffee beans, nuts, cocktail straws and colored pencils.

What is the best glue to use?

The type of glue depends on the materials used. For regular paper, a glue stick will suffice, which will be especially convenient for children. The cardboard should be attached using PVA. For heavy or plastic parts, using a hot glue gun will work.

The idea of ​​decorating your photo will definitely appeal to a child of any age. In order for him to enjoy the process, his wishes should be taken into account when choosing materials and equipment.

Author of the article:

• Studied at DonNU Philological Faculty in Donetsk. Currently on maternity leave. I’m new to copywriting, but I really liked this work because it helps me develop and expand my horizons.