How to Make a Paper Wing

Wings consist of a large number of overlapping feathers.

Paper wings can look just as good as wings made from real feathers if you're willing to put time and effort into making them. The key to making beautiful paper wings lies in creating textured paper feathers. For support, the paper feathers are glued to a basic wing made from poster board. Once you've made the paper wing, you can use it as a decoration or for a costume.

Things You'll Need

• Poster board or thick construction paper
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Paper
• Glue

Instructions

1. Draw a wing shape on a piece of poster board or thick construction paper with a pencil. If you're having trouble drawing a wing shape, look at an image of a wing for guidance.

2. Cut around the drawing with scissors.

3. Draw feather shapes that are short and wide on a large piece of paper. These are the short feathers. Use the entire piece of paper.

4. Cut out the feathers.

5. Place the short feathers along the top of the wing. The feathers should overlap one another. Depending on the size of the wing, you might need two or more rows of short feathers. If you don't have enough feathers to cover the top third of the wing, create more feathers.

6. Draw feathers that are longer than the short feathers on a piece of paper. Use the entire piece of paper. These are the medium-sized feathers.

7. Cut out the feathers.

8. Place the medium-sized feathers under the short feathers on the wing. The feathers should overlap one another. Depending on the size of the wing, you might need two or more rows of medium-sized feathers. If you don't have enough feathers to cover the middle portion of the wing, create more medium-sized feathers.

9. Draw feathers that are longer than the medium-sized feathers on a piece of paper. Use the entire piece of paper. These are the long feathers.

10. Cut out the feathers.

11. Place the long feathers under the medium-sized feathers on the wing. The feathers should overlap one another. Depending on the size of the wing, you might need two or more rows of long feathers. If you don't have enough feathers to cover the bottom of the wing, create more long feathers.

12. Remove the feathers from the wing.

13. Make small cuts that slant downward in each of the feathers. The closer the cuts are to one another, the more feather-like the feathers look.

14. Place the short feathers along the top portion of the wing, and then glue the top of each feather to the wing. The feathers should overlap one another.

15. Place the medium-sized feathers under the short feathers, and then glue the top of each feather to the wing. The feathers should overlap one another.

16. Place the long feathers under the medium-sized feathers. Angle some of the feathers on the tip of the wing outward, and then glue the top of each feather to the wing. The feathers should overlap one another.

Tips & Warnings

• Paint the feathers before applying them to the wing to create a colored wing.

• Experiment with using different types of paper, such as tissue paper, to create the feathers.

• Create a second wing if you plan on using the wing for a costume.

• If you want to wear the wing, attach wire along its perimeter, and then staple a piece of elastic to the wing.