My first attempt in making paper toy is by measuring every part manually. Make the template -> glue it and see if it works -> remeasure it if it's not -> glue it again -> disassemble it -> trace the correct template in Illustrator.

Then I find Pepakura, combined with 3D Studio Max, they are my new super heroes. After using 3D program for almost a year, now I'm thinking to do a free form design again. Just like the first time I make paper toy.

I find that 3D program tend to make you restricted with certain shapes. If you are not ready with a good initial sketch, you can easily get lost in the program it self. In short, it's not about the program. It's more to what you learn along the process and the idea that you generate. Be patient and remember to enjoy it even when you are taking the wrong turn.

I like to incorporate pop up elements into my design, so many times I just sit cutting into scrap paper making shapes and then see what is in the shapes. I get ideas from the forms created just by piling up pop ups, pop ins, until I see something. From there I often scan the paper sketch, and do the rest in Photoshop building it all on top of the sketch, and then delete the sketch layer. I'm old. I've been doing paper crafts long before there were home computers. I'm an old school art teacher, and paper crafts were always in the budget. Instead of paint and markers, now paper crafts can enjoy rich vibrant printed colors, and perfect fonts etc. For me, it's not about the program you use, it's about the paper. Everything begins and ends with the paper, and your design. If at the end you have a paper toy, you did it right. For anyone interested in learning a couple simple paper Pop UP techniques, I have a video here: http://jemoores.com/post/355074557