Gnome garden shadow box SVG
Two garden gnomes in front of a picket fence, one holding a flower, with trees and a tall sunflower behind them, a bird house on a post and a watering can and a toadstool at the front. 5 sheets of card, cut and stacked with a gap between each, make the picture. The files are free, and every part of the scene can be moved, swapped or resized below before you download.
5 sheets at 8 × 8 in, zipped, with a note on putting them together.
Free for personal and commercial use, no sign-up. What you can do with it.
The 5 sheets
Sheet 1 is the back and sheet 5 is the front. Each one is a single piece with the same frame round its edge, so they line up when stacked. The colours shown are the “Forest green” set; cut them in any card you like. Cut sheet 5, “Watering can and toadstool”, the slowest: at 0.8 mm it has the thinnest part in the scene, and sheet 5, “Watering can and toadstool”, fills the most of the view, 27% of it.
| Sheet | What is on it | Narrowest part | Seen from the front |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Sun | A whole sheet with holes for: Plain disc | over 2 mm | 32% |
| 2. Far trees | Rolling ground, with: Round tree silhouette, Simple tree with branches inside and Oak tree with a broad crown | 1.2 mm | 5% |
| 3. Fence and sunflower | Rolling ground, with: 2 × Picket fence with pointed tops, Picket fence with a birdhouse and Sunflower silhouette | 1.4 mm | 14% |
| 4. Gnomes | Rolling ground, with: Garden gnome with a flower, Scandinavian gnome and Birdhouse with a bird on the roof | 1.2 mm | 19% |
| 5. Watering can and toadstool | A gentle slope, with: Garden watering can, Mushroom with a spotted cap, Tulip border and Bunch of grass | 0.8 mm | 27% |
Measured from the files at 8 × 8 in. The narrowest part is the thinnest neck of card that holds anything on; sharp tips are not counted. “Seen from the front” is the share of the picture that sheet fills once the sheets in front of it are in place.
Will it cut at your size?
The download is 8 × 8 in. The scene maker above makes the same scene at any of these sizes; the thinnest part scales with it.
| Frame opening | Each sheet | Narrowest part | Depth needed | Fits a 12 × 12 in mat | Rule of thumb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 × 6 in | 152.4 × 152.4 mm | 0.6 mm | 17 mm | Yes | Fine detail: sharp blade, slow speed |
| 20 × 20 cm | 200 × 200 mm | 0.8 mm | 17 mm | Yes | Fine detail: sharp blade, slow speed |
| 8 × 8 in | 203.2 × 203.2 mm | 0.8 mm | 17 mm | Yes | Fine detail: sharp blade, slow speed |
| 23 × 23 cm | 230 × 230 mm | 0.9 mm | 17 mm | Yes | Fine detail: sharp blade, slow speed |
| 25 × 25 cm | 250 × 250 mm | 1 mm | 17 mm | Yes | Fine detail: sharp blade, slow speed |
Depth needed allows 3 mm of foam between sheets and 5 mm for the card itself and the backing.
Making this one
The gnomes are bold shapes and cut easily; the front sheet, with the tulips and the watering can, has the finest parts, at about 0.8 mm. Cut each gnome a second time in red and white card and glue the hats and beards on top for a painted look.
- Cut all 5 sheets from 160 to 220 gsm card at the same size.
- Lay them out in order, sheet 1 at the back.
- Put strips of 3 mm foam tape round the border of sheet 1 and press sheet 2 onto it with the edges level. Carry on to sheet 5.
- Fit the stack into a deep frame with the front sheet against the glass. For a light box, run a strip of warm white LEDs round the inside of the frame behind the stack.
The zip includes these steps as a text file, each sheet as its own SVG and all 5 side by side in one SVG. More on paper, frames and lights is on the shadow box page.
The parts, on their own
Everything in the scene comes from the free SVG library, where each has its own page and file:
- Round tree silhouette
- Simple tree with branches inside
- Oak tree with a broad crown
- Picket fence with pointed tops
- Picket fence with a birdhouse
- Sunflower silhouette
- Garden gnome with a flower
- Scandinavian gnome
- Birdhouse with a bird on the roof
- Garden watering can
- Mushroom with a spotted cap
- Tulip border
- Bunch of grass
Questions
Can I add more gnomes?
Yes. There are four gnome parts under Figures in the maker, one of them a group of three. Add one to any sheet and it stands on the ground of that sheet.
Is this a Christmas scene?
No, it is a summer garden with a sunflower and a bird house. For a winter one, change the colours to Snow in the maker and swap the far trees for firs.
Can I sell boxes I make with it?
Yes. Finished pieces are yours to sell. The files themselves may not be sold or shared; send people to this page. See the licence.
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