Kirigami - The Japanese Art of Paper Cutting

Kirigami is the ancient art of Japanese paper cutting.

By using a piece of paper and cutting tool (such as scissors or scalpel type knife), it's possible to create beautiful cut outs to decorate scrapbooks, cards, window hangings and even pop-up decorations.

At first, it may sound difficult to do, but Kirigami is great for all levels. Many children have Kirigami projects in elementary schools to make paper snowflakes, cut out hearts, or a string of people holding hands.

For those trying it out for the first time, it's easy to make a wide range of simple cut outs because the difficulty is up to the creator. Choose any image with few details and begin from there.

The basic tools and materials for Kirigami are paper, a pencil, and scissors or scalpel knife. For more detailed designs, a mini stapler would come in handy as well to reinforce delicate areas and keep the paper aligned.

The three main rules to Kirigami are fold, draw and cut.

While some designs require specific folds, the simplest way is to fold a piece of paper in half and draw any image you like.

The most important points to remember are to only draw on one half of the paper (your cut out will mirror on the other side as well), and to imagine the image as a "skeleton", meaning you will keep the image outline and cut out the rest.

When drawing an image, such as a butterfly or flower, draw half of it beginning from the folded edge. One thing to consider is to have some of the folded edge included in the drawing to keep both sides of the paper attached and give you a full image.

Once finished, there are many different things the Kirigami cut outs can be used for.

Some examples:

• String it up with other cut outs to make a mobile.
• Place between glass with a stand for decoration around the home.
• Add translucent paper to the back and create a stained glass look. It's a lovely look as a window hanging.
• Make small Kirigami pieces, secure them to colourful or contrasting paper and place a magnet on the back.
• Secure them to blank cards or notebooks for decoration.
• Fold or curve them and secure the ends to create pop-up art.
• Use them as stencils.

Play around with your Kirigami, try using paper with different patterns and textures. Each type will give you a different look and may inspire you for a new project.

The most important thing is to have fun with it and learn as you go.

Source : Ezinearticles