Decoration methods

Painting

The younger testers generally seemed to like decorating the face models, usually by hand. Decoration can be done on the completed model after assembly but it is much easier to do so before assembly and before separating the face polygons from the laser cut sheets.

Watercolour and methods like potato printing give fairly low quality final results and can warp the paper, though they may be fun to do.

I have obtained very good quality results using spray paints. Spray painting the laser sheets before separating is very easy and quick and the resulting faces then become more robust and feel 'plasticised'. This can also be done on the edge models.

Engraving

The laser cutter can also be used to engrave surfaces although this is much slower than cutting and scoring lines it does provide a way of producing detailed patters on the face models

Faces on edge models

I have wanted to create wooden or other polyhedra for many years. I experimented with putting veneer on the models and having first assumed this would work on the face models, these have their joins along the edges which separate when materials are glued onto the faces. The edge models however cannot separate at the edges, they join at the vertices, and these worked well producing accurate and strong results. I made some with wood veneer and also a set with tracing paper and then inserted LED lights for a polyhedron light show.

Images of various decoration attempts in the decorations gallery