Submitted by: Nicole Brisco, Pleasant Grove High School, Texarkana, Texas
UNIT: Design - Portrait
Lesson: Cut Paper Portrait
Grade Level: High School

Objective: 

Students will use their design skills to create a complex portrait in an environment that will be used to explore positive and negative space as well as contour line. Students will utilize their knowledge of organic and geometric shape when establishing an overall composition to base their final paper cut on. Large sample is provided at the bottom of the handout.

Student Sample:  M. Grimes 24X36

Directions

Create 3 portraits from life, with a mirror, or using the digital camera. Remember to find a location that will allow you complexity of composition. This will help your overall papercut connect together as you cut it. Select one of the thumbnails and create a large scale drawing on 24X36 black papercut.  Add a 1-2 inch border to connect all of the pieces. Cut with a sharp Exacto Knife.  Be aware of your craftsmanship skills.

All space must hold together using a border that you create. Think of this as a piece of finely constructed lace as you work on it. The more intricate the lines the more interesting the final work will be

When you are complete select a light colored mat board and carefully glue the paper cut down using glue stick or rubber cement.

Sketchbook Assignments:
Students will create positive negative drawings or papercuts from their environment. All drawing or cuts must be from life and explore complexity of composition and line.

GRADE:

Design
Positive/Negative Space
Complexity
Craftsmanship
Overall Idea

Websites:

Sculptural Paper Cuts - Peter Callesen http://www.petercallesen.com/

Chris Natrop - cut paper art http://www.chrisnatrop.com/ 
His work is all cut paper - using utility knife as a "drawing" tool. Embellishments include watercolors, tape and nail polish. Chris Natrop is from California.

The Heart of Papercuts- A great blog with just about all you wanted to know about paper cutting

Hina Aoyama- A great Japanese cut paper artist. This is the artist's MySpace gallery.

Book: Chinese Cut-Paper Designs - This book includes paper-cuttings from Mainland China. Many photos of work.

History of Paper Cuts [From China Fact Tours]

Paper cutting is a traditional art in China which has been making its way along the route of the long history of paper. The kind of art went after the invention of paper in Han Dynasty, once became one of the main form of arts, and was popular to the people of the time; even in royal families ladies were also judged by the ability at papercut.

Most of the papercut artists are women. The themes of their works usually include everything in people's daily life to the surroundings. Familiarity makes them understand the real spirit of the art.

The main tool for papercut is scissors. Once they are owned by a master of papercut, they will become so supernatural that the papercuts beyond imagination flow out of his/her hands in the chattering of a common pair of scissors. Another tool for paper cutting is engraving knives which are necessary to enhance a sharpened effect or to make a delicate job.

No doubt that arts come from life and serve life. Papercuts are very popular in the countryside. The bright colors of red, green or light blue papercuts provide a strong foil to set off a merry atmosphere. So they are often found in wedding ceremonies or festivals in China. And people like to decorate their windows and doors using colorful papercuts.

Materials:

Large sheets of black Construction Paper.
Exacto Knives
Rulers
Mat Board
Great Ideas!

Submitted by Donna Rodeghiero, Beecher High School, Beecher, IL
Unit: Design
Lesson: Cut Silhouette
Grade Level: high school (adaptable to lower grades)

Students do the lesson as above, only they choose subject matter. They mount the cut-out
silhouettes onto a background that they have watercolored to correspond with the subject matter they have chosen.