Tish the Sea Turtle: 3D Paper Sculpture for Wall or Ceiling

A sea turtle does not swim so much as glide, and Tish glides whichever way you put it up: flat against the wall with the front flippers opened out, or turning slowly on a thread.

What makes it special

Tish is the only animal here that works both ways. There is a mounting hole built into the shell, so it sits belly to the wall and the front flippers spread to either side, and it looks every bit as good there as it does hanging. Nearly half a metre across but only 15 cm deep, it prints on nine sheets, which makes it one of the two quickest in the collection.

What's in the download

• The full template, drawn for A4
• A bonus practice model, so you can test your glue and your paper before you start the animal
• Illustrated step-by-step instructions, with tips for the tricky joins

What you'll need

• A printer and A4 paper
• Thick paper or card, not ordinary printer paper
• A cutting tool
• A scoring tool
• A ruler
• Glue: UHU All Purpose Adhesive or white PVA

Good to know

• Instant download: you receive the file after checkout. Nothing is shipped to you, and there is no waiting.
• Finished size: 48 cm long, 46 cm across, 15 cm deep
• Pages to print: 9 sheets of A4
• Where it goes: made to work both ways: mount it belly to the wall through the built-in hole, or hang it on a thread
• You choose the scale: print at A4 for the size above, or resize the file first for something smaller or larger.
• Print it your way: coloured and patterned card both work, so no two people end up with the same piece.
• Handcrafted design: an original, 100% human-designed template (no AI).

Print it, cut it, fold it, and decide on the day: against the wall through the built-in hole, or on a thread from the ceiling.