Japanese Artist Hand-Cuts Octopus From A Single Sheet Of Paper And The Result Is Breathtaking



There’s a whole lot of cool paper artwork out there, and even more that use paper as a canvas; however, very few projects can claim to rival that of Japanese artist Masayo Fukuda. With a skillset spanning over 25 years, Fukuda’s hand cutting paper expertise is unrivaled. The octopus is by far the best of his work but all of his other projects will keep you in awe.

“For me, cutting pictures has become a way of dissipating all the stress of my daily life,” the Japanese artist said in an interview.

“If you want to get started, all the basics you need are tant paper, a cutter, matte, and a good light source.”

More info: kirie-masayo.com | Instagram | Masayo Fukuda

A first look at the octopus will throw anyone in awe, such perfection and keen to details, one would easily mistake it for a fine ball pint drawing. Cutting out the sea animal out of an A2 drawing paper, the project perfectly brings out the animal’s rounded body and even the tiniest grooves and patterns on its numerous tentacles. “This piece took me two months,” she says.

Despite similar styles developing in different cultures worldwide, this specific technique is native to Japan and is locally known as Kirie ( or Kirigami). It is estimated to have developed around 700AD.