Showing posts with label paper art. Show all posts
Showing posts with label paper art. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Wycinanki: Polish Paper Art - Part II


Back in July I did my first post on the Polish paper art of Wycinanki, you can check it out here, and now I'm back with Part II because I have found more beautiful examples to share with you!

Wycinanki is pronounced Vee-chee-nun-kee and dates as far back as the early to mid 19th century; however, it is important to note that paper art itself began in China, where the oldest surviving paper cutting was found in Xinjiang, China dating back to the sixth century. Within just one century after that, the art of paper cutting had spread rapidly throughout West Asia, Turkey and then to Europe.

Wycinanki began with Polish sheepherders cutting out designs from materials such as leather and tree bark and soon became a popular form of home decor and even gift giving. Birds, peacocks, roosters and flowers are the predominate subject matter of most Wycinanki paper art, however many also depict holiday scenes, horses and intricate patterns. No matter what the subject matter, Wycinanki is so vibrant and colorful that it inspires me to create my own Wycinanki art..... hmmm.... mental note: add Wycinanki to my never-ending list of things to do! ;)
























(All images via a Google key word image search)

Friday, July 16, 2010

Wycinanki: Polish Paper Art

Polish Wycinanki Paper Art via here

What is Wycinanki you ask? Why it's what they call the art of paper cutting in Poland! Isn't it beautiful? The colors are vibrant and the flower and animal shapes are so delicate. Wycinanki is pronounced Vee-chee-nun-kee, it originates from sheepherders that would cut out designs from materials such as leather and tree bark as far back as the early to mid 19th century.

The types and amount of colors used in Wycinanki paper art vary by region, they are often used as decorations for the home, furniture and even as gifts. Wycinanki paper art mainly feature various types of birds, such as peacocks and roosters, as well as flowers, popular holiday scenes and circular or star shaped medallions. Today, some cities and towns in Poland still hold Wycinanki paper cutting contests to find the most talented design. Cool huh? There is no shortage of beautiful things to discover and learn about on this earth!

I like this paper art much better than Origami!




via here


via here

(All information on Wycinanki via Wikipedia)