These 7 Brilliant Artists Make Insane Paper Art from Single Sheets!

Every artist is trying to make something new and somehow valuable. And, paper remains a key player in contemporary art. No wonder, it is a necessary artistic medium since ages. Well, paper art continues to inspire artists today also; either in folded forms or colossal installations. Well, one practice which particularly became popular is Papercutting, a style defined by its inventive and intricate cuts.

The art of Papercutting might only involve simple tools like paper, scissors, and a craft knife but it surely boggles the mind. Paper cutting was generally popular as a craft but, now since a few years, the work of contemporary artists has been pushing paper cutting into the spotlight as not just a craft but an ‘Art.’

In Japan, this traditional paper art like Kirie, literally meaning “cut picture,” started back around 700 AD. While in China, the country that is also credited with making the first paper, this craft has been practiced across cultures since the 6th century. Nowadays, many talented contemporary artists master the art of paper in the most creative ways and also razzle-dazzle their fans with their paper designs. They are showing the endless possibilities provided by the humble piece of paper—one snip at a time.

However, even if many artists explore the cut paper practice, some stand out among the rest like Maude White who molds entire papers into patterned masterpieces, Kiri Ken whose exquisite cut-outs from expressive portraits to elegant sea creatures gives a touch of liveliness to the 2D medium and many more. These paper artists employ an arsenal of X-ACTO knives or by using a mere pair of scissors.

So, scroll down to see these seven great paper artists along with their delicately-made artwork.

1. Suzy Taylor

Suzy Hertfordshire, England based artist is an extraordinarily talented paper-cut master who creates mind-bogglingly detailed works of paper cutting art that too completely by hands. Each of her art pieces is her original designs cut out of a single piece of paper.

Artwork of Taylor revolves around highly detailed versions of folk art and floral or natural themes, primarily. The artist is certainly passionate about her work. (5.1)

She says,

“I love working this way, it’s totally absorbing and I can get lost in it for hours.”

Have a Look At Some of Her Art Pieces Here

2. Maude White

Maude White, a cut-paper artist, lives in New York State's Hudson Valley. She is a great artist who explored many different careers and artistic media but has found a niche in cut paper. She cuts her beautiful illustrations out of paper with such painstaking detail that they look stunning. You can see how each piece involves thousands of minute cuts giving the works an extreme feel of texture as well as density.

To cut tiny lines, she draws images with the paper’s empty negative space and uses a craft knife. The artist explains on her website,

“I have great respect for paper. When I cut, the thin membranous material reveals its strength to me. Paper is everywhere and it has been telling stories for centuries.”

Also, she takes great care hand cutting the paper’s design with several pieces containing multiple layers to add intensity using a carefully done sketch. (5.2)

Look at Some of Her Masterpieces Here

3. Akira Nagaya

Akira from Japan creates insanely intricate paper cuttings known as ‘kirie’ which look like either wire sculptures or delicate pencil drawings.

This Japanese artist recognized his talent in his early 20s when he was learning sasabaran.  Sasabaran is a technique to cut food decorations from bamboo leaves at sushi shops. While he practiced his own using paper and a utility knife art, he understood how good he was at it, and he truly enjoyed it. Further, he started to look at his paper cuttings as art and also began to display them to the public. (5.3)

Take a Look at His Designs Here

4. Kiri Ken

Kiri is a Japanese artist who creates exquisite cut-outs ranging from elegant sea creatures to expressive portraits. He is also known as “Cutting Sword” who is inspired by inked illustrations. In his incredibly dense paper artworks, you can typically find the fine lines and minute details that seem to swirl like liquid. Ken extracts the entire image from a single sheet of origami paper and employs an X-ACTO knife to achieve this intricate aesthetic. (5.4)

Not all but many of his pieces are aquatic wildlife, from a nautilus to jellyfish. Have a look here.

5. Rogan Brown

Rogan Brown is an Anglo-Irish artist who is popular for his peculiar paper microorganisms art. He creates his eye-opening works of art by using the technique, “the prism of the imagination.” Brown makes his unique pieces with impressive attention to detail and demonstrates his main sources of inspiration: model making & scientific drawing. Also, he emphasizes both laser and hand incisions in his art. (5.5)

Scroll Down to See His Artistic Work.

6.  Pippa Dyrlaga

Pippa Dyrlaga is an English artist who lives in Yorkshire, England. He cleverly turns humble pieces of paper into intricate paper cut-outs. Only by using a pencil and an X-ACTO craft knife, English artist fabricates tricky pictures encouraged by her rural surroundings. Ranging from flowers and feathers to birds and bugs, the subject matter explored by the artist displays “the best of British wildlife.” (5.6)

See His Incredible Pieces Here.

7. Patrick Cabral

Patrick Cabral lives in the Philippines, Asia and creates 3-dimensional paper portraits of endangered animals. Cabral’s stylized interpretations of the beautiful creatures feature ornately cut paper, layers of lace-inspired or the elaborate busts. The Philippines based artist showcases both the capabilities of the craft and his ability to convey deeper meanings through his unique approach to animal portraiture. (5.7)

Have a Look Here.

Take Home Thoughts

So we have seen such different art this time right? Truly, they are such beautiful that we were amazed when we first came across these beautiful designs. Well, which of the piece took your attention at all or which became your favorite? You can share your thoughts through below comment section.

Isn’t Papercutting a Wonderful Art?