DIY Projects

Make a playful shadow puppet theater out of cereal boxes and wire

I have a soft spot for things that transform the ordinary into something a little magical — a cereal box becomes a stage, a bit of wire becomes a puppet armature, and a bedside lamp turns into a...

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Make a pocket-sized thaumatrope that animates your own character drawing

I love tiny devices that make an idea feel like a small miracle. A pocket-sized thaumatrope is exactly that: two simple images that seem to animate when spun. It’s one of the oldest optical toys...

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Max the magician's quick paper automaton: how to make a flipping bird with no glue

I love a simple trick that looks like magic, and this little paper automaton — a flipping bird that needs no glue — is one of my favourite quick projects to teach and to make when I want an...

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Step-by-step: build a magic picture frame that reveals a hidden illustration

I love a small, tactile trick — something that makes a viewer pause and tilt their head, then smile when the hidden thing is revealed. This project is one of my favourites for that exact reason: a...

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A beginner's guide to making a disappearing ink effect with household materials

I love little tricks that feel like small, domestic miracles: a message that appears and vanishes, an ink that fades like a ghost. Disappearing ink effects are perfect for that — they’re cheap,...

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Recreating the look of vintage lithography with inkjet and hand distressing

I’ve always been drawn to the slightly imperfect, inky warmth of vintage lithographs — the ghostly registration shifts, the subtle halftone screens, and the way colours sit on the paper like old...

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How to fake depth in tiny sculptures using painted shadows and foamcore

I love the tiny, quiet moments when a small object suddenly seems larger than life. Over the years I’ve learned a handful of tricks to make miniature sculptures read as deeper and more...

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