“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.

Working primarily with paper (mainly fine crepe paper), she does copious amounts of research on her subjects both before and during the making process. Her research includes studying live plants and flowers, but also online image searches and combing through books and magazines.

“I’ve always loved paper,” she admitted in an interview with Ballpitmag, stating that the obsession likely started with Lisa Frank stationery when she was very young. “My current use of fine crepe paper is yet another iteration of my love for paper,” she admits. “I love the tactile feel of good paper. The smell of old paper. The myriad forms paper can take. I also love that paper often seems ephemeral and delicate, but under the right circumstances, it can last lifetimes.”

Based in Boulder, Colorado, where she shares a home with her husband, two kids, and their dog, Redlinger is very much inspired by her natural surroundings. “There’s a lot of open space around my home in Colorado, and I love watching the colors of the landscape change throughout the seasons,” she says. “I visit plant nurseries a lot, and botanical gardens when I can, to see what’s blooming. And I’ve recently become enamored with the floral paintings of Odilon Redon.”

Take a look at some of her incredible creations:

The post Stephanie Redlinger Makes Whole Gardens Out of Paper appeared first on PlayJunkie.

An avid collector of all things paper, her studio is filled to the brim in anything from stamps and postcards to washi tape and string. But it’s her unique wax seals that really caught our attention. Decorated with foil, dried flowers, and paint, her seals bring back to life a lost art that is almost forgotten.

“Some of my favorite things to do is decorating envelopes, making flipbooks and collages and write letters,” Hurkens shared with Surely Simple. “I seriously get happy by unpacking mail and discover a little bit of the world from the person behind it.”

Based in Maastricht, situated in the southernmost corner of the Netherlands, Hurkens shares a home with her husband, their four sons, and their four cats and a dog. While most of her time is dedicated to her job as a project manager at the University of Maastricht, she also shares the love for paper through her online Etsy shop where she sells vintage ephemera.

“Creativity comes from a long way back, and has developed throughout the years in an always present character trait,” she shared. “As a kid, I was always busy collecting things, wooden boxes, postage stamps, poetry illustrations, books, paper, but also ladybugs or tadpoles.”

Take a look at some of her collection:

The post Meet the Collector Reviving the Lost Art of Letter Writing 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 color and shapes, her intricate creations (which sometimes take note from architectural designs) are a joy to behold. Originally from the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, Canada and currently based in Berlin, Germany, Barry admits to having had an “over-active imagination” in her childhood, making for an intrinsic need to artistically express herself in anything within reach of her little fingers.

“My family was relocating to a smaller town in the Albertan countryside and I took up work apprenticing my dad, a sign-painter & artist who hand-lettered signs for film sets & businesses,” she recalled in an interview with Bravery Training. “My tasks included cleaning brushes and fetching 8 cups of coffee a day until I was skilled enough hold a quill and grace it like a pro. Taking on some sign-painting gigs on my own, I scraped together enough to enroll in a graphic design course and a part-time business class.”

But it took some time for her original passion to flourish into a full-time job. “Without so much experience in paper, but previous set experience, graphic design education, and some hard-earned business acumen, I took to it like a fish to water,” she says. “It wasn’t long until I was working with a fleet of photographers and directors in the inner circles of Montreal and eventually New York.”

We highly recommend you follow her progress through her Instagram page.

The post Lacy Barry Creates Unbelievable Settings and Props Out of Paper appeared first on PlayJunkie.

A textile designer by training, Houdé-Diebolt’s unconditional love of shapes, materials, and colors, now translates into her paperart, with paper becoming her favorite playground to give free rein to her creativity.

Regularly collaborating with major luxury brands, she creates sets for showcases, events, photoshoots, and advertising shoots. She also designs content for social networks as well as tailor-made works for individuals and personal pieces. “I love my job because I do a lot of different things,” said Houdé-Diebolt in an interview with Strictly Paper. “I also love to explore new techniques, to overcome challenges, to go out of my comfort zone and update my skills.”

Working with vivid colors, her work relies on contrast and textures. “Paper is a really fascinating material,” she says. “There are 1000 ways to use it, I do not really have any advice to give, everyone has to use it in their own way. The most important thing is to have fun!”

And boy does she have fun! Take a look for yourself:

The post This Paper Artist Is Clearly Having Fun 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.

Working primarily with paper (mainly fine crepe paper), she does copious amounts of research on her subjects both before and during the making process. Her research includes studying live plants and flowers, but also online image searches and combing through books and magazines.

“I’ve always loved paper,” she admitted in an interview with Ballpitmag, stating that the obsession likely started with Lisa Frank stationery when she was very young. “My current use of fine crepe paper is yet another iteration of my love for paper,” she admits. “I love the tactile feel of good paper. The smell of old paper. The myriad forms paper can take. I also love that paper often seems ephemeral and delicate, but under the right circumstances, it can last lifetimes.”

Based in Boulder, Colorado, where she shares a home with her husband, two kids, and their dog, Redlinger is very much inspired by her natural surroundings. “There’s a lot of open space around my home in Colorado, and I love watching the colors of the landscape change throughout the seasons,” she says. “I visit plant nurseries a lot, and botanical gardens when I can, to see what’s blooming. And I’ve recently become enamored with the floral paintings of Odilon Redon.”

Take a look at some of her incredible creations:

The post Stephanie Redlinger Makes Whole Gardens Out of Paper appeared first on PlayJunkie.

An avid collector of all things paper, her studio is filled to the brim in anything from stamps and postcards to washi tape and string. But it’s her unique wax seals that really caught our attention. Decorated with foil, dried flowers, and paint, her seals bring back to life a lost art that is almost forgotten.

“Some of my favorite things to do is decorating envelopes, making flipbooks and collages and write letters,” Hurkens shared with Surely Simple. “I seriously get happy by unpacking mail and discover a little bit of the world from the person behind it.”

Based in Maastricht, situated in the southernmost corner of the Netherlands, Hurkens shares a home with her husband, their four sons, and their four cats and a dog. While most of her time is dedicated to her job as a project manager at the University of Maastricht, she also shares the love for paper through her online Etsy shop where she sells vintage ephemera.

“Creativity comes from a long way back, and has developed throughout the years in an always present character trait,” she shared. “As a kid, I was always busy collecting things, wooden boxes, postage stamps, poetry illustrations, books, paper, but also ladybugs or tadpoles.”

Take a look at some of her collection:

The post Meet the Collector Reviving the Lost Art of Letter Writing 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 color and shapes, her intricate creations (which sometimes take note from architectural designs) are a joy to behold. Originally from the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, Canada and currently based in Berlin, Germany, Barry admits to having had an “over-active imagination” in her childhood, making for an intrinsic need to artistically express herself in anything within reach of her little fingers.

“My family was relocating to a smaller town in the Albertan countryside and I took up work apprenticing my dad, a sign-painter & artist who hand-lettered signs for film sets & businesses,” she recalled in an interview with Bravery Training. “My tasks included cleaning brushes and fetching 8 cups of coffee a day until I was skilled enough hold a quill and grace it like a pro. Taking on some sign-painting gigs on my own, I scraped together enough to enroll in a graphic design course and a part-time business class.”

But it took some time for her original passion to flourish into a full-time job. “Without so much experience in paper, but previous set experience, graphic design education, and some hard-earned business acumen, I took to it like a fish to water,” she says. “It wasn’t long until I was working with a fleet of photographers and directors in the inner circles of Montreal and eventually New York.”

We highly recommend you follow her progress through her Instagram page.

The post Lacy Barry Creates Unbelievable Settings and Props Out of Paper appeared first on PlayJunkie.

A textile designer by training, Houdé-Diebolt’s unconditional love of shapes, materials, and colors, now translates into her paperart, with paper becoming her favorite playground to give free rein to her creativity.

Regularly collaborating with major luxury brands, she creates sets for showcases, events, photoshoots, and advertising shoots. She also designs content for social networks as well as tailor-made works for individuals and personal pieces. “I love my job because I do a lot of different things,” said Houdé-Diebolt in an interview with Strictly Paper. “I also love to explore new techniques, to overcome challenges, to go out of my comfort zone and update my skills.”

Working with vivid colors, her work relies on contrast and textures. “Paper is a really fascinating material,” she says. “There are 1000 ways to use it, I do not really have any advice to give, everyone has to use it in their own way. The most important thing is to have fun!”

And boy does she have fun! Take a look for yourself:

The post This Paper Artist Is Clearly Having Fun appeared first on PlayJunkie.