Kinetic sounds complicated, but it simply means movement. So when it comes to cardmaking, it’s about creating elements that slide, wobble, swish and the like. Why? Because it creates an interactive experience for the recipient. It’s also so satisfying for you, the maker. Smiles guaranteed all round!
Here we’re sharing 15 FREE card tutorials for you to kickstart (or continue!) your kinetic journey. The techniques are diverse, as are the themes, but you can apply these methods to a card for any occasion. Plus, you can choose a type to suit your skillset. Love stamping? Try a Swish ‘n’ Pop card. Prefer card folding? Opt for pop-up greetings. And if you’re a total novice, we’ve got you covered too – start with a rocker card and work your way up from there.
Let’s dive in…
1. Spinner Card
Credit: PaperCrafter
With some choice z-folding and die cutting, you too can create this elegant card. The spinner element is suspended with subtle, complementary thread. The secret? You’ll need to twist the hexagon several times, lay it flat and insert into an envelope, so it spins when the recipient opens it. Neat!
2. Slider Card
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There are plenty of products on the market to help you make a slider card, from discs to dies. Or you can craft one from scratch, like this dinosaur greeting here. Cover 5p coins with card and adhere together with foam tape, before slotting into a cut-out strip and embellishing with a motif. This panel will need to be adhered to a blank with more foam tape, so the element can move freely.
3. Shaker Card
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Who doesn’t love a card you can shake? We feature them a lot in PaperCrafter magazine and love to experiment with different varieties. This vibrant design features a front panel that’s actually enclosed inside a see-through storage pocket from Avery Elle. It’s something a little different and we’re all for it.
4. Waterfall Card
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Pull the tab on this waterfall greeting and watch as the rectangles slowly turn over and reveal even more loveliness on the reverse. The ribbon directs the recipient, but you could also add a little message saying ‘pull here’ for extra clarity.
5. Rocker Card
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A card that gently sways from side to side? Oh go on then. Plus, it’s one of the most straightforward kinetic cards to make. Simply die cut a circle, then score and fold in half. Voilà!
6. Landscape Pop-Up Card
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Pop-up greetings involve a folded strip of card that pops up (funny that!) when the card is opened. This landscape design keeps the strip visible, featuring suspended toppers thanks to some coordinating baker’s twine. It’s perfect for a new baby card because it imitates a mobile – cute!
7. Portrait Pop-Up Card
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This alternative pop-up card offers up a large motif so you can’t even see the mechanism – just like magic. It works especially well with a portrait orientation. Take your pick!
8. Wobbler Card
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Purchase some wobble springs (like the Hampton Art ones at Buddly Crafts) and you’ll be making motifs wobble left, right and centre. Make sure you craft your focal from decent cardstock – not flimsy paper – so it can withstand multiple wobbles.
9. Maze Card
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A maze card is essentially a ramped-up slider card, but we had to share one because they’re just so fun. This Halloween number has been created with the Slide On Over Maze die from Lawn Fawn and we love the trick-or-treat story it tells. What narrative will you create?
10. Flip Card
Credit: PaperCrafter
Another way to tell a story is with a flip card. Like the spinner, it requires precise scoring, folding and die cutting, but the focal isn’t suspended. The fun part is choosing what to feature on each side of the oval, so we went for a very outraged ice cream.
11. Spinning Card
Credit: PaperCrafter
Turn your greetings into games. The arrow on this card spins around, which is achieved with a brad. This design is really clever – by using a pink brad, Santa’s got his nose! Genius.
12. Swish ‘n’ Pop Card
Credit: PaperCrafter
Use the Lawn Fawn Swish 'n Pop Pull Tab die to create this seriously summery card. Pull the helpfully arrowed-up tab and the bird moves across to the left – how clever. By using barely-there acetate as the anchor for the bird, it’s truly an unknown for the recipient on what’s going to happen.
13. Flying Plane Card
Credit: PaperCrafter
The plane flies back and forth on this travel-themed greeting thanks to a decorative brad. Utilise a paper collection in your stash – often they come with lots of toppers, stickers and ephemera, so why not see what you can make move?
14. Moving Cat Card
Credit: PaperCrafter
This cat moves from side to side too, this time with a loop of string. Applying tactile elements to your cards adds to the experience for the recipient.
15. Spinning Snowball Card
Credit: PaperCrafter
The oh-so-useful brad comes into play again! These snowballs spin around using acetate and a hidden brad. This style of design would work brilliant for a juggling clown too!
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