Julene Harrison
1.What methods do you use to produce a papercut design?
I design on the computer primarily, creating a rough layout and drawing all my elements in a way that I know I will be able to cut them out without them falling apart or becoming disconnected. Then I print out the design and start working with the scalpel.
2. What is it about paper that drives you to use it as a medium?
It's easily accessible and cheap! I like the simplicity too. Turning a very plain and ordinary thing into 'a work of art'.
3. When creating a paper design, do you first illustrate/layout the composition using traditional illustrative material or go straight to paper and why do you do so?
see 1.
4. What is it about paper cutting that you enjoy most?
It's nice and clean. No mess apart from a little bit of sweeping up afterwards! It's mediative too, but I suppose you could say that about most creative pursuits. I enjoy the preciseness. I wasn't really ever one for flinging paint around and not knowing what was going to happen. Oh and it's mobile as well. I'm so happy that I work on the go.
5. How do you feel paper cutting is viewed as an illustrative method? Do you think it is viewed as an art, as design, a craft etc..
I think it can be any of the above depending on your aim when you created it. I see my work as a mixture of all the above but maybe less so 'art'. I dont have any ideals or messages to try to convey. To me that is what 'art' is.
6. Do you feel traditional layout & typography have an influence on your designs? If so, in what way?
I am afraid to say that 90% of what I do comes straight from my head. I dont research much, but I suppose years of design training mean that I am sublimely picking up influences all the time.
7. Do you find hand drawn illustration of importance to development of your papercut work?
Like I said before I tend to just go for it when I am designing these paper-cuts, but I feel strongly that learning to draw by hand is very important when you are developing skills as a designer. I think it would probably benefit me to go back to basics and back to hand drawing if and when I want to change up my style. For now though I am happy with what I am producing.
8. What do you find influences your designs?
All sorts of things. Like I said before I'm sure I am picking up ideas all the time from what I see and experience but there isn't a particular thing I am drawn to. Also I am very wary not to be influenced by any of my contemporaries in this field so I try to keep my head down and do my own thing.
9. Which of your projects do you feel most proud of and why?
Oh there are lots. I feel really happy when the recipient of a private commission writes to say how much they love their piece. They are often bought as gifts and it's exciting to thing of the pleasure the commissioner might feel when they hand over such and personal and intricate gift to it's recipient.
10. As papercutting is becoming quite popular, how do you see its progression in the future?
It is very popular isn't it! I imagine like many mediums it might have it's day in a commercial/advertising sense. It's this reason I am happy that I have the (hopefully) continuing personal commission work. I think as a medium for art it will go from strength to strength.
11. Do you have any current interesting projects coming up that you can talk about?
There are a few but unfortunately no, I cannot talk about them. Sorry! Over the past year there has been quite a few big projects that have all faltered for one reason or another along the way. It's can be a bit depressing but you have to bounce back!
1.What methods do you use to produce a papercut design?
I design on the computer primarily, creating a rough layout and drawing all my elements in a way that I know I will be able to cut them out without them falling apart or becoming disconnected. Then I print out the design and start working with the scalpel.
2. What is it about paper that drives you to use it as a medium?
It's easily accessible and cheap! I like the simplicity too. Turning a very plain and ordinary thing into 'a work of art'.
3. When creating a paper design, do you first illustrate/layout the composition using traditional illustrative material or go straight to paper and why do you do so?
see 1.
4. What is it about paper cutting that you enjoy most?
It's nice and clean. No mess apart from a little bit of sweeping up afterwards! It's mediative too, but I suppose you could say that about most creative pursuits. I enjoy the preciseness. I wasn't really ever one for flinging paint around and not knowing what was going to happen. Oh and it's mobile as well. I'm so happy that I work on the go.
5. How do you feel paper cutting is viewed as an illustrative method? Do you think it is viewed as an art, as design, a craft etc..
I think it can be any of the above depending on your aim when you created it. I see my work as a mixture of all the above but maybe less so 'art'. I dont have any ideals or messages to try to convey. To me that is what 'art' is.
6. Do you feel traditional layout & typography have an influence on your designs? If so, in what way?
I am afraid to say that 90% of what I do comes straight from my head. I dont research much, but I suppose years of design training mean that I am sublimely picking up influences all the time.
7. Do you find hand drawn illustration of importance to development of your papercut work?
Like I said before I tend to just go for it when I am designing these paper-cuts, but I feel strongly that learning to draw by hand is very important when you are developing skills as a designer. I think it would probably benefit me to go back to basics and back to hand drawing if and when I want to change up my style. For now though I am happy with what I am producing.
8. What do you find influences your designs?
All sorts of things. Like I said before I'm sure I am picking up ideas all the time from what I see and experience but there isn't a particular thing I am drawn to. Also I am very wary not to be influenced by any of my contemporaries in this field so I try to keep my head down and do my own thing.
9. Which of your projects do you feel most proud of and why?
Oh there are lots. I feel really happy when the recipient of a private commission writes to say how much they love their piece. They are often bought as gifts and it's exciting to thing of the pleasure the commissioner might feel when they hand over such and personal and intricate gift to it's recipient.
10. As papercutting is becoming quite popular, how do you see its progression in the future?
It is very popular isn't it! I imagine like many mediums it might have it's day in a commercial/advertising sense. It's this reason I am happy that I have the (hopefully) continuing personal commission work. I think as a medium for art it will go from strength to strength.
11. Do you have any current interesting projects coming up that you can talk about?
There are a few but unfortunately no, I cannot talk about them. Sorry! Over the past year there has been quite a few big projects that have all faltered for one reason or another along the way. It's can be a bit depressing but you have to bounce back!