Artist Nikolai Tolsty thoughtfully joins forces with Mother Nature to produce artwork displaying an all-natural twist. Using paper as his medium of choice, the artist carves out a sleek animal silhouette on each sheet and proceeds to photograph the said cutout, superimposed on the world around him. Tolsty brings his elegant outlines into the natural world, where he searches for an authentic and visually engaging background. Between dewdrop-covered grass, tree trunks worn with rustic lines, colorfully bold flower petals, and freshly fallen autumn leaves, the artist has plenty of options to choose from. Each image in this ongoing photo project settles on a section of scenery that compliments his latest paper creature. A giraffe’s spots are mimicked by blossoming yellow buds, while thin brown leaves serve as a tiger’s stripes. Essentially, nature is used to color in the artist’s two-dimensional zoo.
Tolsty’s work also demonstrates the power of contrast. The sharp lines of the paper silhouettes complement the lush textures of the environment, enhancing the essence of the artist’s vision. In the end, Tolsty’s simple project aims to capture the many shapes and forms of beauty that unceasingly occupies the world around us.
Nikolai Tolsty: Instagram