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ABOUT THE PAPER

Paper is the essential element in kirigami! There is a variety of beautiful decorative papers that are sure to inspire you. It’s important to choose the right paper, however, because not all of them are easy to cut. The wrong paper can make the work difficult and your project a disaster!

A few tips for choosing paper

The best paper to start out with is plain, smooth paper with a weight of 120 to 160 g. This type of paper is ideal for kirigami because it holds up well, is easy to cut, and comes in a wide variety of colors. It can also be used in a printer, which simplifies reproducing a pattern.

For models that need sufficient strength to stand, as in the case of boxes, it’s better to use paper that weighs at least 210 g. Any shapes to be cut out, however, will need to be simplified, because this thicker paper will be more difficult to cut.

Tracing paper

This paper is essential for tracing and reproducing a pattern if you don’t have access to a printer or photocopier. Tracing paper can also be used as a translucent layer underneath a cutout pattern, for example, in a lantern. This paper comes in different colors.

Patterned paper

It’s tempting to use patterned paper, because some of them, particularly the Japanese papers, are truly magnificent. Here again, the choice is important: prints that are too vivid with highly contrasting colors risk ruining the final result by detracting from the cutout areas. It’s all a question of balance. You can temper the overall effect by using plain-colored paper as a complement, or by using tone-on-tone patterned paper.

Combining two colors

Certain paper combinations give a boost to their creations. If you choose two papers for bicolor effect, you can choose two highly contrasting colors, like red and black, or a softer combination, like white and light blue.

Other papers . . .

You can choose from fiber-based or handmade papers, such as the Nepalese and Indian papers, which come in shimmering colors. These papers are often thick and difficult to cut, so avoid fine cuts that will needlessly tire out your hand and quickly use up your blades. These papers are, however, very easy to use if they are to be glued underneath a cutout, adding a decorative and aesthetically pleasing element to your project.

In short, feel free to try out a wide variety of papers until you understand the differences and determine your preferences.

US AND EUROPEAN PAPER SIZES

In the United States, common sizes of paper include letter (8 1/2” × 11” / 216 × 279 mm) and half letter (5 1/2” × 8 1/2” / 140 × 216 mm), which is half the height of letter; many square sizes are also common. In Europe, paper is sized in the A series, with A4 (8 1/4” × 11 11/16” / 210 × 297 mm) being the standard size for most letterhead and copy/printer paper, the equivalent to US letter paper. A5 (5 13/16” × 8 1/4” / 148 × 210 mm), the equivalent to US half letter, is also common. Be consistent with the paper system you use, and don’t mix US system paper sizes with European system paper sizes, as they are very close in size but not identical.