But it’s a more personal series of his that caught our attention—his book series. In it, he manipulates some of his favorite books into original paper sculptures. “I wanted to create a visual representation of some of my favorite books,” he told A’ Design Award and Competition‘s blog. “Paper-craft seemed the perfect medium to achieve this.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by TODD WATTS (@watts.design.co)

According to Watts, he challenged himself to do so after rediscovering his love for reading books. “I wanted to challenge myself with a passion project using papercraft to elevate my favorite stories into surreal and imaginative works of art,” he relayed. “I wanted to create a conversation and a guessing game between the viewer of the art and the books they represented.”

His paper hints include the web from Charlotte’s Web and a rose from The Secret Garden. “The entire project is representing the power of reading,” he explained. According to him, in a digital world it’s becoming harder to dedicate time to the classic paperback because reading from screens makes us read slower, learn less deeply, remember less, and sleep worse. “This is why students prefer to print out their electronic textbooks,” he reflected. “This is ‘The Power of the Paperback.'”

“I love creating paper-craft designs,” admits Watts. “They’re a test in patience and problem solving, it’s very exciting when it works.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by TODD WATTS (@watts.design.co)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by TODD WATTS (@watts.design.co)

The post Todd Watts Turns Books Into Paper Sculptures appeared first on PlayJunkie.

According to his website, his artistic passion sparked early on, with his love for calligraphy starting at just 11 years old, when he took an odd job of writing the names of graduating students’ high school diplomas. This was his first foray into the world of letters and typography.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Patrick Cabral (@darkgravity)

Growing up, he began his career as a web developer and animator and worked for various clients ranging both local and abroad, from corporate branding and digital advertising to fashion websites.

But we first stumbled upon Cabral’s name when we came across his Endangered Species series, meant at highlighting various endangered species. Using papercutting techniques, he carves portraits of animals such as tigers, pandas, and even pangolins, adding intricate details by hand. The result is breathtaking, to say the least.

His series is supported by the philanthropic organization Acts of Kindness, and is also in partnership with World Wildlife Fund Philippines, with the aim to educate the public about the plight of at-risk animals. According to Cabral, a portion of the sales from this collection has gone towards supporting nature preservation in the Philippines.

See more of his impressive work on Instagram:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Patrick Cabral (@darkgravity)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Patrick Cabral (@darkgravity)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Patrick Cabral (@darkgravity)

The post The Paper Animals of Patrick Cabral appeared first on PlayJunkie.

Like most collage artists, Eckman-Lawn’s process is messy, changing depending on the project itself. “Sometimes I have a clear idea in my head (like The Secret for example),” said the Philadelphia born illustrator in an interview with Beautiful Bizarre, “and then it’s just a matter of finding the right images or painting what I need until it looks right. That can be really painstaking but occasionally it all just comes together cleanly.”

He explains that he has folders and folders full of amazing finds for his future collage work. “Sometimes I have to drop whatever I’m doing and start working right away if I find something too perfect to ignore,” he notes. “That feeling is just the best, and a good way to describe the act of collage in general. It’s like being a curator and a designer and an artist all at once.”

So far, Eckman-Lawn’s work has appeared in comic books, on album covers, book covers, T-shirts, music videos, newspapers, and posters.  “I do feel very lucky that I get to make art for a living, and on days where it feels hard, I like to remind myself how much I’d rather do this than anything else,” he says.

We recommend you follow his work on Instagram.

The post Alex Eckman-Lawn’s Collage Art Is Strange, In a Good Way appeared first on PlayJunkie.

Her favorite material, as it turns out, is paper, from which she forms sculptures of birds, insects, fish, and plants. Currently based in Bristol, where she recently graduated with from UWE, with an MA in Fine Arts, Herrera’s work has been exhibited in solo and group shows across Europe, Asia, and the US.

“When I started to work with paper, I was developing very structural elements,” she explained in an interview with My Modern Met. “I used to have a lot of strips of paper that I used to cut and glue to form a volume.” According to Herrera, this process is very flexible, as almost any shape can be created with paper. “I spend a lot of hours collecting images of the subject in different positions,” she explained her process, “then I do some reading to find the right measurements.” 

According to her personal website, her interest in economic materials in general, is based on their potential of transformation, using the simplest of techniques and processes based on repetition. Much like patterns found in nature, her sculptures comprehend massive groups of elements that together compose a major complex system.

For Herrera, there is a considerable distance between humans and nature, and throughout her work, she aims to repair this relationship by producing elements that are constantly removed, altered, and forgotten. Her work is, therefore, presented as a resistance of time. Her sculptures portray the ideal state of a thing and also act like a model of representation of a reality that doesn’t suffer any change.

The post Diana Beltran Herrera’s Paper Art Is In Full Bloom appeared first on PlayJunkie.

Her work these days mostly consists of creating paper props — a niche she admits she stumbled into. “After making some 2D paper-cut illustrations for myself and some friends, a guy in Brussels asked me to build some paper bird-head masks for his art project,” she recalled in an interview with Sixtysix Magazine. “I accepted and decided to see how it would go, but I knew already I had a good vision for size and volume. It worked out really well, and I got a lot of positive feedback.”

She went on to accept a few other projects and started to build a portfolio. When she had enough work samples, she applied for a position at a creative studio in London, which looked for paper prop makers. “That was my chance,” says Bee. “I was quickly hired and from there it became official: I could make a living out of this.”

When it comes to her inspiration, it naturally consists of paper. “I have a box full of sketchbooks, lonely sheets of paper, Post-its, napkins… all waiting to be presented and used,” she detailed. “I also keep all the sketches from previous projects. They’re not useful anymore, but I have fondness for them. I can recall the time I discussed that idea with someone and scribbled out the project. It’s not just a napkin anymore; it’s a real memory!”

Take a look at some of her original paper designs.

The post This Art Director Specializes In Paper Prop-Making appeared first on PlayJunkie.

“What I like about paper is its flexibility,” she noted in an interview with Jung Katz. “I’ve worked with paper for a long time and there is always a new way to use it. It’s a material which offers many textures, aspects, and colors, and I like to mix all these possibilities.”

The paper (colorful or plain, heavy or light) allows her to fold it, open it, accumulate it, and superimposes it layer upon layer, creating patterns and volume. Sculpted by Vantours, the flat piece of paper is transformed into a precious object. It’s this versatility that also allows her to oscillate between art and design, appealing to major luxury brands with which she collaborates, but also to more local brands.

“I have four steps in my work process,” relayed Vantours. “The first one is to find the concept, an idea. Second, to create the graphic design. Third, choose the color matchings. Then the last step is the production in paper and volume.” She adds that every project is different, and as such can take anything from three days to three months to complete.

“The inspiration can come from anything,” she notes, “an exhibition, a book, an advert. I try to vary my trend inspirations because I want to propose something new for every project, to try something I’ve never done. I do lots of research, samples and try more complicated shapes, new graphic designs, colors or materials to find new orientations.”

Take a look at some of her eye-popping paper creations in the gallery below.

The post Maud Vantours Turns Paper Into Magic appeared first on PlayJunkie.

The artist mostly creates abstract geometric repeat patterns, created just by folding a sheet. Her folding is “photogenic and striking due to the dramatic effects that are created when light hits one of the pieces”. In her work, she usually uses white paper because there are no distractions for the eye and it shows off the sharp form the best.

Verity’s art has been exhibited in galleries all around the world, from Spain to Taiwan and the USA. She shares images of her creations on her Instagram account where she has gathered almost 20,000 followers and has thousands of likes on each post.

Scroll down and have a look at her work below. You can also check out her personal website and online shop where she sells her paper creations.

The post You Need to Check Out These Paper Folds Created By Polly Verity appeared first on PlayJunkie.

For years now, Brodskaya is astonishing social media users with her awesome paper art. The thing that sets her apart from others isn’t just the exquisite craft she possesses; it’s also the intricate technique she uses.

Brodskaya describes her work as “painting with paper.” She approaches every work as a painting she wants to draw. However, instead of using actual paint, she paints with colored paper strips that she glues on canvas. The final outcome is so impressive that we had to show her works to you.

Check out some of it below, and also enjoy a helpful tutorial which might inspire you to try something like this for yourself.

The post Yulia Brodskaya Creates Amazing Art From Paper Strips appeared first on PlayJunkie.

A 100% self-taught artist, she says that making something from nothing with your hands is one of the most gratifying feelings you can have. “After being a lifetime appreciator of the arts, I never considered myself an artist,” she admits. “I used to think an artist was only someone that could paint or draw. I know now that couldn’t be farther from the truth. The creative world is vast and there is room for everyone.”

Her inspiration comes from walks around her neighborhood and garden visits. “Some of the best gardens I’ve ever seen are in Capitol Hill,” she told Ballpitmag. “I also have easy access to the National Botanic Garden, the Arboretum and I have family in Pennsylvania where I can go to Longwood Gardens a few times a year. Seeing a flower in real life is what triggers my creativity and desire to recreate it in paper.”

According to Paluska, flowers are the sort of natural glue that keeps us connected to where we came from and where we’re going. Take a look at some of her paper gardens in the gallery below.

The post Emily Paluska’s Paper Flowers Are in Full Bloom appeared first on PlayJunkie.

“Typically, I develop drawings before making a digital template on the computer,” she explained her artistic process in an interview with Design Boom. “After completing the template, I print it out and use it as a positioning and visual guide. the template is largely photographic and I spend a lot of time translating continuous tones into patterns of solid and void. The final step is to spend lots of hours, hand cutting the image.”

Born in Hong Kong, and currently based in LA, Lee has lived a rich creative life. Practicing Chinese calligraphy since the age of ten, she went on to study painting and drawing in her formative years and completed her BA degree in Fine Arts at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. In 1993, she came to the United States as a painter and earned her first Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of California at Berkeley and a second MFA in computer graphics and interactive media at Pratt Institute in New York.

But it was only in 2005 when she created her first cut paperwork. “After practicing digital arts for years, I began to miss creating with my hands,” she explains her artistic transformation. “I sought an expression to satisfy my creative impulses and combine my skills.”

Using the same Chinese rice paper that is used for calligraphy, Lee defines her technique as “drawing with a knife.” “When I cut paper, it is a visceral reaction and natural response to my roots and affection for precision, detail, and subtlety,” she says.

The post Part Traditional, Part Contemporary: The Paper Cut Art of Bovey Lee appeared first on PlayJunkie.

But it’s a more personal series of his that caught our attention—his book series. In it, he manipulates some of his favorite books into original paper sculptures. “I wanted to create a visual representation of some of my favorite books,” he told A’ Design Award and Competition‘s blog. “Paper-craft seemed the perfect medium to achieve this.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by TODD WATTS (@watts.design.co)

According to Watts, he challenged himself to do so after rediscovering his love for reading books. “I wanted to challenge myself with a passion project using papercraft to elevate my favorite stories into surreal and imaginative works of art,” he relayed. “I wanted to create a conversation and a guessing game between the viewer of the art and the books they represented.”

His paper hints include the web from Charlotte’s Web and a rose from The Secret Garden. “The entire project is representing the power of reading,” he explained. According to him, in a digital world it’s becoming harder to dedicate time to the classic paperback because reading from screens makes us read slower, learn less deeply, remember less, and sleep worse. “This is why students prefer to print out their electronic textbooks,” he reflected. “This is ‘The Power of the Paperback.'”

“I love creating paper-craft designs,” admits Watts. “They’re a test in patience and problem solving, it’s very exciting when it works.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by TODD WATTS (@watts.design.co)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by TODD WATTS (@watts.design.co)

The post Todd Watts Turns Books Into Paper Sculptures appeared first on PlayJunkie.

According to his website, his artistic passion sparked early on, with his love for calligraphy starting at just 11 years old, when he took an odd job of writing the names of graduating students’ high school diplomas. This was his first foray into the world of letters and typography.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Patrick Cabral (@darkgravity)

Growing up, he began his career as a web developer and animator and worked for various clients ranging both local and abroad, from corporate branding and digital advertising to fashion websites.

But we first stumbled upon Cabral’s name when we came across his Endangered Species series, meant at highlighting various endangered species. Using papercutting techniques, he carves portraits of animals such as tigers, pandas, and even pangolins, adding intricate details by hand. The result is breathtaking, to say the least.

His series is supported by the philanthropic organization Acts of Kindness, and is also in partnership with World Wildlife Fund Philippines, with the aim to educate the public about the plight of at-risk animals. According to Cabral, a portion of the sales from this collection has gone towards supporting nature preservation in the Philippines.

See more of his impressive work on Instagram:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Patrick Cabral (@darkgravity)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Patrick Cabral (@darkgravity)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Patrick Cabral (@darkgravity)

The post The Paper Animals of Patrick Cabral appeared first on PlayJunkie.

Like most collage artists, Eckman-Lawn’s process is messy, changing depending on the project itself. “Sometimes I have a clear idea in my head (like The Secret for example),” said the Philadelphia born illustrator in an interview with Beautiful Bizarre, “and then it’s just a matter of finding the right images or painting what I need until it looks right. That can be really painstaking but occasionally it all just comes together cleanly.”

He explains that he has folders and folders full of amazing finds for his future collage work. “Sometimes I have to drop whatever I’m doing and start working right away if I find something too perfect to ignore,” he notes. “That feeling is just the best, and a good way to describe the act of collage in general. It’s like being a curator and a designer and an artist all at once.”

So far, Eckman-Lawn’s work has appeared in comic books, on album covers, book covers, T-shirts, music videos, newspapers, and posters.  “I do feel very lucky that I get to make art for a living, and on days where it feels hard, I like to remind myself how much I’d rather do this than anything else,” he says.

We recommend you follow his work on Instagram.

The post Alex Eckman-Lawn’s Collage Art Is Strange, In a Good Way appeared first on PlayJunkie.

Her favorite material, as it turns out, is paper, from which she forms sculptures of birds, insects, fish, and plants. Currently based in Bristol, where she recently graduated with from UWE, with an MA in Fine Arts, Herrera’s work has been exhibited in solo and group shows across Europe, Asia, and the US.

“When I started to work with paper, I was developing very structural elements,” she explained in an interview with My Modern Met. “I used to have a lot of strips of paper that I used to cut and glue to form a volume.” According to Herrera, this process is very flexible, as almost any shape can be created with paper. “I spend a lot of hours collecting images of the subject in different positions,” she explained her process, “then I do some reading to find the right measurements.” 

According to her personal website, her interest in economic materials in general, is based on their potential of transformation, using the simplest of techniques and processes based on repetition. Much like patterns found in nature, her sculptures comprehend massive groups of elements that together compose a major complex system.

For Herrera, there is a considerable distance between humans and nature, and throughout her work, she aims to repair this relationship by producing elements that are constantly removed, altered, and forgotten. Her work is, therefore, presented as a resistance of time. Her sculptures portray the ideal state of a thing and also act like a model of representation of a reality that doesn’t suffer any change.

The post Diana Beltran Herrera’s Paper Art Is In Full Bloom appeared first on PlayJunkie.

Her work these days mostly consists of creating paper props — a niche she admits she stumbled into. “After making some 2D paper-cut illustrations for myself and some friends, a guy in Brussels asked me to build some paper bird-head masks for his art project,” she recalled in an interview with Sixtysix Magazine. “I accepted and decided to see how it would go, but I knew already I had a good vision for size and volume. It worked out really well, and I got a lot of positive feedback.”

She went on to accept a few other projects and started to build a portfolio. When she had enough work samples, she applied for a position at a creative studio in London, which looked for paper prop makers. “That was my chance,” says Bee. “I was quickly hired and from there it became official: I could make a living out of this.”

When it comes to her inspiration, it naturally consists of paper. “I have a box full of sketchbooks, lonely sheets of paper, Post-its, napkins… all waiting to be presented and used,” she detailed. “I also keep all the sketches from previous projects. They’re not useful anymore, but I have fondness for them. I can recall the time I discussed that idea with someone and scribbled out the project. It’s not just a napkin anymore; it’s a real memory!”

Take a look at some of her original paper designs.

The post This Art Director Specializes In Paper Prop-Making appeared first on PlayJunkie.

“What I like about paper is its flexibility,” she noted in an interview with Jung Katz. “I’ve worked with paper for a long time and there is always a new way to use it. It’s a material which offers many textures, aspects, and colors, and I like to mix all these possibilities.”

The paper (colorful or plain, heavy or light) allows her to fold it, open it, accumulate it, and superimposes it layer upon layer, creating patterns and volume. Sculpted by Vantours, the flat piece of paper is transformed into a precious object. It’s this versatility that also allows her to oscillate between art and design, appealing to major luxury brands with which she collaborates, but also to more local brands.

“I have four steps in my work process,” relayed Vantours. “The first one is to find the concept, an idea. Second, to create the graphic design. Third, choose the color matchings. Then the last step is the production in paper and volume.” She adds that every project is different, and as such can take anything from three days to three months to complete.

“The inspiration can come from anything,” she notes, “an exhibition, a book, an advert. I try to vary my trend inspirations because I want to propose something new for every project, to try something I’ve never done. I do lots of research, samples and try more complicated shapes, new graphic designs, colors or materials to find new orientations.”

Take a look at some of her eye-popping paper creations in the gallery below.

The post Maud Vantours Turns Paper Into Magic appeared first on PlayJunkie.

The artist mostly creates abstract geometric repeat patterns, created just by folding a sheet. Her folding is “photogenic and striking due to the dramatic effects that are created when light hits one of the pieces”. In her work, she usually uses white paper because there are no distractions for the eye and it shows off the sharp form the best.

Verity’s art has been exhibited in galleries all around the world, from Spain to Taiwan and the USA. She shares images of her creations on her Instagram account where she has gathered almost 20,000 followers and has thousands of likes on each post.

Scroll down and have a look at her work below. You can also check out her personal website and online shop where she sells her paper creations.

The post You Need to Check Out These Paper Folds Created By Polly Verity appeared first on PlayJunkie.

For years now, Brodskaya is astonishing social media users with her awesome paper art. The thing that sets her apart from others isn’t just the exquisite craft she possesses; it’s also the intricate technique she uses.

Brodskaya describes her work as “painting with paper.” She approaches every work as a painting she wants to draw. However, instead of using actual paint, she paints with colored paper strips that she glues on canvas. The final outcome is so impressive that we had to show her works to you.

Check out some of it below, and also enjoy a helpful tutorial which might inspire you to try something like this for yourself.

The post Yulia Brodskaya Creates Amazing Art From Paper Strips appeared first on PlayJunkie.

A 100% self-taught artist, she says that making something from nothing with your hands is one of the most gratifying feelings you can have. “After being a lifetime appreciator of the arts, I never considered myself an artist,” she admits. “I used to think an artist was only someone that could paint or draw. I know now that couldn’t be farther from the truth. The creative world is vast and there is room for everyone.”

Her inspiration comes from walks around her neighborhood and garden visits. “Some of the best gardens I’ve ever seen are in Capitol Hill,” she told Ballpitmag. “I also have easy access to the National Botanic Garden, the Arboretum and I have family in Pennsylvania where I can go to Longwood Gardens a few times a year. Seeing a flower in real life is what triggers my creativity and desire to recreate it in paper.”

According to Paluska, flowers are the sort of natural glue that keeps us connected to where we came from and where we’re going. Take a look at some of her paper gardens in the gallery below.

The post Emily Paluska’s Paper Flowers Are in Full Bloom appeared first on PlayJunkie.

“Typically, I develop drawings before making a digital template on the computer,” she explained her artistic process in an interview with Design Boom. “After completing the template, I print it out and use it as a positioning and visual guide. the template is largely photographic and I spend a lot of time translating continuous tones into patterns of solid and void. The final step is to spend lots of hours, hand cutting the image.”

Born in Hong Kong, and currently based in LA, Lee has lived a rich creative life. Practicing Chinese calligraphy since the age of ten, she went on to study painting and drawing in her formative years and completed her BA degree in Fine Arts at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. In 1993, she came to the United States as a painter and earned her first Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of California at Berkeley and a second MFA in computer graphics and interactive media at Pratt Institute in New York.

But it was only in 2005 when she created her first cut paperwork. “After practicing digital arts for years, I began to miss creating with my hands,” she explains her artistic transformation. “I sought an expression to satisfy my creative impulses and combine my skills.”

Using the same Chinese rice paper that is used for calligraphy, Lee defines her technique as “drawing with a knife.” “When I cut paper, it is a visceral reaction and natural response to my roots and affection for precision, detail, and subtlety,” she says.

The post Part Traditional, Part Contemporary: The Paper Cut Art of Bovey Lee appeared first on PlayJunkie.