How to Create Life Sized Cardboard People

Perhaps you're going out of town and want it to look like there are people in the house. Maybe your best friend can't make it to the wedding. Rather than enlisting a group of strangers, create life-sized cardboard people. They're versatile, easy to store and won't ask for anything in return for their presence.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• High-resolution photograph
• Spray adhesive
• Box-cutter
• Cardboard
• Dowel rod
• Masking tape

1. Take a high resolution photograph of the person depicted in the cut-out. For an unknown person, download the highest resolution image from the Internet. Measure the person's height and width for an acurate representation.
2. Get a life-sized print of the image. An office and shipping store such as Kinko's can provide this service and is less expensive than a professional print shop. Be sure to specify the measurements of the finished print.
3. Gather a large piece of cardboard. The piece should be large enough to accommodate the measurements taken in Step 1.
4. Unroll the image and temporarily secure it to the cardboard in a few places with removable painter or masking tape. Starting at one end, apply spray adhesive to 6 inches of the back of the photo. Immediately secure it to the board, pressing firmly and taking care to avoid air bubbles. Repeat this process a few inches at a time until the image is completely secured to the board. Let dry.
5. Use a box cutter to trace around the image, removing excess cardboard. Go slowly, making sure your edges are clean.
6. Create a stand by taping a triangle of cardboard at 90-degree angle on the back of the cut-out. Stabilize the upper portion of the cut-out by taping a thin piece of wood that is nearly the full-height of the cut-out in the center of the back.

Tips & Warnings

• Refrigerator and other large appliance boxes work well, but can be hard to come by. If you are unable to obtain large individual pieces, tape smaller pieces together.
• If your family and friends won't volunteer to be a life sized cut-out, download an image of the highest resolution image from the Internet.