Huge cardboard model? Yeah, we've seen that before. 17 foot tall cardboard model of Gandhi? OK, that's a new one. Step by step instructions on how to build a 17 foot tall cardboard model of Gandhi? Now you have our attention.

Via Make: Blog, Joseph Delappe is an Artist in Residence at Eyebeam in New York City, whose work this year has revolved around the life and actions of Mohandas Gandhi. In addition to embarking on a 26-day Second Life re-enactment of the 420-mile Salt March led by the Mahatma, Delappe has created the above pictured sculpture, and posted detailed instructions on Instructables for replicating the feat.

It's quite detailed, requires the use of several pieces of software: Second Life, Blender, an open source 3D extractor from Eyebeam called OGLE, and a new one to us called Pepakura, developed specifically for unfolding 3D models into templates for papercrafting. Oh, you'll need lots of cardboard as well.

Even you're not inclined to go ahead and knock one together this weekend, the detail and pragmatism in the instructions are astonishing.