I finished this second layered paper cut work a few weeks ago, but just didn’t get around to sharing it here until now. The papers I used for this work are a 98 lb lightly textured paper by Canson, and the final size is 19.25″ x 19.25″ to fit into a shadow box frame.

The bottom layer is white paper while the top layer is actually an indigo colour much darker than what is pictured here. My intention with the second layer of this paper cut was to make to less elaborate than the previous one I shared, but I didn’t really succeed. I’m not very good at pulling back on making these designs less intense than they are (as you can see from the detail photos).

The final image is of the two layers flattened together. This piece is already framed and has the two pieces of paper mounted with space between and the cast shadows add more depth to the design.

For the last few weeks I’ve been concentrating my paper cutting efforts on a series of larger pieces with two layers. I’m working with heavier and larger paper than usual, a 98 lb with light texture from Canson. These are being made to fit into 19.25″ x 19.25″ white shadowbox frames, with about an 1.25″ depth.

These are quick work in progress photos of the first of these pieces. The bottom layer is white paper to be backed in red, while the second layer is red paper to be backed with white. You can see the full size of the paper I am working with and how it overflows the easel. The tricky bit has been to not wreck the piece while I work because I rotate the material as I cut.

The final image here is of the two pieces layered flat together, but my intention with the framing is to give them space and allow for the play of light and shadow. At this is smaller size the whole thing is pretty intense on the eyes, which I rather like.

This is the last of the reworked paper cut designs from recent weeks. Now I can finally move on to create new work. Pictured here is how this one looked before I decided it needed a little more something. When I finished this initially it looked boring and incomplete, so I decided to add more triangles.

I added two small triangles offset from one another along each side, cut in the same elaborate style. When I was finished this time it felt complete.

The finished size is 14″ x 17″, and is hand cut from Strathmore drawing paper. The coloured papers underneath really make it pop.

This week I’ve been revisiting some of the recent paper cut work because a few of these have felt unfinished. Yesterday I reworked the concentric triangles paper cut I shared about a month ago, and added one more layer to its design.

The original version is pictured above. I’ve had it hanging in the studio for weeks and I started to feel it was a pretty dull piece despite the elaborate cutting. What it needed was another concentric triangle to complete the composition.

I worked from the top down, and this outer layer is thinner than the others because I didn’t have enough room for a thicker line. The bottom corners of the triangles are angled rather than straight for this reason, but I think it works.

The finished piece is 14″ x 17″, hand cut from a piece of archival Strathmore drawing paper. I can wait to get it framed and let it really shine.

Progress on my upcoming show this fall has been going extremely well. Yesterday I lay out all of the pieces I’ve created so far to take a look at how they will hang together, and I was surprised to realized I’ve completed so many.

I finished this double triangle piece late last week. Looking at it yesterday I decided it needs a little more “something” to the overall composition because it feels unfinished to me and a bit boring. I played around with different papers behind the design as I was working on this.

The finished piece is made with Strathmore Drawing paper, and is 14″ x 17″ in size.

I was inspired by the concentric circles piece to explore other shapes within shapes. I really want to do squares within squares, but first I worked with a triangle.

I decided from the start to focus on creating clean outer edges and corners because it makes the design stronger. I went with two triangles rather than three but I think it would look more interesting if there was a third shape surrounding these two.

The finished piece is 14″ x 17″, cut from a piece of archival white drawing paper. I backed it with both blue and red paper for a quick photo, and to compare the two colours. I think the blue is actually stronger and more striking in this case.