Ghost 3d Slice Form Card Assembly

The "spirit" of this a6 Halloween card

virtually "pops out" at you!

Eight center-fold shapes 

- some including arms - are glued side by side,

 attached to a flat back silhouette on card front, then secured

 with notched upper ring (eyes fold-down base attached)

and lower half rings that attach with tabs thru slots.

Heart is layered with tabbed back halves

then attached to one slice.

Eyes shape is glued onto base.

Card front is glued to card base, letter shapes positioned & glued.

(Since it is "front heavy", an optional back flap "stand"

is included in file where something slightly heavy

will help him stand relatively upright with card slightly open.

Or use a flower pick stand.)

ASSEMBLY:

1. Identify and cut the shapes:

A card front

B card base

C letter cutouts

D back body base

E heart front, back halves with tabs

F-M body shapes 1-8

N lower ring    
O upper ring with eyes tab

P contrast eyes

2. Position body base shape and attach (flat) to card front, taking care to center it over slots.

NOTE that slots will be a little wider than the edges of the body. Center body shape so that the same amount of slot opening extends at on EACH edge.

2. Fol each body slice in half, face sides together at perforation line.

3. Position shape 1 (left) and shape 2 (right) as shown, so that their respective right and left halves come together back to back, and match up the arm extensions. Glue the surfaces that match up together . . . 

(Repeat this step for the opposite body side using shapes 7 & 8, in a mirror image configuration.)

. . . then press flat in folded position and apply pressure.

In this arrangement, make sure that the "spine" perforation fold edges are lined up as exactly as possible, . . . 

. . . with top and bottom edges lined up as well.

(This is further along in the assembly, showing how the fold edges continue to line up exactly.)

4. Line up shape 4 back to back with the corresponding free half of step 2 from the body assembly, as shown. Apply adhesive to one side, then position, fold in half (see second image in step 3 above), and apply pressure, taking care that perf fold edges are lined up as exactly as possible.

(Repeat this process with the other half assembly by adding shape 6 in similar but reversed configuration.)

5. Position, align and attach shape 4 to the body assembly.

(Repeat this process with the other half assembly by adding shape 5.)

6. Join the two half assemblies by lining up the backsides of shapes 5 & 6 and joining using the usual suggested alignment and pressure-applying processes.

7. Position the body slice assembly over the card front with back body shape . . . 

. . . first lining up and attaching one side body edge, taking care that the slot edges align exactly as well . . . 

. . . then aligning the opposite body side in the same careful fashion.

NOTE that at the center spine area, there will naturally be a channel that forms behind the perforation folds of the assembly. (You can see this in the next image.)

8. Prepare the attach the lower body ring at the lower slots sequence for the slice body shapes.

This is the trickiest part of this construction. One way to do this is to bring the slice together at the center as shown, with all the slot notches lined up, then slide the lower ring into the notches indent and center it.

Next, patiently and carefully slide the slices outward on each side to their notch positions, one at a time, until the ring and body notches match up. 

NOTE: It may also be easiest to position the upper ring shape at the same time when the slices are compressed as in the previous image, then slide the slices into position in BOTH rings at the same time.

9. With the ring(s) lined up over the notches in the slice shapes, the ring can be adjusted toward the surface of the card front sufficiently far to insert the tab ends through the slot cut outs.

Bend tabs downward and glue in place. Apply pressure the hold in place until secure.

10. Follow the same process the position the upper ring. It is recommended as indicated in the bolded instructions above to do this at the same time as the lower ring (though that is NOT what is illustrated in the photos.)

11. With the upper ring and slices notches lined up, the upper ring end tabs will also be allowed to insert into the slot cutouts.

On the backside of card front, fold the tabs down and glue in place.

12. Bend the eye "tab" downward, attach to the center slice edges with a dab of glue.

Position and attach the contrast eye shape.

13. Assemble the heart. Bend the tab halves of the back left and right shapes back, then position over the appropriate halves where edges will match up, and glue the non-tab backside surfaces to the back of the heart shape.

NOTE: when correctly assembled, there should be two tab flanges behind the heart between which the appropriate body slice edge can insert.

14. Apply glue to the tab backsides (both) then position over the slice just forward from the left arm, between the rings, sliding the slice edges between tabs. Hold in place until secure, applying pressure as you are able to the tabs area (use a rod tool if necessary).

15. Position and attach the card front, centered, to the folded front of the card base.

16. Position and attach the letter cut outs.

One way to do this is the save the "waste" cutout from around the letters as a positioning guide.

(Here, the top has been scissors-cut away to allow high enough positioning of guide.)

Simply hold the guide in place while attaching letters, or use a sharp pencil tip to strategically and lightly mark corners or edges.

Here is the completed card.

17. The ghost body assembly will make this card "front heavy".

If you wish to help the card stand by itself, use the optional rounded end back stand tab. Fold in half, then position and attach the backside of the upper half centered on card base outside back, with fold even at card bottom edge.

Use something (appropriately nice) to sit on the folded-out tab

behind the slightly opened card.