paper cutting

Paper Chase

64 Arts

So, um, the post I intended for today sorta hinged on a particular picture which has, apparently, sprouted legs and is playing a merry game of hide and seek. Bother.

Instead, I’m going to tease tomorrow’s post a bit.

Mystery Project

Remember our tulip cotillion dress from the doodle-a-day exercise and I said I had an idea for how to use it? Well, it involves the whole paper cutting idea so I’ve pulled out the sketch and some papers with high potential, gathered them up and I’ll start work on that project shortly.

What will it be? Come back to see…

Link Love: Paper Cuts

64 Arts

That’s the good, intentional, artistic type of paper cuts. Not the accidental owie type.

As promised, I wanted to share a few resources for paper cutting/scherenschnitte for those who might want to explore the technique a little more or just like the very pretty things to look at.

Rob Ryan
rob-ryan.blogspot.com and misterrob.co.uk

Rob Ryan does these intricate, funky, organic, word-filled papercuts that just blow my mind. His style is very distinctive and it’s really something to check out if you like the more freeform types of art as opposed to some of the more stylized examples you might see elsewhere.

allaboutPapercutting
elsita.typepad.com/allaboutpapercutting/ by Elsa Mora

Elsita’s paper cuts are absolutely exquisite and I get a little thrill when she posts a new piece. Her papers are just so detailed I could look at them for hours and even a quick glance will teach you something about the craft. I especially like the way she’s able to add textures so effectively. Take a close look at her pieces and see the fantastic details she adds in every corner. Exquisite! (wait, I already said that, but it’s true enough to say twice!)

“Scherenschnitte”
papercutting.blogspot.com by Cindy

She does amazing work and is totally generous, too. Check out her archives for the Template Tuesday posts where she has a printable image you can use to make your own paper-cut art. I especially love the beginner templates she posted as Papercuts for Kids. Don’t be fooled by the name–those medium templates include some adorable creatures and a wee monster!

Okay, those are my top 3 paper-cutting posts. I hope you check them out and become inspired to do something creative, whether it involves paper cutting or not 🙂 What will you create today?

Intro to Scherenschnitte

64 Arts

Did you get creative with the scissors this weekend? Well, now it’s time to break out the craft knives.

At a book festival a few years ago I came across a woman working on a beautiful Ketubah (Jewish marriage contract). The artist specialized in intricate paper-cut borders and it was just amazing to watch her work. Ever since then I’ve been fascinated by the paper cutting that also goes by the name Scherenschnitte.

Spring Flight by Scraps

Scherenschnitte (pronounced sharon-sh-net or sharon-sh-net-eh, depending on the country) is deceptively simple. It’s sort of like that old saying of the sculptor who takes a block of marble and removes what doesn’t belong. In paper cutting you just remove what isn’t a part of your picture.

In order to have the best look on the front, it’s best to draw or print your design on the back of your paper. Remember to reverse any words your using unless you plan for folks to read it in a mirror!

Just like the paperdoll style we talked about last week, you have to make sure everything is connected within your design, so get creative with your connectors. In the picture to the left I used bands of sunlight to keep my bird in place.

You can see my step-by-step process for “Spring Flight” over at eHow.com.

Paper cuts can add a really elegant touch to your home when framed for decor or bring a smile to a friend’s face if used as a card. They can be fun or formal, and tomorrow I’ll share some of my favorite resources and blogs that use Scherenschnitte in amazing ways!