Cardboard Props: Victorian Candle Lantern

Relatively easy one tonight... a Cardboard prop Lantern useful for Nativity plays, low budget LARP, creepy costumes and more... This prop is extremely handy if you need something that will pass at a distance as a lantern, without the risk of burning someone, the candle going out mid performance or perhaps burning down the stage!

As allways time and patience is a must, but otherwise you will need:

* Cardboard- For this Instructable I used 3mm card left over from a previous project... REMEMBER to recycle
* Knife/ Scissors
* Glue- I use a glue gun, as i think for construction its alot better as it has a very fast drying time, but regular PVA glue or superglue will work just as well, you just need to factor in how long your glue will take to dry etc.
* Ruler
* Pen
* Time: 1 hour
* Round object to draw arround to make handle ( I used a mug) OR pair of compasses

Well, it is at this moment time to decide wether to make a 3 or a 4 sided lantern, I made a three sided one as from a props perspective it fitted better with the scenery... As allways i'm REALLY sorry for working by eye, but i shall endeavour to give you accurate measurements, but just go with what you feel like.

My sides measure:
15cm (6") wide
30 cm (12") tall (from base to point)

For the triangle top peice, i measured down 10cm's (<4") and drew a line, then matched up the ends to form this very fetching triangle shape!

In order to get the 'roof' of your lantern to bend inwards, i advise scoring along the bottom edge of the triangle (on what you deem to be the interior side of the cardboard you are using, if you score on what will be the outer face, you will be left with an unsightly seam) as this will aid you when you come to glue this all together.

WELL time to fire up your trusty glue gun, or shake the lumps out of your pva!

It seems like all I do at the moment is glue cardboard together... BUT oh well when needs must... PLEASE REMEMBER that if you are using a hotmelt glue gun, to think about your gluing order, as you may make it difficult to stick certain things on etc.

I chose to glue the long straight edge (glue to corner of the triangle) first to its corresponding side piece, then glue the 'roof' bit ( bottom corner of triangle to point) and continue until you get the shape you need (like inthe picture)

I chose not to include any interior supports in this Instructable, as this prop will not be kicked around on stage... If it is kicked around... anticipate an Instructable on how to a hide a body

Now for the base...  I'm not a mathematical person....So instead of working out how big the triangle would need to be to fit my lantern, all I did was to take my freshly assembled lantern shape, stand it on a flat piece of card and draw round it with a pen... making sure to neaten up the lines with a ruler pre-cutting...

Schimples!

Just glue in place

I would say that this is the hardest bit of the design... but... It's not THAT difficult, on my lantern i chose to make a double thickness handle, but again its up to you ( its the same principle anyway)

1. Draw arround a round object or use a pair of compasses to get your circle shape and cut out
2. Draw arround a smaller circle shape or use your compasses
3. Cut out and discard middle
4, Lay your doghnut shape onto the 'roof' of your lantern and mark the roof's edges
5. Cut out and discard the section marked in step 4
6. Glue in place

So , all that is left to do is paint that bad boy huh? I thought i would give you a little how too on how i created the arch shape during painting...


I first drew a square 2cm's away from the edge inside the 'face'

the Rectangles sides are 10cm's (<4")

I marked the mid point of the square, 2cm's (<1") down from the crease where we scored the bottom edge of the roof in stage 2

I then used a large round object (like a lid or a cd) and matched up the corner ofthe square to the midpoint mark. You SHOULD get something similar to what i have done in my picture...

Now just paint till your happy

So, well... Thats the end... as isaid it was a short easy one, but none the less looks very effective.

I hope you enjoyed another exciting Cardboard Prop!

All thebest

Biggsy