Papercut Art History
The history of papercut art is quite fascinating. Papercut art is a traditional art form that has existed for hundreds of years in many different countries and cultures. It originated in China in the first century AD, when papercut artworks were first only available to the wealthy. In time, it evolved into a kind of folk art. These works were created by people who did not have to have access to expensive materials and tools. The art form moved into Asia and the Middle East, and then into Europe by the 16th century. There are many traditional forms of paper cutting. These include Polish Wycinanki, German and Swiss Scherenschnitte, 18th century European family Silhouettes or Cameos, Jewish marriage certificates called Ketubah, and Mexican Papel Picado.
Contemporary papercutting artists around the world are pushing the boundaries of this craft to new horizons. Papercut art today incorporates a huge variety of forms. These include elaborate 3-dimensional and layered works, combining of hand-cutting and laser-cutting, the creation of intricate single pieces of work from large pieces of paper, and works that seem to morph out of the paper from which they are being created. Furthermore, laser cutting technology has facilitated the mass production of papercut works in items such as gift cards and jewellery.
Creating hand-cut papercut works requires only a few tools – imagination, pencils to draw the designs/templates, paper, and a sharp blade or blades such as a scalpel, craft knife, or fine scissors, combined with a steady hand and lots of practice !
