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.

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.

Anchored in craftsmanship, they create everything by hand, from drawing to cutting and assembling. “Our approach is mainly focused on the use of handmade crafts to create visuals, window displays, installations, and so on,” they told Adobe’s online magazine. “We have a predilection for paper because it’s a versatile material, easy to sculpt, and very rich in terms of color or texture. Most of the time our designs are very intricate and time-consuming and use bold colors. We like projects that tell a story, not just decorative stuff.”

According to them, paper provides an endless source of inspiration for its versatility, an infinite range of colors, and unique textures. The flat paper sheets turned into volume are giving an installation the poetry of ephemeral material.

“At the very beginning, we started working with paper just for fun between graphic design commissions, and of course because Lucie’s family was working in a paper factory in the Vosges Mountains,” they say. “We had access to a lot of paper sheets, so we just played with paper. That’s how our first paper project came out. Then we dropped it on the Internet, we had some positive feedback, and we were quickly contacted by a client for our first commission.”

Based in France, their collaborations include clients like Hermès, IBM, Microsoft, and TIME, which means they’re kind of a big deal. Take a look at some of Zim & Zou’s work below:

The post Zim & Zou Have a Predilection for Paper appeared first on PlayJunkie.

Inspired by nature, her art is what one imagines a fairytale landscape would look like. “I like to watch the lectures about theoretical physics and cosmology, I imagine myself traveling in another dimension or world,” Shibata shared with ModeArte, talking about her sources of inspiration. “As I cut out each page by page, I create the multiple dimensions in my work.”

According to Shibata, paper has personality, just like humans. “I communicate with it,” she says. “It is important for me to understand the personality of each piece of paper. For example, the way the light affects it, the effects of the darkness, the thickness, the strength, how the humidity interacts with it, and what is it made of. I choose the paper for each project by considering its personality.”

Using traditional methods of Japanese paper cutting, she hopes to bring attention to the delicate relationship we as humans have with our environment and promote a discussion about how we relate and care for the world we were given.

According to her, “scale and proportion are important to the viewers’ relationship and viewing experience.” While large works of art invite the viewer to be swallowed by the visual world they are engaging with, small artworks keep the viewer in the position of an outside observer. “We observe small works as if looking through a keyhole into another world; constantly aware of our outsider status,” she says.

Peep through the keyhole:

The post Ayumi Shibata’s Paper Art is Unlike Anything We’ve Ever Seen appeared first on PlayJunkie.

Her work elevates sheets of paper to three-dimensional sculptures and often brings these pieces to life through stop motion animation, using visual metaphors that draw the viewer into her tactile worlds. But she also has a passion for typography, which also comes across some of her designs.

Since Szabo has moved around quite a bit, the different cultures she came across serve as sources of inspiration, as well as her love of nature. “I can get inspired by almost anything,” she admitted in an interview with Strictly Paper. “From my daily walks by the sea at Dun Laoghaire, and now along the Thames, watching a movie, reading a book, or just looking out the window watching the birds with my cat. Having moved abroad, and traveling is also a great source of inspiration in itself, also it made me more open to accept and appreciate different cultures, which I can incorporate in my work.”

Her paper art also has a playful element to it, with pop culture references sprinkled across her work. Each piece calls for a different approach and requires different materials. “Once I have the design for a work, I have to choose the right paper for it,” explains Szabo. “I decide the weight, texture, colour. I use different paper when I have to fold, tear or cut. I use acid-free paper to make sure my works last for a long time.”

For paper cutting, she uses a good quality self-healing cutting mat, scalpels with replaceable blades, a scorer, and a good tweezer. “There are many types of scalpels on the market, my only recommendation is to use the one that feels the most comfortable,” she explains. “I personally use an x-acto knife.”

Take a look at some of her playful designs in the gallery below.

The post Paper Art Has Never Looked So Delightful appeared first on PlayJunkie.

Born in Valongo, Portugal, Santos says he’s always drawn to artistic hobbies, especially ones related to handcraft. “I always liked handcrafting, but I didn’t know it was what I really wanted to do with my career until my Master’s Degree,” he shared in an interview with The Design Kids.

“The turning point was an MA project where Andrew Howard asked us to design several shop windows randomly assigned to the class… I spent dozens of hours hand-cutting many sheets of that kind of paper. Sure, It was a painful process but I found it quite pleasant and the handcrafted feel of the output was really nice.”

It was then that Santos says that he discovered a new approach to design. “I created a couple of pieces for two friends of mine but my first serious client was Paupério, a biscuit factory from Valongo that asked me to design a hand-cut paper piece for its main shop,” he recalled. “This happened in 2016 when I decided to found Estaminé Studio, with a focus on papercraft, illustration, and lettering. Step by step, I was developing my skills in these techniques and gathering a few clients.”

His hard work seems to have paid off, with other clients that include Barbearia Porto and Pilar Eventos. “It took me two years and a few personal projects to improve my papercraft portfolio to the point where I finally built up the courage to make a tough 2018 new year resolution: take on Estaminé as my full-time job,” he says. “Papercraft is the design field that fulfills me the most.”

Follow his papercraft journey on Instagram.

The post The Eye-Popping Paper Art of André Santos appeared first on PlayJunkie.

Based south of Bristol UK, she directs, designs, cuts, and handcrafts all of her work, from advertising campaigns and set design to packaging and window displays.

“For as long as I can remember I’ve always loved working with paper,” she told Creative Boom. “I have fond memories of being a child and building my own dens out of cardboard boxes, cutting windows to see outside and drawing decor on the exterior… quite similar to the work I do now really! I think it’s amazing how a piece of cardboard and a pen can fuel the imagination.”

Take a look!

The post Artist Creates Detailed Worlds Out of Paper appeared first on PlayJunkie.

Inspired by historical botanical prints, Wood manipulates paper and wire, using drawing and cutting with sharp embroidery scissors. Utilizing fine cuts, she achieves realistic details such as butterfly wings, feathers, and flowers. These sculpted creations are then hand sewn on to wool and velvet backgrounds then framed in vintage frame stock.

Growing up on a farm in Iowa, Wood was surrounded by nature, plants, and gardens – constant themes throughout her work. She now treats her backyard garden in Minnesota as a primary source of inspiration, studying her plants as though they were specimen and then recreating them using paper. “I’m an intense observer of forms,” Wood admitted in an interview with Design Sponge.

“I wanted something more connective, to connect outward to a wide range of people,” Wood went on to say. “Seeing my dad’s response to plants showed me that there is a vehicle that I can really get on and feel that connection to people that might not normally connect to art. But gardening — people love gardening. So that’s where I really started with the whole idea. I thought, I’m going to try making plants and I’m going to share them on Instagram and see what happens. With the daily build-up of sharing pictures of my work, it’s spurred me on to keep exploring and refining this desire.”

She now shares her botanical works with more than 124k followers on Instagram, proving that people indeed love gardening (whether it’s organic or handmade). Take a look for yourself:

The post Ann Wood Makes Botanical Art Using Paper appeared first on PlayJunkie.

JUDiTH + ROLFE is comprised out of artist Daphne Judith Lee and her husband Jamie Rolfe Sneed, who handles the business and logistics. The two met in New York City while working in the architecture business and quickly realized that they both appreciate all the different ways paper can be used for artistic purposes. Later on, the duo decided to shift their attention to paper art, and that is how their artistic collective was born.

Most of the art that the duo produces revolves around nature and flora, and their pieces often include recreations of different botanic species such as irises, begonias, and magnolias. In order to make this intriguing art, Daphne uses multiple techniques including quilling, folding, cutting, and layering.

“The technique I use most can broadly be called ‘quilling’ since I work with strips of paper and lay them on edge to form designs,” – Daphne explains. “The paper strips are glued individually to create the artwork, not unlike sketching with paper.”

Check out some of these incredible works below.

The post Incredible Paper Art Inspired by Plant and Flower Motifs 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.

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.

Anchored in craftsmanship, they create everything by hand, from drawing to cutting and assembling. “Our approach is mainly focused on the use of handmade crafts to create visuals, window displays, installations, and so on,” they told Adobe’s online magazine. “We have a predilection for paper because it’s a versatile material, easy to sculpt, and very rich in terms of color or texture. Most of the time our designs are very intricate and time-consuming and use bold colors. We like projects that tell a story, not just decorative stuff.”

According to them, paper provides an endless source of inspiration for its versatility, an infinite range of colors, and unique textures. The flat paper sheets turned into volume are giving an installation the poetry of ephemeral material.

“At the very beginning, we started working with paper just for fun between graphic design commissions, and of course because Lucie’s family was working in a paper factory in the Vosges Mountains,” they say. “We had access to a lot of paper sheets, so we just played with paper. That’s how our first paper project came out. Then we dropped it on the Internet, we had some positive feedback, and we were quickly contacted by a client for our first commission.”

Based in France, their collaborations include clients like Hermès, IBM, Microsoft, and TIME, which means they’re kind of a big deal. Take a look at some of Zim & Zou’s work below:

The post Zim & Zou Have a Predilection for Paper appeared first on PlayJunkie.

Inspired by nature, her art is what one imagines a fairytale landscape would look like. “I like to watch the lectures about theoretical physics and cosmology, I imagine myself traveling in another dimension or world,” Shibata shared with ModeArte, talking about her sources of inspiration. “As I cut out each page by page, I create the multiple dimensions in my work.”

According to Shibata, paper has personality, just like humans. “I communicate with it,” she says. “It is important for me to understand the personality of each piece of paper. For example, the way the light affects it, the effects of the darkness, the thickness, the strength, how the humidity interacts with it, and what is it made of. I choose the paper for each project by considering its personality.”

Using traditional methods of Japanese paper cutting, she hopes to bring attention to the delicate relationship we as humans have with our environment and promote a discussion about how we relate and care for the world we were given.

According to her, “scale and proportion are important to the viewers’ relationship and viewing experience.” While large works of art invite the viewer to be swallowed by the visual world they are engaging with, small artworks keep the viewer in the position of an outside observer. “We observe small works as if looking through a keyhole into another world; constantly aware of our outsider status,” she says.

Peep through the keyhole:

The post Ayumi Shibata’s Paper Art is Unlike Anything We’ve Ever Seen appeared first on PlayJunkie.

Her work elevates sheets of paper to three-dimensional sculptures and often brings these pieces to life through stop motion animation, using visual metaphors that draw the viewer into her tactile worlds. But she also has a passion for typography, which also comes across some of her designs.

Since Szabo has moved around quite a bit, the different cultures she came across serve as sources of inspiration, as well as her love of nature. “I can get inspired by almost anything,” she admitted in an interview with Strictly Paper. “From my daily walks by the sea at Dun Laoghaire, and now along the Thames, watching a movie, reading a book, or just looking out the window watching the birds with my cat. Having moved abroad, and traveling is also a great source of inspiration in itself, also it made me more open to accept and appreciate different cultures, which I can incorporate in my work.”

Her paper art also has a playful element to it, with pop culture references sprinkled across her work. Each piece calls for a different approach and requires different materials. “Once I have the design for a work, I have to choose the right paper for it,” explains Szabo. “I decide the weight, texture, colour. I use different paper when I have to fold, tear or cut. I use acid-free paper to make sure my works last for a long time.”

For paper cutting, she uses a good quality self-healing cutting mat, scalpels with replaceable blades, a scorer, and a good tweezer. “There are many types of scalpels on the market, my only recommendation is to use the one that feels the most comfortable,” she explains. “I personally use an x-acto knife.”

Take a look at some of her playful designs in the gallery below.

The post Paper Art Has Never Looked So Delightful appeared first on PlayJunkie.

Born in Valongo, Portugal, Santos says he’s always drawn to artistic hobbies, especially ones related to handcraft. “I always liked handcrafting, but I didn’t know it was what I really wanted to do with my career until my Master’s Degree,” he shared in an interview with The Design Kids.

“The turning point was an MA project where Andrew Howard asked us to design several shop windows randomly assigned to the class… I spent dozens of hours hand-cutting many sheets of that kind of paper. Sure, It was a painful process but I found it quite pleasant and the handcrafted feel of the output was really nice.”

It was then that Santos says that he discovered a new approach to design. “I created a couple of pieces for two friends of mine but my first serious client was Paupério, a biscuit factory from Valongo that asked me to design a hand-cut paper piece for its main shop,” he recalled. “This happened in 2016 when I decided to found Estaminé Studio, with a focus on papercraft, illustration, and lettering. Step by step, I was developing my skills in these techniques and gathering a few clients.”

His hard work seems to have paid off, with other clients that include Barbearia Porto and Pilar Eventos. “It took me two years and a few personal projects to improve my papercraft portfolio to the point where I finally built up the courage to make a tough 2018 new year resolution: take on Estaminé as my full-time job,” he says. “Papercraft is the design field that fulfills me the most.”

Follow his papercraft journey on Instagram.

The post The Eye-Popping Paper Art of André Santos appeared first on PlayJunkie.

Based south of Bristol UK, she directs, designs, cuts, and handcrafts all of her work, from advertising campaigns and set design to packaging and window displays.

“For as long as I can remember I’ve always loved working with paper,” she told Creative Boom. “I have fond memories of being a child and building my own dens out of cardboard boxes, cutting windows to see outside and drawing decor on the exterior… quite similar to the work I do now really! I think it’s amazing how a piece of cardboard and a pen can fuel the imagination.”

Take a look!

The post Artist Creates Detailed Worlds Out of Paper appeared first on PlayJunkie.

Inspired by historical botanical prints, Wood manipulates paper and wire, using drawing and cutting with sharp embroidery scissors. Utilizing fine cuts, she achieves realistic details such as butterfly wings, feathers, and flowers. These sculpted creations are then hand sewn on to wool and velvet backgrounds then framed in vintage frame stock.

Growing up on a farm in Iowa, Wood was surrounded by nature, plants, and gardens – constant themes throughout her work. She now treats her backyard garden in Minnesota as a primary source of inspiration, studying her plants as though they were specimen and then recreating them using paper. “I’m an intense observer of forms,” Wood admitted in an interview with Design Sponge.

“I wanted something more connective, to connect outward to a wide range of people,” Wood went on to say. “Seeing my dad’s response to plants showed me that there is a vehicle that I can really get on and feel that connection to people that might not normally connect to art. But gardening — people love gardening. So that’s where I really started with the whole idea. I thought, I’m going to try making plants and I’m going to share them on Instagram and see what happens. With the daily build-up of sharing pictures of my work, it’s spurred me on to keep exploring and refining this desire.”

She now shares her botanical works with more than 124k followers on Instagram, proving that people indeed love gardening (whether it’s organic or handmade). Take a look for yourself:

The post Ann Wood Makes Botanical Art Using Paper appeared first on PlayJunkie.

JUDiTH + ROLFE is comprised out of artist Daphne Judith Lee and her husband Jamie Rolfe Sneed, who handles the business and logistics. The two met in New York City while working in the architecture business and quickly realized that they both appreciate all the different ways paper can be used for artistic purposes. Later on, the duo decided to shift their attention to paper art, and that is how their artistic collective was born.

Most of the art that the duo produces revolves around nature and flora, and their pieces often include recreations of different botanic species such as irises, begonias, and magnolias. In order to make this intriguing art, Daphne uses multiple techniques including quilling, folding, cutting, and layering.

“The technique I use most can broadly be called ‘quilling’ since I work with strips of paper and lay them on edge to form designs,” – Daphne explains. “The paper strips are glued individually to create the artwork, not unlike sketching with paper.”

Check out some of these incredible works below.

The post Incredible Paper Art Inspired by Plant and Flower Motifs appeared first on PlayJunkie.