Amazing New York City Themed Pop-Ups

Many of us have fond memories of pop-up books from our youth. Illustrated books were awesome enough, but pop-up books gave us a level of interactivity with stories and characters. But, as we grow up, we find ourselves content with simple text, the complexity of words able to replace the need for actual visual stimuli.

That doesn’t mean that we forget the childish joy of pop-up books, though. If any of you are like me, you simply have to open one if you ever come across it, whether it be on display at a bookstore or a book belonging to your child/nephew/niece.

This nostalgia has led to the creation of more pop-up books directed toward adults, from The Pop-Up Book of Nightmares to the Griffin and Sabine Trilogy. And I know a couple adults who own Star Wars: A Pop-Up Guide to the Galaxy. Beyond these books, however, there is also the artistic implementation of pop-up books, using something familiar from our youth to convey other ideas and concepts beyond literature. This series of books by Daisy Lew is a perfect example of how this can be accomplished.

The examples here show us four different examples of pop-up books centered around the theme of New York City. The first is a visual representation of the city’s nickname, The Big Apple. The book folds open into a blocky looking, 3-dimensional apple, with the words NYC across it. However, when looked at from the side rather from above, we see an added layer of complexity. From the side, the apple is no longer visible to us, but just the blocks that make it up, which we now see are shaped and designed like buildings complete with windows.

Big Apple Pop-Up Book

Big Apple Pop-Up Book 2

Taxi Cab Pop-Up Book

Taxi Cab Pop-Up Book 2

Chrysler Building Pop-Up Book

Statue of Liberty Pop-Up Book

Statue of Liberty Pop-Up Book 2

The other three examples do just the same; a taxi cab, the Chrysler Building, and the Statue of Liberty all become represented as cute 3D models, but also can be viewed horizontally as attractive cityscapes, bringing to mind the many shops, apartment blocks, and skyscrapers that make up New York City. If you find this style of art interesting, you may also like to try your hand at papercraft. Through the simple act of folding paper, you could create something simple like this Steve Jobs Papercraft, or more intricate and mind-blowing creations like this Gameboy Papercraft or these World of Warcraft Characters.

Via: Daisy Lew