Paperbrain

This is a paper model of the brain that fits nicely on your desk.

Paperbrain (1.9 MB)

The model has been created with Blender. The zip-file includes four DIN A4 pages that can be directly printed but also the SVG-templates for more manual modifications of the labeling as well as the original blend-file that has been used to unfold the brain.

62 thoughts on “Paperbrain”

  2. Hello,
    I am a teacher at an elementary school in Las Vegas, NV. I am the specialist who runs the Scientific Learning program for K-5 students. I often teach mini lessons about the brain, and I would love to utilize this model. Being a former graphic artist by trade, I can appreciate the work that you’ve put into this. Would you please send me more information about this project? I would love to share it with my students! Thank you.

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    • Hi,
      I was wondering if you received the templates for the paper brain model.
      I would love to use it for school purposes also, specifically the nervous system.

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    • hello
      I am a lecturer at the Faculty of Education, Loei Rajabhat University, Thailand.
      I teaching about the brain is part of my course.
      I would love to utilize the templates for the paper brain model.
      Would you please send it to me?
      I would love to share it with my students.
      Thank you

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  3. thank you for your comment and great to hear that you will show it your students. I created the model when I started my PhD in neuroscience. Coming from computer science, it was very helpful for me to learn the anatomy of the brain by creating this model.

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      • I did not create instructions for this model, I am sorry. But there is only one way to stick everything together. I would start with both hemispheres, then attach the temporal lobes and the cerebellum at it and at the end the basement.

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  6. This was a wonderful little project to do. I thank you for providing such a nice template. It’s helped greatly in an assessment for school. I did have to modify the labeling to suit the task, though. There was a slight challenge for me in the construction of the brain, but I enjoyed it greatly. Thank you again. 🙂

    – Naomie, aged 13.

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  7. It’s a great model but where on earth do I put the Right Hemisphere Down and the Left Hemisphere Down? I cannot figure it out

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  9. Hello, I am an education major student who is working on a project which involves a presentation using a live size model of the brain. I would be grateful if you can send me the instruction to this. I think it is a perfect model to go inside my 3d pyramid as a pop-up.

    Thank you in advance

    Erica

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    • Dear Erica, there are no instructions but the 3d-model and the inkscape files are included in the zip-file

      Best,
      Martin

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    • sorry, I currently don’t have a paper model here. But you can download Blender (blender.org) and open the blend-file.

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  11. Hi
    Thanks so much for this amzing template. It took m the first tim about 2h to figure it out and complete but it was woth. The second try was about 40 min.

    A short instruction for those, which don’t want to try by themself. (It’s quite a patience and intelligence test):

    1) Print and cut the forms properly
    2) Start to glue one of the two emisphere. Actually don’t glu but use tape in the inside. So bring the small white overlapping parts to the inside and fix them in the inside with tape.
    2) Complete also the other emisphere and the cerebellum. Try to figure it out through the pictures how you have to fix them togehter.
    3) Complete the under-part by following the colours. After some tries you’ll figure it out.

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    • Seriously? Someone offer their own obviously hard work as a resource, for FREE, and you curse them? Why don’t you put forth a little effort and figure it out? It’s not rocket science.

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    • The instruction to make your brain flat then ask a child to create a better one, shouldn’t be hard, as it’s very simple.

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  13. Wow, this is awesome.
    I’m teaching occupational therapy students and they had a hard time learning all the different brain regions and their functions. This is an amazing way to give them something fun to do while learning, plus they have a model handy whenever they need it instead of looking stuff up in books. They really love it.
    Wonderful idea, great job and thank you so much for sharing this with public!!!

    Best regards
    Julie

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  17. Hi Martin Pyka,

    ich habe eine Idee zum Paper Brain, die ich germe mit Dir diskutieren würde, denn mit DIr als Urheber wäre das Projekt, das ich im Sinn habe am coolsten zu realisieren.
    Kontaktier mich doch mal.. Danke

    Claudia

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  20. Dear Martin,

    I’m an editor with New Scientist magazine, writing about your paper brain model and whether we could use a version of it. I tried to contact you by email but contacted the wrong Martin Pyka! Please could you email me? Thanks, Alison

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  21. Hello,
    I facilitate STEAM and Social and Emotional learning in a youth development program for middle school and high school. I would love to use the brain model to discuss the anatomy and well as have the students process where we process emotions and higher thinking. Would you send me the model of your brain?

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  23. good night!! hi way from mexico!! i am dr. Angel Montero physiotherapy and specialized in sport area!! i would like if you can send mi the instructions

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  26. This is brilliant!

    I would love the template to use for a growth mindset school project !
    Please could you send me a copy?

    Thank you

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  29. Hello. I think based off of previous comments you are ok with teachers using this as an educational tool, which I will be doing (I teach anatomy and physiology). If I am wrong and I do not have permission, please let me know and we will plan a different activity. Thank you for your time and for sharing this activity!

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  33. I would love to use this model with my students! Is there a copy in Spanish? Or is there a way that I could edit it to Spanish? Thanks!

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  35. Hi there, would you mind please sharing the template with me? I’m a school teacher doing a wellbeing program so teaching about the parts of the brain activated during anxiety. If it can be editable that would be amazing too!

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  36. Hi! I am Keila, a PHD Student from Brazil. Ive been trying to download the paperbrain model but for some reason i cant. Can you please send me the file by email? I would appreciate that, sooo much ! Thank you !

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  37. Hello,
    I am an anatomy teacher. Would you mind if I used this model during classes with medical students?
    It would be great!
    Kind regards
    Agata

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  41. For those having issues with downloading the files, I was not able to download them from my computer but was able to on my phone browser (Chrome). I hope this helps!

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  42. Awesome model. I made one to use with some children I am teaching. (It is more complex than I needed but it leaves the WOW factor and lets them see how amazing the brain is.). It took some brainwork on my behalf to figure out the cerebellum part but got it. (I will admit that I cut off the small tabs when connecting the hemispheres together so there are some “gaps” there but it did help in the connecting of those parts and it didn’t interfere with what I was doing.
    Thanks so very much for creating such an amazing model.

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  45. Hi, I would love to have the instructions for a AP Psych project over the brain that I can working on right now.

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  46. i am a biology teacher and currently teach my student about brain. could you send me an instruction on how to fold the paper? thankyou

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