SnipFold

Shallow Water Lily on a Notched Pad

A low radial flower of 24 pointed two-facet petals and 24 upright golden stamens, individually foot-mounted on one broad V-notched lily pad.

Materials

  • 200-240 gsm green cardstock for pad
  • 120-160 gsm pale paper for petals
  • 160 gsm gold paper for stamens and eye
  • Scissors or craft knife and cutting mat
  • Ruler, pencil, blunt scoring tool and protractor
  • PVA glue and fine tweezers

Finished size: Approximately 170 x 160 x 18 mm; pad ellipse before notch 170 x 144 mm

Steps

CutValley foldMountain foldGlue area

  1. Prepare pad and layout

    Print at 100 percent and measure the 50 mm ruler. Cut P including the open V notch; leave the pad flat. With notch down, locate the pad ellipse center halfway between its left/right extremities and on their horizontal line. Mark flower center F 15 mm above this point. From F pencil light radial guides every 30 degrees starting right, and a second set offset 15 degrees. Mark root distances 32, 23, 13 and 7 mm from F.

  2. Fold the outer rays

    Cut O1-O12 and score both transverse lines. Keep the 8 x 6 mm root foot horizontal. Valley-fold the lower blade UP 10 degrees from the foot. At the crease 18 mm along the blade, fold the pointed panel UP another 12 degrees relative to the lower blade: the tip panel is 22 degrees above the pad. Keep both panels flat.

  3. Glue the outer ring

    Apply a thin film of glue under each marked 7 x 5 mm patch. Place O1 pointing right; O2-O12 proceed counterclockwise every 30 degrees around F. Each root crease is 32 mm from F and its 6 mm foot points inward, occupying radii 26-32 mm on P. Glue opposite pairs, press only the feet with tweezers and let dry for at least 10 minutes or the adhesive label time.

  4. Fold and mount inner rays

    Cut I1-I12. Keep each 8 x 6 mm foot flat; raise the lower panel 25 degrees and the pointed panel another 10 degrees at the crease 14 mm from the root. Glue the underside marked patch directly to P with each root 23 mm from F, foot spanning radii 17-23 mm. I1 points 15 degrees counterclockwise from right; continue every 30 degrees. These rays sit between the outer rays. Dry the feet before adding stamens.

  5. Make the short stamen circle

    Cut S1-S12, preserving each 2.5 x 4 mm foot. Score the root and fold each 14 mm filament UP 90 degrees. Glue the full foot underside onto P, pointing inward. Root creases sit 13 mm from F on the original 30 degree guides: S1 is right, S2 is 30 degrees counterclockwise, and so on. Feet occupy radii 9-13 mm, clear of petal feet. Hold upright with tweezers while each joint grabs.

  6. Make the taller inner stamens

    Cut T1-T12 with their 2.5 x 3 mm feet. Fold the 18 mm filaments UP 90 degrees. Glue foot undersides directly to P with root creases 7 mm from F and feet pointing inward to radius 4 mm. Start T1 on the 15 degree guide and proceed counterclockwise every 30 degrees. Keep neighboring feet separate and all filaments upright. Let the two circles dry at least 10 minutes.

  7. Place the flat central eye

    Cut the 7 mm diameter C disk. Glue its underside marked 6 mm circle directly onto P centered at F, inside the inner stamen feet. Use tweezers to lower and press it flat without bending the surrounding filaments. This is a flat eye, not a raised seedpod.

  8. Cure the dry display

    Leave the pad flat on a dry table until fully cured according to the glue label. Expected maximum filament height is 18 mm; outer petal tips rise about 12.5 mm and inner tips about 16.2 mm. Lift only by the broad pad, not the rays or stamens. Keep away from water. Actual printing and assembly validation remain pending.

Notes

The 3D model shows each piece in its finished, idealized shape; the exploded view only spreads the pieces apart. It is not a paper-physics simulation: curved shapes are forming guides, not exact physical folding or proof of developability, and intermediate fold shapes are not supplied.