Your Opinion on Pepakura....

[Crank729]

New poster here, probably an awkward thread to first post on, but oh well.

As a seamstress, this makes me think of costumers starting with an established sewing pattern versus drafting your own patterns. I can't imagine begrudging a sewer for being proud as hell of something they created verbatim from a pattern; they still used their skills to give shape and form to raw materials and it's a wondrous thing. Is it the same sort of endeavor as drafting your own patterns? No, but that's okay. Even the best artisans tend to learn by starting with patterns, schematics, and so on that have been created by others. (Sure, there's the occasional prodigy that skips that step, but how annoying are those people? /sarcasm) It's part of the learning process.

The great thing about pepakura is that it makes getting into prop making just a little more accessible, and I guarantee you that some of those starting with your Iron Man peps will move on and develop their skills so that they can start the process from scratch, and that's fantastic! Good for everyone really. For others, it will be a feasible way to make a seemingly daunting Halloween or cosplay costume reality, and that's fantastic too!

Some people are never going to be creative, whether pepakura is an option or not. Also, that initial design process is just plain unenjoyable for some people, even if they have the capability. I can understand enjoying the crafting more than the conception; it varies depending on the type of project for me.

I don't blame anyone if they're tired of seeing the same peps over and over, but luckily there's that handy scroll bar for your convenience.

Very well said, this actually might be my favourite post in this whole thread.

 

[jarroth]

sorry to bump up a old thread if it it bothers someone.

starting to look into pepakura and i have to say that i quite like it. gives alot of people a nice start to a nice costume, or prop.

is it ok to take someones pep file, print it, build it and finish it how ever they like it? why not i would say. i mean, is buying a MF kit, building it, paint it and finish it not basicly the same? if a designer of a unique armor does not want that someone can copy it i would really suggest to build it and display it inside the house, do not take pictures and dont weare it in public so someone else maybe can take a picture. if someone puts a pep file he made online he can be pretty sure someone else will use it.

since getting replicas of real weapons in Netherlands here is a big problem and i do like a han solo blaster i looked for a c96 pep file, and found it. so i will print it build it and use it as reference for building one from wood. at least that way i will have the dimensions close to original without having to study a gazillion of pictures and try to measure from that. other method would be having one of you in the USA buying, or making me a resin model, cut it in 6 pieces so it isnt recognisable as a weapon and ship it over in 6 different shipments. wouldnt be much different from building one from paper since i would have to re assemble that one to. will it going to be a perfect blaster than? i doubt, but at least a had few months fun building one.

i never made props or exact models of spaceships but always from my imagination. i enjoy making stuff, mostly steampunk things and scrapmetal sculptures. creating from scratch is just huge fun but i totaly suck at computer things so designing something in 3D would be just as difficult for me as inventing a warpcoil. i am some one that just takes scrap materials and look what i might can make from that.

so i think, pepakura is a nice tool to use to get to a goal you want. perfect? maybe not, but would a badly constructed scratchbuild costume be any better than a pepakura based costume? it all comes down to skills of the maker and his patience in finishing in the end.