The short answer: a 3D Pikachu is two body panels, a base strip, two long ears, and a zigzag tail. Iron everything on one side only, bend the ears and tail while warm, then glue the parts together. It is a classic first 3D character.
Pikachu reads well in pixel form because the face is simple and the shape is round. The trickiest parts are the ears, which are long and thin. Keep them at least two beads thick so they do not snap.
Build steps
- Draw or find a front-view grid. It becomes the front panel; mirror it for the plain back panel.
- Make the ears as separate strips with black tips, about two beads wide and as long as you want them.
- Iron all panels one-sided and cool flat.
- Bend the ears gently while warm, then glue them to the top corners of the front panel.
- Fold the base strip into a U and glue both panels to it so Pikachu stands.
- Bend the tail into its zigzag shape, glue it to the back, then add the face details: eyes, cheeks, mouth.
Three tips that prevent rebuilds
- Ears at least two beads thick, or they break at the fold line.
- Bend ears over a pencil, not with a sharp fold, so the plastic stretches instead of cracking.
- Glue the base first, let it set, then attach the tail. The piece stays stable while you work.
- Face details last: eyes and cheeks sit better on an assembled piece.
This build uses the same one-sided melt and panel joining from our 3D patterns guide, and you can find ready grids in the pattern library. Beads, boards, and glue are in our shop.