How to Make People Cut Outs

Use fine tip felt pens to decorate people cut outs.

People cut outs add the human element to many kinds of craft and education products. Use them for holiday decorations, place cards at events or diorama figures for shoebox scene school projects. Add them to posters, gift boxes, marketing displays, greeting cards or any other project that calls for human figures. This project makes an engaging activity for all ages. (See References 1) Make people cut outs with basic craft supplies. Reuse paper for an even more inexpensive and ecological craft project.

Things You'll Need

• Images of people in books, magazines or photographs to use as models
• Clean, reusable paper such as computer paper, manila folders, greeting cards and construction paper
• Stencils from a craft store (optional)
• People printouts from websites (optional)
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Fine-tip marking pens
• Scissors, and safety scissors for kids
• Utility knife (optional, for adults)

Instructions

1. Select stencils to use for people cut outs, if desired. Stencils provide a guide to draw the people figures. To use a stencil, hold it firmly on the paper and draw along the inside edge to create the figure's outline.

2. Make cut out people from printouts on your computer. Contractor.com recommends using printouts of people in different trades and occupations to teach kids about tradespeople. The people wear their work clothes and have a tool of their trade in hand. (See References 2 and 3) Print the people out and cut them along the outside lines to make people cut outs.

3. Look at images of people to choose the types of cut outs you want to create. Draw a person to cut out. Make the lines simple. For example, draw a man with legs like the capital letter "V" turned upside down. Draw two lines for the torso. Draw straight arms at the sides of the torso. Make the head half the width of the torso. For example, draw a 1-inch wide oval for a head on a 2-inch wide torso. Make a woman with the same shape or make the upside-down "V" into a skirt. Add hands. Make them simple, like mittens if you want, with an oval and a thumb at the end of the arm. Draw feet as ovals at the end of the pant legs. Draw the hairstyle. For example, draw a man with curly hair down to his collar.

4. Draw a tab at the base of the people cut outs so they can stand up. Draw a rectangle 1/2-inch wide and the same length as the base of the person. Put the ruler below the paper person's feet and draw a line from the outside of one foot to the outside of the other foot.

5. 

   Draw or print figures with simple lines for people cut outs.

   Use colored pens to fill in color for the clothes, hair, eyes, skin and shoes.

6. Cut the people out around the outside lines.

7. Fold the tab toward the back of the person cut out. Put glue on the bottom of the tab and glue it to the base, such as a piece of cardboard or inside a diorama box.

Tips & Warnings

• If you make cut out people on regular paper, glue them to lightweight cardboard or manila file folders and cut the cardboard along the outline. This makes the figure more stable to stand up.

References

• Contractor: Tradespeople
• Contractor: Lesson Plan
• Contractor: Carpenter Picture

Resources

• Paper Toys: Bruce Lee Paper Doll
• Paper Toys: Paper Doll (Female)