Last month I took a paper cutting workshop with Poppy Chancellor at The Make Lounge.

I occasionally take art classes and workshop, to learn and explore new techniques. And sometimes just out of curiosity.

When I read about the paper cut workshop I couldn’t resist. I had to do it!

I didn’t know how I would use the technique in my existing art practice, but I wanted to give it a go and see what I could learn.

Anyway, the workshop was great. I enjoyed myself immensely, spending the morning crafting, chatting, and learning all the basics.

We started by doing some practice on ready made print outs, and after a couple of trials, we started working on a design of our choosing.

Originally I though I would do something to do with architecture, but then I opted for the “easy” solution, and went for one of my creatures.

The first one didn’t came as well as I wished. The lines were choppy and uncertain, but I left the class eager to experiment more.

Back home, I gathered all the material I needed (luckily I have always plenty paper in stock) and spent the next three days drawing creatures and cutting out shapes.
By monday I had cramps on my right hand and a bruised index finger. You will be happy to know that since then I have improved my hand posture and bought a better scalpel.

Now I try to spend a few hours a week, especially on the weekend, improving the technique and developing my own style.

It’s also a great way to keep the creatures alive.

I have been moving away from them in the last couple of years, working on other projects, but I don’t want to let them go completely. And paper cutting works perfectly with the graphic nature of my drawings.

At the moment I’m still experimenting, but I have a few ideas of what I want to do with the technique.

I’m not that keen on mounting the paper cuts and framing them, and I’m still thinking of a better way to display them, something more loose and tridimensional.

I’ll see what I come up with.

In the meantime, back  to the scalpel.

Tm