In this project, Aunt Annie introduces you to the art of paper-cutting through the techniques of cut-apart and layered paper. Both of these techniques are simple and well-suited to the computer. These are techniques that can be used to decorate greeting cards, stationery, boxes, gift wraps, or any paper craft project. They can also be used to create mobiles and pictures suitable for framing.
Tip: Read a brief note about paper-cutting traditions around the world.
Choose a paper-cutting technique to try. Download and print the pattern on paper. The black & white (B&W) patterns can be printed on cardstock for use as templates when cutting decorative paper. Each pattern includes a drawing of the finished paper-cut, shapes to cut, and suggested paper colors. The Christmas and Valentine heart paper-cuts patterns include templates for both layered paper-cuts and cut-aparts.
Patterns are Adobe PDF files. The Adobe Reader is available for free.
All of Aunt Annie's project patterns are designed to be printed on standard letter-size paper (8.5"x11" or A4). When printing from Adobe Reader, you may need to select Auto-Rotate and Center or Choose paper source by PDF page size to ensure the best fit.
One of the easiest types of paper-cutting is layered paper, where different shapes are glued on top of each other in multiple layers.
Tip: A layered paper-cut can be used to decorate a card or bookmark; or combine several layered paper-cuts with other cut shapes to make a picture.
The cut-apart technique is very easy to do. It simply involves cutting a cut shaped into a number of sections.
Tip: Another way to arrange the pieces is to flip some of the cut-apart pieces over. See the Leaf Silhouette Cards greeting card tutorial for an example.
The paper-cuts made in this project can be used to decorate many different things. You might use the flowers on a bookmark or the fish on a greeting card. Arrange several paper-cuts together to make a picture, and then mat and frame it. Wrap a package with a plain sheet of wrapping paper and glue paper-cuts on it.
After you are familiar with these techniques, design your own shapes for layered paper and cut-apart paper-cuts.
That's it! What are your ideas
for paper-cuts?
Tip: Print Aunt Annie's Marbled Stones in Green and Blue digital paper on white paper, then use it to make paper-cuts.
Tip: Layer hearts to make a colorful and unique Valentine. This card use the hearts from the Valentine Heart Cuts pattern and a final heart layer cut from Annie's White+Spring Green Dots on Blue digital paper. For more cards using the Valentine Heart Cuts pattern, see Cut Paper Heart Valentine Ideas.
Related project: Learn one of the most popular triple fold techniques of paper cutting in the Symmetry in Snowflakes craft project.
More related projects: Learn how to cut hearts using the single fold technique in the Hearts Cutouts project, and how to cut Paper Doll Chains using accordion-folded paper.
Tip: Curl the petals of the layered flower paper-cuts to make them 3-dimensional.
Tip: Make cut-apart paper-cuts with marbled paper or other decorative paper.
This fish paper-cut was made with Aunt Annie's Red Marbled Stones digital paper.
