Note: pictures are prototype samples. They don’t necessarily represent the final design.

The Six Pillars of Good Character

A Popup Wall Art Project (WIP)

I am an illustrator and a 3D artist in the genre of Imaginative fantasy. This new project is inspired by my first popup spread of downtown Mt. Holly, NC (shown below). I have been teaching myself how to create 3D paper visuals to give my illustration work more dimension. Through this process, I have come to highly appreciate the complexities of popup books, paper art, and the great skill all paper engineers possess.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

What is the project about?

This project is a visual presentation that shows the six pillars of good character regularly found in citizens of healthy and thriving societies. It is my belief that these pillars are in decline in our modern world. So, my project brings awareness back to some of these forgotten pillars. I use my genre, Imaginative Fantasy, to bring these concepts to life.

Why dragons?

Dragons are known to be creatures that have lived on earth for thousands of years. They have seen the thriving of many civilizations as well as their destruction and they have learned the core secret to keeping societies alive and thriving. That secret is the six pillars of good character.

Throughout centuries, dragons have gathered much wisdom and the six pillars are at the top of their treasures. Dragons are fierce by nature and one of the key traits of dragons is their desire to protect. In myths and fables, dragons often protect treasures, but they have been known to be protectors of humans as well. In this case, by letting you view and learn the Six Pillars of good character, they are not only protecting society by they are also protecting you by ensuring you are living your best life in a thriving society.

What is the size of each Pillar visual?

Not certain yet. Probably not bigger than 18 x 24″.

How are the popups made?

While it might seem like popups are pretty straightforward, they are really not. Looks can be very deceiving. Popups are very time intensive works of art. They require many trials and many, many, many cuts and measures to get them to fold correctly. Making sure things fold inside the page is also important, therefore often times many designs are required before you get it right. It is not unusual to create 2 or more prototypes before the final. It is the craft of many trials and therefore many exact cuts, not the cuts from an x-acto knife or scissors which are different every time when you have to cut the same pieces more than once.

What are the Six Pillars of Good Character?

The Six Pillars of Good Character are core ethical values. These are trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship. Each of the Six Pillars of Character help instills a positive climate and a culture of kindness.