Shape-Shifting Paper Sculpture Resembling Stone
Artist: Li Hongbo
Read more: Astonishing Stretchable Paper Sculptures Appear to Be Made of Stone
Paper is one of the great artistic chameleons. This easily accessible material that’s used in crafting incredible, gallery-worthy works of art is the same that contains crude sketchbook doodles never meant to see the light of day. It’s this fascinating dichotomy that entices creatives to experiment and use paper art as the centerpiece of their work.
Depending on technique, paper can look wildly different. Chinese artist Li Hongbo is enthralled by “the endless possibilities of paper” and transforms the everyday material into something truly astonishing—stone sculptures that stretch in front of our very eyes. Moving from rock to rope, Gunjan Aylawdi seemingly weaves intricate tapestries. But, they’re not tapestries at all—they’re tiny pieces of rolled paper that look like string.
Of course, some artists choose to celebrate paper art for what it is, and therefore don’t try to hide its origins. One way this is done is through books. Both Isobelle Ouzman and Guy Laramee use discarded books as the starting point for their creations. Ouzman opens the book and extracts pieces of paper while Laramee transforms a novel’s edges into sprawling mountainscapes.
See how 31 artists, illustrators, and animators turn humble sheet of paper into stunning works of art.
Which of this paper art is your favorite?
Baroque Paper Wig
Artist: Asya Kozina
Delicate Paper Cutouts from a Single Sheet of Paper
Artist: Parth Kothekar
Read more: Artist Delicately Cuts Paper to Look Like Whimsical Illustrations
Landscapes Created in the Edges of Old Books
Artist: Guy Laramee
Read more: Secondhand Novels Are Carved into Extraordinary Mountainous Landscapes
Paper Quilled Portraits of the Elderly
Artist: Yulia Brodskaya
Read more: Colorful Paper Quilled Portraits Explore the Stories Told Through Faces of the Elderly
Realistic Animals Created from Twisted Newspaper
Artist: Chie Hitotsuyama
Read more: Artist Tightly Rolls Newspaper to Craft Incredibly Detailed Animal Sculptures
“Cloud City” Iridescent Paper Sculpture
Artist: MakerieStudio
Read more: Beautifully Crafted Paper City Highlights Intricate Patterns in Moroccan Culture
Intricate Paper Cutouts Resembling Stained Glass Windows
Artist: Eric Standley
Read more: Intricately Cut Paper Sculptures Mimic Stained Glass Windows
Expressive Origami Animals
Artist: Gonzalo Garcia Calvo
Read more: Artist Skillfully Folds Single Sheets of Paper Into Expressive Origami Animals
Lifelike Birds on International Stamps
Artist: Diana Beltran Herrera
Read more: Lifelike Paper Birds Adorn Oversized Stamps of Countries Around the World
Larger-Than-Life Paper Flower
Artist: Tiffanie Turner
Read more: New Giant Flowers Painstakingly Crafted Out of Thousand of Paper Petals
Watercolor Paper Diorama
Artist: Mar Cerdà
Animated Paper Burger
Artist: Zim & Zou
Read more: New Exquisitely Crafted Paper Sculptures from Zim & Zou
Cut Paper Portraits of Heroines
Artist: Morgana Wallace
Layered Geometric Paper Sculptures
Artist: Maud Vantours
Read more: Multicolored Layered Paper Sculptures by Maud Vantours
Low-Poly Animal Figure
Artist: Estudio Guardabosques
Read more: Geometric 3D Mammals Crafted with Complex Paper Folding
Paper Sculpture Made Entirely from Scraps
Artist: Lydia Ricci
Forest-Inspired Display for Hermes Store
Artist: Zim & Zou
Read more: New Exquisitely Crafted Paper Sculptures from Zim & Zou
Paper Tapestry
Artist: Gunjan Aylawadi
Animated Paper Architecture
Artist: Paperholm
Psychedelic Paper Sculpture
Artist: Jen Stark
Read more: Interview: The Colorfully Psychedelic Art of Jen Stark
Delicate Paper Microorganisms
Artist: Rogan Brown
Read more: Incredibly Detailed Paper Sculptures Resemble Natural Microorganisms
Naturalistic Paper Specimens
Artist: Woodlucker
Fantastical Paper Illustrations
Artist: Elsa Mora
Empowering Floral Wreath
Artist: Grace Chin
3D Illustrations Carved into Discarded Books
Artist: Isobelle Ouzman
Read more: Beautiful 3D Illustrations Breathe New Life into Discarded Books
Paper Animal Bust
Artist: Mlle Hipolyte
Read more: French Artist Creates Beautifully Intricate Paper Masks of Animal Faces
Intricate Papercut Illustrations
Artist: Riu
Read more: Intricately Detailed Papercut Designs Reflect Beauty of the Natural World
Intricate Paper Cutouts Peek Behind Wallpaper
Artist: Charles Clary
Read more: Meticulously Carved Layers of Paper Revealed Behind Peeling Wallpaper
Pets Reimagined as Regal Paper Portraits
Artist: People Too