Make & keep
Build a tunnel book from a photo-strip story
Turn a four-frame sequence into a small layered paper stage.
A tunnel book gives a strip depth by placing cut-paper frames in parallel layers. Choose a sequence with a clear foreground and background, then build a copy-based object that can be handled without putting the original strip into a craft project.
Choose the scene
Print the strip at a size that leaves a visible border around each frame. Pick one frame for the back wall and two or three details for nearer layers. Trace each shape on scrap paper first; simplify edges rather than cutting tiny fragile bridges that will tear when the book opens.
Make the box
Cut two matching cover boards and several paper frames. Join the frames with folded accordion tabs along both sides, keeping every opening aligned. Attach the largest image to the back board and add cut-out figures or props to nearer frames with small paper tabs.
Test the opening
Open the book slowly and look from straight on and from a slight angle. If a face disappears behind a layer, widen that opening or move the layer forward. Keep the copy flat in a sleeve when closed; do not force a sharp fold through a photographic original.
Evidence: Preservation guidance
Sources & further reading
Sources for the specific facts and product descriptions above. Our worked examples, interpretations and practical suggestions are original editorial guidance.
- Library of Congress — Care, Handling, and Storage of PhotographsPreservation guidance