Japanese artist Masayo Fukuda has perfected the skill of paper cutting, which demands great patience and a steady hand. The traditional Japanese art style of kirie, which translates to “cut picture,” entails cutting complex shapes from a single sheet of white paper and contrasting them with a black background to expose the pattern. After 25 years of practicing Kirie, Fukuda recently unveiled what she considers to be her best piece of 2018: an amazing life-sized paper octopus.
The stunning artwork initially appears to have been drawn using fine-tipped pens, but Fukuda painstakingly cut out each individual element from a single sheet of paper. The intricate illustration shows the beautiful marine creature’s spherical torso, protruding eyes, and eight lengthy arms. There are other textured parts that resemble delicately patterned lace, including arm suckers that resemble decorative doilies and whirling designs on the cranium. The captivating artwork honors the beauty of the intriguing species, which is known to quickly alter the color and texture of its skin to match its environment.
From April 24 to April 30, 2019, the Miraie Gallery in Osaka will host an exhibition of Fukuda’s breathtaking Kirie designs. If you are unable to visit Japan, you can view more of the artist’s stunning works on Instagram.
One sheet of paper is manually cut into an amazing life-sized paper octopus by Japanese artist Masayo Fukuda.
In Japan, the paper cutting art technique is referred to as kiri.
The gorgeous pattern has a variety of textural elements that resemble lace with a delicate pattern.
Masayo Fukuda: Website | Instagram | Twitter
h/t: [Spoon & Tamago]
All images via Masayo Fukuda.
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