Welcome to the world of DIY detective work! In this tutorial, I'll guide you through the steps of creating your very own Miniature Crime Board using simple materials like cardstock, coffee stirrers, and printed images scaled to size. Whether you're a true crime enthusiast, a mystery novel aficionado, or just looking for a unique craft project, this miniature crime board will add a touch of intrigue to your space.
Materials Needed:
- Cardstock sheets (various colors)
- Coffee stirrers or small wooden sticks to make the frame
- Some red string
- Printed images (scaled to size)
- Glue or glue stick
- Scissors
- Markers, Acrylic paint or pens
- Ruler
- Corkboard or foam board (optional) for added bulk
- Mod Podge Matt to seal the piece
Gather Your Materials:
1. Collect all the materials listed above. Choose cardstock sheets in colors that complement each other, and make sure your printed images are related to the theme of your miniature crime board.
2. Prepare the Images: Print out images related to your crime board theme. These can include photos of suspects, crime scenes, evidence, or anything else that fits the narrative. Scale the images to a size suitable for your miniature board.
3. Cut the Cardstock: Cut the cardstock sheets into small squares or rectangles to serve as the background for your images. These will represent individual pieces of evidence or information on your crime board.
4. Create the Board Base: If you're using a corkboard or foam board, cut it to your desired size. Otherwise, arrange the cardstock pieces directly on a flat surface. This will be the base of your crime board.
Add Details with Coffee Stirrers: Cut the coffee stirrers to add bulk to your frame. Alternatively you can also cut the coffee stirrers into smaller pieces to resemble pushpins or markers. Glue these pieces onto the cardstock next to the images, creating a visual link between different pieces of evidence.
A printed frame is flat and looks rather boring. To add bulk and interest, coffee stirrers are painted to bring out the wood grain and then attached to the frame to add dimension.
In this example I have used colored pencils, however you can use experiment with any medium to see which look you like best.
Tip! Make sure to color the coffee stirrers on all sides. It's much easier to cover everything in paint before you start to assemble.
if your frame is too flimsy add foamboard or extra layers of cardboard. Make sure to paint those sides as well.
Organize them in a way that tells a story or helps you connect the dots in your crime scenario. Leave some space around each image for additional details.
5. Label and Connect: Use markers or pens to label each piece of evidence or information on the cardstock. Draw lines or connections between related items to illustrate the relationships in your crime scenario.
Get Creative: Add extra touches like handwritten notes, arrows, or other embellishments to enhance the detective theme of your miniature crime board. You can also use different colors of cardstock to categorize information.
Tip! I like to seal the piece with Mod Podge. It adds a bit of weight to each piece and protects it from tearing.
