Jan 5th, 2019: Cut It Out

[xoxoxoBruce]

A sharp blade can do a variety of things, in the right hands it can transplant a heart, or on the right wrists it can end the pain.
In this case it has created beautiful art.

There’s a lot of cool paper art but few projects can even come close to what Masayo Fukuda is capable of. Fukuda has been hand-cutting paper for about 25 years, and this octopus is probably the best representation of her work.

“For me, cutting pictures has become a way of dissipating all the stress of my daily life,” the Japanese artist told Bored Panda. “If you want to get started, all the basics you need are tant paper*, a cutter, matte, and a good light source.”

*Each sheet provides a stiff origami paper with a crepe-like texture and the same color on both sides.

Upon first glance, Fukuda’s octopus looks so detailed, you could easily mistake it for a fine ballpoint pen drawing. She cut it from a single sheet of white A2 paper*, perfectly depicting the sea animal’s rounded body, bulging eyes, and its many, many tentacles. “This piece took me 2 months,” Fukuda added.

* A2 paper = 420 x 594 mm = 16.5 x 23.4 inches

Although similar styles have evolved in different cultures all over the world, this paper cutting art technique is known as Kirie (or Kirigami) in Japan. It is said to have developed sometime around 700 AD. One traditional distinction it shares with most other styles is that Kirie pieces are usually cut from a single sheet of paper. Just like Fukuda’s octopus.

A woman with her patience and endurance must be hard to please, what a challenge.

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