To date, there are many techniques for working with paper. Some of them were created many centuries ago, others are forgotten and are experiencing a rebirth, while others have gained popularity recently. However, each of them teaches to create unusually beautiful things, having only this material at hand. Further in the article, we consider the types of paper handling techniques.
Historical data
The first mention of paper dates back to the II century BC. e. It was invented in China by a judicial official and began to spread far to the West and Central Asia. In 793, it began to be manufactured in Baghdad, and then further on in the East. In the fourteenth century, paper mills began to function in Europe.
By the middle of the 15th century, with the advent of printing, the demand for this material was growing rapidly. The main raw materials for its manufacture are cotton and linen. In the 18th century, with increasing demand and a lack of paper, the search for other raw materials begins that could satisfy the needs of manufacturers. So, in the 19th century, it began to be made of wood. In the same period, more modern equipment was produced, new methods of manufacturing this material were developed.
Today, the ancient craft is already a high-tech industry. If the manufacturing process has undergone changes in many respects, then the production of special varieties, characterized by high strength, is still based on the use of cotton or linen fibers.
Today it is impossible to imagine our life without paper. In addition to its main purpose, it is used to implement creative ideas, create compositions and decoration. However, even in ancient times, various figures were made using paper, painted, painted and decorated with their homes. Some paper techniques have been known since ancient times.
Papier mache
From French, this term translates as "chewing paper." In fact, this is paper torn in small pieces or strips of it, impregnated with glue. The finished mass can be poured into the mold. Pieces are pasted over with separate pieces. After drying, the resulting products are decorated using various decorating techniques.
Initially, this type of art appeared in the Far East. Finished products were varnished and decorated with stones and paintings. Later, this work developed in European countries. In the first half of the 18th century, using various paper-working techniques, papier-mâché items were produced in France, then in England and Germany. By the end of the 19th century, this occupation lost its popularity. However, due to its cheapness and simplicity, masks, Christmas tree decorations and mannequins continue to be made in this way.
Decoupage
This word is consonant with the French decouper, which translates as "cut". Decoupage is a type of decorative art that allows you to create images and ornaments on surfaces using paper cuttings. It is a very interesting and fascinating technique for working with paper.
She appeared in France in the XVII century. Here it was used most often for decorating furniture. Almost a century later, the art of decoupage spread throughout Europe. Over time, the technique became so popular that on its basis began to create paintings specifically designed for decoration of household items. And today, many needlewomen with the help of decoupage give a second life to old things.
Paper cut
In ancient China, the art of carving from this material arose against the background of the manufacture of stencils that were used for embroidery. Their ornaments were distinguished by complexity and originality. In Japan, paper-cut stencils were used to print images on fabrics.
Later, this technique of working with paper became known in Europe and was widely used by monks for the design of manuscripts. After the material began to be applied almost everywhere, people begin to cut out figures, people, animals and scenes from life to decorate homes. And today, in some countries, competitions and festivals are held on this type of art, where you can see truly unique products.
Paper decoration
Many methods are known for finishing this material. For many years, the main method of decoration was the use of stencils with outlandish ornaments. With the help of paper decorated in this way, the walls and ceilings of rooms, large and small objects were drawn. With the development of technology, a type of printing called stamping appears. It can be applied to any type of paper or paper products. Currently, such printing is considered one of the most affordable means for decorating paper web. In specialized stores, you can purchase ready-made stencils or make them yourself from improvised means.
Creating paper designs
Cutting, gluing and folding paper, you can make not only beautiful, but also useful items for the home. To do this, you need to be able to use paper and cardboard techniques. You can create not only simple compositions, but also complex three-dimensional figures.
Folding paper objects dates back to the more ancient art of creating fabric products. The most popular is the manufacture of paper structures using origami. This is a technique that allows you to create products from a simple airplane to complex geometric designs.
In the 19th century, in some European countries, the folding of colored paper figures was taught in kindergartens.
Equally popular are designs made of cardboard. In the first half of the 20th century, with its help, models were made for future sculptures and architectural structures. Recently, this technique has been widely used to create toy items, including cardboard furniture. It is worth noting that they are durable, environmentally friendly and cheap.
What is paper plastic?
This is a technique based on the ability of paper to take one form or another. This is a decorative art that allows you to create and model three-dimensional three-dimensional compositions and sculptures from paper.
Of all the various known techniques for working with paper, paper plastic is considered the newest and most modern art form. The first works performed by this method appeared at the beginning of the last century, and by the end of the 20th century the method was recognized as a separate type of creativity. Today, paper plastic has found its application in interior design, the creation of avant-garde fashion attributes and other fields.
Work in this technique is less painstaking than application, the result is more like volumetric objects created on a plane. Models, paintings and sculptures, made in the style of paper plastic, are distinguished by elegance, realism.
Origami, modular origami, kirigami
These are some of the most exotic techniques:
- Origami - the traditional Japanese art of working with paper, in translation this word means "folded paper." In the classic version, the figures are made from a square sheet of paper. Folding it in a certain sequence until you get the intended object - this is the origami technique. Currently, the technique is more reminiscent of paper construction. Shapes can be glued or assembled from several parts, painted, cut or notched.
- Modular origami is one of the varieties arising from traditional art. It involves the collection of a composition from several separate identical parts (modules). Each part is folded in the classical way of origami, and then embedded in another part. One of the most famous products in the modular origami technique is kusudama - a three-dimensional object of spherical shape.
- Kirigami is another popular paper method. It is based on cutting, folding and twisting plain or colored material. This art is as ancient as the origami paper technique. In the traditional design, the workpiece is marked, cut, folded and deployed to obtain a three-dimensional or flat object.
Quilling
This name comes from the word quill, which means bird feather. The technique of working with quilling paper is to twist long strips of different widths into spirals and give them a certain shape. Then, three-dimensional or planar compositions are created from them.
The method arose in Europe around the second half of the XIV - beginning of the XV century. In the XX century, it was almost forgotten and only in recent years began to gain popularity again. Despite the attitude to paper as to something fragile and short-lived, quilling makes one believe the opposite. For example, a heavy object can be safely placed on a made stand in this technique without damaging a single coil.
Trimming
This decorative art belongs to non-traditional paper techniques. Allows you to create from it unusual compositions of different types. The faceting is based on work with corrugated paper, in the center of which a rod is placed with an end face and slightly twisted. The resulting trimming part is transferred to the outline of the drawing, glued and only then remove the rod. With the following elements, they do exactly the same, attaching each part, it is important not to leave voids.
Faceting happens:
- Contour, that is, trimming stick on the contour of the picture.
- Plane - occupies the entire surface of the image.
- Volumetric - each part is glued at a special angle, which allows you to get a relief pattern.
- Multilayer - trimming is glued to each other.
Applique
Of all the various paper handling techniques, this is considered one of the most popular. This creative activity consists in alternately gluing pieces of colored paper, fabric, leather, cardboard, leaves, beads, plates and other elements to the base to obtain a holistic composition.
Applique classes are available even for young children; it develops thinking and fine motor skills of the hands well. Elements of future crafts can be made in advance by an adult or entrusted to this child. The composition can be completely made of glued elements or combined with the drawn details.
Using this technique, whole pictures are created that reflect the mood, movement and character of their characters. For this, silhouettes of people, animals, household items are cut out. In the last century, still lifes and black-and-white illustrations were composed in this way.
What is the use of paper for babies?
According to child psychologists and teachers, teaching a child to work contributes to his full intellectual development. Working with pliable material allows you to create beautiful things yourself.
Learning techniques for working with paper children makes it possible to interest kids of any age. You can start with a simpler application and facing, and end with quilling and origami. In the process, children gain confidence in their movements, develop finger flexibility, seek to improve their skills and comprehend more complex types of paper plastics.
An equally important component is the moral and ethical education of children. Classes in paper crafts allow you to form qualities such as morality, willingness to help, teamwork, sociability, support, joy for a friend, and solving problems.
The creative process itself develops imagination, spatial and visual thinking, reveals the child’s personal potential, intellectual abilities. Mastering more complex techniques prepares children for self-planning, monitoring and evaluation of their actions, correcting errors and self-control.
When using any of these methods, safety precautions should be followed when handling paper. Where scissors are used, you need to remember that this is a dangerous item and you need to handle it very carefully. Children should work with a special tool with blunt ends. It is also important to remember that the paper has sharp edges and can be seriously injured.