{"id":3704,"date":"2013-02-02T14:30:20","date_gmt":"2013-02-02T19:30:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pixel-shredder.com\/blog\/?p=3704"},"modified":"2013-02-03T12:05:44","modified_gmt":"2013-02-03T17:05:44","slug":"paper-airplane-business-cards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pixel-shredder.com\/blog\/paper-airplane-business-cards\/","title":{"rendered":"Paper Airplane Business Cards Are (Appropriately) Made of Awesome"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last spring, as part of my ridiculously long hunt for a job for after graduation, I decided to make myself a set of business cards to hand out along with my resumes at job fairs. I knew I wanted something that would stand out with recruiters, and reflect my personality.<\/h2>\n

After researching tons<\/a> of crazy<\/a> business cards, and coming across an origami-inspired business card from a local designer, I came up with a crazy new concept: a business card that doubles as a paper airplane. Years of folding paper airplanes as a kid came in handy as I experimented with the best approach to my folding card, as I iterated my initial design. I knew I wanted my business card to be able to fold flat like a traditional 3 1\/2″ x 2″, so it wouldn’t be cumbersome for employers to deal with when in ‘business card mode’. That required using thinner card stock with no gloss layer, and coming up with a folding mechanism to hold the wings of the plane in place while folded up.<\/p>\n

As it turns out, a modified version of the old standard- commonly known as the Dart<\/a>– was the best fit for the dimensions I required. I tested my folds with standard inkjet paper, and when I was satisfied with my technique I applied it to my thin card stock. I had already printed my design onto the card stock in advance, using my original paper model as a template for art placement, and cut out the cards using an X-Acto blade.\u00a0Once the cards were cut out and folded (I had to wear latex gloves while folding to prevent smearing the ink), I made the small nick into the bottom of the card’s ‘fuselage’, where the left wing would slip through to hold itself in place when in Business Card Mode.<\/p>\n

Awesomely enough, with just a small amount of scotch tape wrapped around the nose, my cardplanes actually flew when in Paper Airplane Mode. Actually, they flew awesomely (ha!), and I never had any trouble making an impression on employers after introducing myself with one of these babies. Mission accomplished.<\/p>\n

\"Paper<\/a>

The design for my cardplane, with fold marks.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Paper<\/a>

Cardplane folded flat in Business Card Mode.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Paper<\/a>

Cardplane in Business Card Mode, next to standard business card for scale.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Paper<\/a>

Cardplane with wings opened, in Paper Airplane Mode.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Paper<\/a>

Cardplane ready for takeoff.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Related Awesome<\/H4>