Paper art is largely considered a decorative art, but artist Amy Crain proves that with the right materials and techniques it can take center stage. Her stunning quilled animal creations feature an adorable cat and a pair of puppies, with subtle changes in fur color and hair direction. At first glance, it almost looks like a photo!
Art often comes from life. Crain was inspired by her dogs to create a series of unconventional portraits using a method called "grooming." The incredible detail in each portrait represents a time-consuming process. "To create hair, 1/8-inch-wide strips of paper are cut into small pieces, slightly curled, and then glued together to form the cats fur and eyelashes," explains Crain. "Beards" are 1/16" wide (some are thinner) strips of paper that taper to a point at the ends. Use slightly longer pieces of 1/8-inch-wide paper in various colors to form the eyes, which are curved to form the iris and pupil. ”
The cat portrait measures 6.5 square inches, and Crain estimates it took about 180 hours to complete. "This piece is a little more complex than my previous work, but all the pieces using this technique are about the same size, and anything moreLarge works take several years to complete!"
Artist Amy Crain used paper quilling technology to create a "hyper-realistic" portrait of this cat.
She estimates it will take about 180 hours to complete.
The artist also carefully crafted several cute paper dogs.
