The art of paper cutting: Exploring cut out photography
- Diksha Priya
- Mar 1, 2022
- 5 min read
Updated: Mar 30, 2022
One might be surprised at just how many ways the humble paper can be used. Paper is not only an economical option but one of the most versatile options as well. From origami to quilling, every single one of these crafts makes use of paper. Another craft which I learnt about was paper cutting/ cut out photography. As simple as it might sound, paper cutting actually involves intricate cutting techniques which elevate one's design. Cutting out various forms from a single sheet of paper with precision does require practice but nonetheless it's a beautiful style of art. Paper cutting also does not require fancy tools, which gives us all the more reasons to try it out! Cut out photography is another fun activity to try out by placing one's cut outs against different backgrounds which lifts up the artwork.
So, what did I end up doing after gathering my materials? Yes, I just sat in silence for a good 15 minutes because I was without a doubt confused and lost. I absolutely had no clue where to begin. The hesitation was also because I was scared to cut pieces from the paper because what if I ended up making a mistake and the art is ruined. Relatable, right? Well, the minute I cut out a couple pieces of paper, somehow I gained an understanding of what was actually supposed to be done and I should say my nerves were at ease!
Without hesitation, grab a cutter or scissors, a pencil, an eraser and couple sheets of paper and just cut away (please don't end up cutting the full paper in excitement :))
I started my first exploration by taking inspiration from my previous assignment as there were interesting forms which were visible. Finding inspiration and drawing rough ideas is what will help us cut out the pieces of paper. Just try putting down ideas or random juxtaposes to begin with.
Apart from simply cutting out the paper, I was taught about how one can play with different layers which creates more depth to the artwork and what exactly do I mean by layers? Choosing different backgrounds and foregrounds are what is meant by layers. For example, I can choose to put a floral print behind the cut out portion or even hold up the sheet against actual flowers. For foreground, I can add other cut out pieces or even colour paper on top of the base sheet of paper.
My assignments mostly called for explorations on fashion figures and for the same I have also experimented with the same which instigated me to put different pieces together and work on different layers to come up with interesting silhouettes. Working on fashion figures sparks multiplicity of ideas in terms of silhouettes and even colours combos.
This was my first exploration and I was indeed happy with how it turned out. I played around with 2 layers, The top layer is the sketch which has been cut out in different shapes, the layer beneath that is a mural I painted on the wall and the bottom skirt like part is placed on top of a paper, on which I made checks using sketch pens. I also chose to go with bright colours so it adds a certain vigour to the work.
For my second exploration, I decided to add a little more spice by using other elements like colour papers and printed tissues which will enhance the overall artwork. I also decided that the exploration will be based off of the orange and green colour duo.
In this exploration, I cut out the entire silhouette and placed it on a popping orange paper. I also found floral prints on a newspaper which I placed behind the cut outs. Playing with the foreground is equally important so I cut out flower shapes from a tissue and arranged it like an A-line skirt. The analogous colours of green and orange play out like a warm ray of hope thereby adding freshness to the exploration.
Garment explorations
Working on my third cut out and this time I decided to make garments with interesting cuts and so I did not just limit myself to white paper. As you can see the leaf cut out had torn but instead of getting disheartened I found another way to use it.
In the cut out process your work might get torn or not turn out the way you like but keep marching forward and think of other ways you can incorporate the torn out pieces instead of discarding them., which will just expand your creativity! Also consider the fact that thinner sheets of paper usually get torn pretty easily and try getting your hands on paper with 180 gsm.
For my fourth exploration I decided to use paper folding along with cutting technique and found interesting garment formation. I also enjoyed using a young blue colour for this exploration which adds a sort of bubbliness to the exploration.
For this exploration, I have combined rorschach and cut out photography and the outcome was pretty refreshing. The complementary colours of red and green also worked wonders. Even though there isn't much of green, there is just enough to make blend in with the banging red.
I thoroughly enjoyed the cut out photography activity because I was able to experiment with different backgrounds, like who would have thought I would be placing my cut outs against my wall mural or hold it up in the air to use buildings as my background? Likewise we could just place the cut outs against different backgrounds and voila you have an entirely new story you can build on! From cutting out simple shapes and slowly working intricately, it is all a part of the process and might I add the process is delightful.
That brings us to the end of the post. Keep experimenting with different backgrounds and foregrounds and don't forget to have fun! Stay tuned for another peek into my next fashion class, until then
Diksha
(a.k.a the fashion student you live vicariously through:))
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These look really beautiful