Papel Picado Banner Tutorial: Celebrate Day of the Dead with DIY Paper Decorations

If you are looking for a simple craft that instantly makes a room look festive, a papel picado paper banner is one of the best DIY decorations you can make. This colorful paper banner craft is quick, affordable, and perfect for kids, classrooms, birthday parties, and family celebrations. Papel picado is a traditional decorative craft made by cutting patterns into thin paper. When several pieces are connected together, they create a beautiful hanging banner that adds color and movement to any space. The best part is that you only need a few basic supplies and a little creativity.

In this step by step tutorial, you will learn how to make a papel picado paper banner using tissue paper, scissors, and string. This easy DIY paper banner project is beginner friendly and can be completed in under an hour.

You will need:

Tissue paper or thin coloured paper
Scissors
String or yarn
Tape or glue

Using tissue paper works best because it is easy to fold and cut, which helps create delicate patterns similar to traditional papel picado decorations.

Step 1: Prepare the paper for cutting

Start by choosing several sheets of brightly coloured tissue paper. Colourful paper helps your papel picado banner stand out and creates a lively party atmosphere.

Take one sheet of tissue paper and fold it in half. If you want more detailed patterns, you can fold the paper accordion style with several folds. Folding the paper is an important step because it allows you to cut multiple sections at once and create repeating patterns.

Make sure the folds are neat and flat so the shapes you cut will look clean when the paper is unfolded.

Step 2: Cut decorative shapes into the paper

Next, use scissors to cut small shapes along the folded edges of the paper. Popular shapes for papel picado include triangles, hearts, flowers, diamonds, and curved patterns. Try cutting different sizes and styles of shapes to make the design more interesting. For example, you might cut a row of small triangles along the bottom edge or create flower shaped cutouts along the sides.

Remember not to cut completely across the paper. Leave some areas connected so the sheet stays together when unfolded. This technique creates the signature lace like appearance that makes papel picado decorations so eye catching.

Step 3: Unfold the paper to reveal the design

Once you finish cutting your shapes, carefully unfold the tissue paper. Open it slowly to avoid tearing the delicate paper. When fully unfolded, you will see the pattern you created. The cut shapes will form a symmetrical design across the sheet, giving it the classic papel picado look.

Each piece you make will be slightly different, which makes your DIY paper banner unique.

Step 4: Create multiple banner panels

To make a full papel picado banner, repeat the same process with several more sheets of paper. Each sheet becomes one decorative panel. Using different colours for each panel makes the banner more vibrant and visually appealing. Mixing colours like pink, yellow, blue, and green creates a cheerful decoration that works perfectly for birthdays, holidays, or classroom celebrations. You can also experiment with different cutting patterns so each panel has its own design.

Step 5: Attach the paper panels to string

Lay a long piece of string or yarn across a table. Place the top edge of each papel picado panel over the string. Use tape or a small amount of glue to secure the paper to the string. Leave a small gap between each panel so the banner hangs evenly. Continue attaching panels until the banner reaches the length you want.

Step 6: Hang your DIY papel picado banner

Once all the panels are attached, your handmade paper banner is ready to display. Hang the banner across a wall, window, doorway, or party table. Because tissue paper is lightweight, the panels may gently move when air flows through the room, adding extra charm to your decoration.

A DIY papel picado paper banner is one of the easiest handmade decorations you can create. It requires minimal supplies, encourages creativity, and produces beautiful results. This craft is perfect for birthday parties, cultural celebrations, classroom decorations, and family craft time. Because each panel is handmade, every banner has its own unique style. If you enjoy simple DIY crafts that make a big visual impact, this papel picado banner tutorial is a great project to try. With just paper, scissors, and string, you can create a colorful decoration that instantly brightens any room.