Creature Feature: Octopus Wants You to Catch If You Can
“Catch Me If You Can,” is one of my latest paper sculpture designs, a clever octopus made completely out of paper, even the suckers on its eight tentacles.
I have many ideas of different paper sculptures I want to make — sometimes I want to make them because it sounds like it would be fun to make. Flowers are a personal favorite, or a little furry animal because creating the fur out of paper is both challenging and rewarding when the finished piece looks like fur. Then I feel I was successful at mastering that.
Sometimes I have so many ideas, i have a hard time choosing something. That is what happened with “Catch Me If You Can,” a clever octopus made completely out of paper, even the suckers on its eight tentacles. When I was deciding on a new project, I rattled off a handful of ideas to my daughter and asked her what I should do next. She chose an octopus!
What a challenge it was figuring out how to make the suction cups on the tentacles. It did take quite a bit of trial and error until I figured out exactly the right technique to make and attach all those tiny little suction cups to the octopus. Happily, I figured out a way to do just that out of paper and I think it all worked out rather well.
Artwork Feature: Let the Artwork Fun Begin!
The inspiration for this artist’s box came from my memories of when I received my first wooden art box as a kid.
Looking through an artist’s wooden art box is like looking through treasured gifts. The next in my series of paper sculpture designs on art supplies, the inspiration for this artist’s box came from my memories of when I received my first wooden art box as a kid.
When I was 10 or 11 years old, my mom signed me up for art class. I started taking art classes from a local artist who also taught lessons on Saturday mornings to kids in her converted studio space in her basement. In the first couple of classes we started out drawing with charcoal, which I thought was so messy.
Then, we moved on to pastels and within a few weeks we started painting in oils. I was really excited the day my art teacher told me I could start working in oils. I couldn’t wait to be working in oils because that is what my oldest sister painted in.
It wasn’t too long after that when I received my very own wooden art box for a present. I was so thrilled! A wood art box — just like my sister had! Just like a REAL artist. It even had some new tubes of paint and a couple of brushes, a canvas and a pallet knife. My sister gave me a couple of her old used brushes as well.
I was so excited to have my very own art box, and it stayed with me for a long time as I started my professional art career. My original wood art box even went along with me to college. I still have my wooden art box, although I no longer use it for oil paints.
When I decided to create a paper sculpture of a wooden artist box I decided I wanted to fill the box with lots of art supplies. A wooden art box to an artist is like a treasure chest. You can’t wait to dive right in and check out all those cool new supplies just waiting there to be used.
Hopefully when you peer closely into the resulting piece, “Let the Fun Begin!,” it captures that beginner’s mind spirit — you can hardly wait to start having fun with all those new colorful art supplies stored in your wooden art box. In my paper-sculpted art box, even the “wood” box is made out of paper.
Artwork Feature: Art Supplies 'Color Wheel'
Take a look at the second paper sculpture design in my series on art supplies.
I’ve been working on a series of paper sculpture designs featuring art supplies. The first in the series, “The Paper Painter” featured a play on words and white paint tubes, some of my favorite art supplies to sculpt.
In the second of the series, I wanted to make another round paint tray and paint tubes but this time in color. The composition reminds me of a color wheel. I wanted the scene to look as though the artist is in the middle of painting.
I don’t know about other artists, but I always have to lay out my colors in the same order each time I paint. The yellows are always in the same cup, next to the reds, etc. The vibrant colors right out of the paint tubes always look so clean and colorful, but then the real fun begins — mixing together all those beautiful colors to create even more colors and a vibrant palate full of possibilities.
For added interest in this piece, which I have titled “Color Wheel,” the paintbrush and the tube of paint are actually sticking up in the air, as though the artist is in the process of using them.
Transforming 'My Studio' Into a Lifelike Paper Sculpture
I’ve been working on a design concept for a series 3D paper sculptures around habitats, and the first one I’ve created is “My Studio.”
I’ve been working on a design concept for a series 3D paper sculptures around habitats, a detailed representation of real-life environments made only out of paper and painted with watercolor and gouache.
The first habitat I’ve decided to sculpt is… me! Or I should say the place where I can be found 8, 10, 12 hours most days of the week — in my studio. Here’s how I made an exact replica of my desk completely out of paper.
To make my personal habitat, I started by making my desk and chair and then added in the accessories. There are a lot of accessories. “My Studio” is a representation of my art desk — pencils, paper and paints. It is also representing a part of me, much like my art. So, in this first habitat, the items are both literally on my desk or representative of my life.
For example, when I am working on a paper sculpture, you will find me surrounded by books that I use for reference materials. In “My Studio, you’ll see stacks of books but they’re made-up titles and images that have a special meaning or are symbolic to me.
Then there are the clay containers of brushes, pencils and markers. My sketchbook, scissors, rulers and pencils are always nearby my desk too. Mini tubes of paint, brushes and even my little kitten are on top of and surrounding my desk and are all hand-sculpted out of paper. And, of course, don’t forget the paint trays. These are just my basics.
On the shelves next to my desk I have dark brown handmade clay containers, the ones I made in a pottery class during my college days. They hold markers, pencils and miscellaneous items too. Of course, there a few favorite family photos, drawings and mementos nearby as well.
Did I mention the pinwheels? My studio would not be complete without a couple pinwheels. I have a yellow wind-up pinwheel pen, a personal favorite, and a vase or two on shelves nearby filled with pinwheels in bright colors.
Why pinwheels, you ask? I don’t know — they just make me happy because they are colorful and whimsical. (Everyone starts laughing when I bring out my yellow wind-up pinwheel pen and start writing.) I just have a few represented in the “My Studio” paper sculpture.
If you look closely, you might also notice there’s another miniature desk and chair in “My Studio” to represent the habitat I was creating.
Now that you’ve seen close-up photos of the parts and pieces of my paper sculpture habitat, “My Studio,” here is a final look of the completed piece — complete with the artist in her studio.
Capturing the Beauty of the Birdwing Butterfly
Butterflies are so beautiful — all those colors and different shaped wings! I couldn’t resist painting this birdwing butterfly.
Butterflies are so beautiful — all those colors and different shaped wings! I couldn’t resist painting this birdwing butterfly. What makes these butterflies so impressive are its stunning colors. The black against the yellow, is such a stark contrast in color, but then the bluish green in the wings blends and camouflages among the colors in their surroundings. As the wings flutter against the leaves, the butterfly can get lost among the shadows in the trees and the blues in the sky.
There aren’t too many butterflies that have a touch of red on their bodies like the birdwing butterfly. Just one more element that makes them so spectacular. Because of the red and black colors on this butterfly, it inspired me to include a little black and red ladybug in the painting. The tiny little paper ladybug sitting on the leaf in the upper left corner, creates a 3D element to the watercolor painting.
Creature Feature: Illustrating the Giraffe
One of my favorite animals to draw is a giraffe. Here are just of the few designs I’ve done featuring these long-necked creatures.
The other day I was thinking about all the animals I have drawn during the course of my illustration career. Over the years I have drawn animals from all different types of environments such as elephants, frigate birds, peacocks, lizards, monkeys, cardinals, zebras, and lots more. Many of the illustrations were painted in watercolor and gouache or pen and ink line art for various children’s publications, activity pages, games, and greeting cards.
I would have to say that one of my favorite animals to draw is a giraffe. Of course, everyone knows they have that very long neck, but I also like them because they are so tall and I think those long eyelashes give their faces so much character.
Here’s a couple of my giraffe illustrations I’ve done over the years. And, in a few weeks, you will see my next paper sculpture. Yep, you guessed it — a giraffe!
Artwork Feature: A Set of Colorful Peonies for the Summer
Featured 3D paper sculpture designs from Melinda Fabian of two summer-perfect peonies.
These 3D paper sculpture peonies were fun to create. The white peony has a beautiful center of different shades of brilliant yellow with a tinge of orange on the tips. The dark colored peony is a combination of purples, alizarin crimson and magentas, which are some of my favorite colors. I framed both in small, black shadowbox frames with a white mat. I think they would be nice hung together on a wall — perhaps filling up that empty little nook.
What flower would you like to see next? Share with us in the comments below!
Artwork Feature: Bald Eagles 'Keeping Watch'
This miniature 3D paper sculpture eagle, titled "Keeping Watch," is entirely handcrafted from paper and painted with watercolor and gouache.
I was inspired to create this 3D paper sculpture of an eagle after my visit to Conowingo Dam in Darlington, Maryland, last November. In the fall, it is one of the best places to watch bald eagles as they glide through the air and then swoop down to catch a fish from the Susquehanna River below. Without hesitation, the eagle grabs its dinner before soaring back up into the sky, eventually resting in the trees, eating their catch — unless their dinner was snatched up by one of the other eagles soaring by.
There were so many other photographers lined up along the fence at the dam that day waiting to take photos as the eagles flew overhead. As soon as someone would spot one of the birds of prey, they would call out, “left” or right” to signal which side the eagle took off so you could start shooting your camera in the right direction. Immediately, you would hear the continuous clicking sounds of the shutters going off, as the photographers spun around in a circular pattern following the flight of the eagle, trying not to become dizzy as they got their best shot of this powerful bird.
It is an amazing site to see so many eagles at one location and to be able to watch their behavior. I couldn’t help but create two paper sculpture eagles that were featured at two miniature art shows — the juried 25th Annual International Miniature Show at Parklane Gallery in Kirkland, Washington, and the 26th International Miniature Art Show at Seaside Art Gallery in Nags Head, North Carolina.
Like all of my paper sculpture designs, the eagle below, titled “Keeping Watch,” is all made from paper. Each feather is individually hand-cut out of white paper, shaped and glued together to form the eagle. Even the talons are made from paper. After the eagle is formed, it is then painted in watercolor and gouache. The paper sculpture eagle is framed in a wooden shadowbox picture frame.
