Dragon Linkage
A #CorrugatedCard Project
I’m really enjoying these corrugated‑card linkage projects. They’re fun to design and, hopefully, just as fun for you to build. There’s something delightful about cutting a few freehand shapes from card, linking them together, tweaking a joint here and there, and suddenly watching a simple model spring to life.
This dragon started life as a quick prototype for a larger 3D project, but the mechanism had such charm that it deserved a moment in the spotlight. There’s a lovely immediacy to it: a few cuts, a couple of split pins, a bit of gentle tinkering, and suddenly the head dips, the jaw snaps, and the whole head feels alive in your hands. It’s the kind of build that reminds me why I love working with simple materials: they invite experimentation, happy accidents, and that quiet little spark when everything finally clicks.
After making a rough version and posting a quick video on Instagram, I decided it deserved a proper, finished project. I took the prototype apart, easy enough, thanks to the split‑pin construction, laid out the pieces on my cutting mat, and snapped a photo.
Because the cutting mat grid gives me a reliable scale, I can drop the image straight into my software, trace the shapes accurately, and tidy everything up. Once traced, I enlarged the parts to 125% to make the final build a little more forgiving. Then it was simply a case of printing the templates, transferring them to corrugated card, and cutting everything out. Happily, it all came together without any drama.
With the assembly photographed, I put the instructions together and added the whole project to the website. Job done!
If you’re a regular reader, you’ll know I’ve recently stepped away from Adobe and into the world of open‑source tools, GIMP for image work and Inkscape for parts and layouts. As I get to know them, I’m really starting to appreciate their rhythm. I’m spending far less time hunting for how‑tos, and so far I haven’t run into any show‑stoppers at all.
The project is now live on my site and ready for you to download. If you’re a premium member of this newsletter, you’ll find the PDF waiting for you at the foot of this page, thank you so much for your support. It genuinely makes these experiments, prototypes, and playful detours possible.
If you’re not yet subscribed, this is a lovely moment to join in. You’ll get access to this project, the full archive of builds, and all the new things I’m tinkering with each month.
Thanks for reading, and best wishes for whatever you’re making this week, may your card cut cleanly, your linkages behave, and your dragons roar.