New Paper Art Workshops
Stop Motion Papercut Animation with Hannah
Sunday, November 14th
From the humble flip-book to full-blown animation, moving images have always captured our imagination. Papercuttings have been used in this medium for more than 100 years, including the oldest surviving feature animation The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926), written and directed by German papercutting artist and filmmaker Lotte Reiniger. While Reiniger took three years to complete her film, you can achieve something magical in a MUCH shorter time! Bringing your papercuts to life through a short stop motion clip or video can be an exciting new way for people to discover and interact with your work. It doesn’t have to be a grand production to be absolutely captivating.
In this 2-hour workshop, you’ll learn the basics of making your own stop motion movie, explore some free apps that make the process a breeze, and emerge with a short clip that you can send out to your friends, fans, and followers and post on your website or Instagram. Where you go from there is up to you!
Participants will be provided with templates to cut out ahead of time so we can focus on the techniques for making the actual movies. You’re welcome to use your own designs, as well. Participants will also be given links to free stop motion apps so we can hit the ground running!
Materials: Animation template, blades or scissors of your choice, paper of your choice, smart phone capable of loading newer apps, tripod or some way to stabilize your phone over a table or lightboard, good lighting. Some ring lights have a stable phone attachment and can be adjusted to bend over a table, but I have literally taped my phone to a yard stick, perched the yard stick on a stack of books, and held it in place with a potted plant, so don’t feel the need to go out and buy things! (NOTE: If you don’t have a smartphone, you can still accomplish stop motion using still photography. It’s just a longer process, but not impossible if you have something like iMovie on your computer.)
Time/Day: Sunday, November 14, 2-4pm EDT, 11am-1pm PST, 7-9pm BST
Zoom link emailed before workshop. All payments for classes are non-refundable (unless a class is canceled). Class is $35 for non-members; Members $30, with discount (use code GAP15 as you check out).
Introduction to Shadow Puppets with Myra Su
Sunday, December 12
Take your papercutting to a new dimension!
An ancient form dating back thousands of years, Shadow Puppets tap into the magical and the primal. These cut-out-based flat puppets that rely on light, shadow and movement to “come to life” can be found in many cultures in Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. Puppetry is not just for the young, either: Serious adult stories, epics, mythical tales, science fiction, fantasy and everyday sagas are equally at home in this simple yet subtle performance technique. Join us December 12th from 1-3pm (EST; 12noon Central, 10am Pacific, 6pm UK) for a Shadow Puppet workshop with Myra Su, storyteller, puppeteer, and puppet maker. Myra Su will be walking us through engineering expressive paper puppets using everyday recycled materials. She will be sharing techniques from her many years as a touring puppeteer with Manual Cinema, as well as from her most recent puppet film, GOODNIGHT SHADOW, that features articulated paper doll-like puppets. Together, we’ll explore both shadow puppets that focus on expressive silhouettes as well as paper puppets with hand drawn features.
Workshop will cover:
- The mechanics of creating Shadow Puppets – building techniques, mechanisms for creating movement, hinges, rods, color, and other materials.
- Thinking about kinds of Light and Shadow
- Different types of lighting, Light Sources and Projection methods
About the Artist
Myra Su is a storyteller, puppeteer, and puppet maker. Based in Chicago, Myra has been an active member in the puppetry community since 2013. Her primary medium is shadow puppetry but her work also includes experimentations with bunraku, crankies, video, and taxidermy. Her work has also expanded to collaborations outside of theater, with indie bands and musicians.
Time/Day: Sunday, December 12, 1-3pm EST, 10am-12noon PST, 12noon-2pm Central US, 6-8pm BT, 7-9pm Europe
Zoom link emailed before workshop. All payments for classes are non-refundable (unless a class is canceled). Class is $35 for non-members; Members $30, with discount (use code GAP15 as you check out).
November 22 Crafty Hour
free to all members! come join the fun!
Monday, November 22nd
12:00 pm PDT, 3:00 pm EDT, 8:00 pm BST
Tracey Escolme 
Sara Rayo 
David Jenkins
Hosted by Hannah Kohl
Hannah’s hosting again! This free Crafty Hour session is open to artists of all abilities. We’ll be working on all things fall and winter. A good time to start thinking of SNOW EXCHANGE papercut ideas, holiday decorations, or whatever else you have in mind! Stay tuned for more on Lucrezia’s 2nd annual WINTER MAIL EXCHANGE, this year’s theme: SNOW!
JUST A REMINDER: Crafty Hours are free and for all members! Look in your email for the Zoom link (or email us). Bring a beverage, some paper, and whatever you use to cut: Scissors, knife, scalpel, chainsaw, sickle…. We won’t judge! You do you. Let’s get to know each other and get cutting!!
Quilling with Akesha
Akesha’s introduction to quilling opened participants’ eyes to an amazing new use of paper, full of unexpected design elements to consider and use! We had fun!!!! Thank you, Akesha of All My Quills for the new world you have introduced us to!
Tricks and Treats
Can’t compete
With a CUTtober feat!
Take on this challenge.
Display your talent!
31 cuts are all we ask.
Are you up to the task?
Snip ‘em!
Slice ‘em!
Cut ‘em anyway you like ‘em.
But do not fear.
We hold all GAPpies dear.
We’d be happy to see
Just, maybe, two or three.
But for us to look,
You got to post on Facebook!
We hope you’ll join in on the fun. CUTtober is for all GAP members, of all abilities. The challenge is to cut 31 designs before the end of October. However, it’s up to you how many you do. No evil spells will be cast.
Read over the list of prompts. We’re sure you’ll find something that tickles your fancy. To share your finished work, just post to our Facebook page, which you can do here. Please post your design on its corresponding prompt date. If you clean up your photos (crop to show only your artwork,) we’ll post your work on the rotating Seasonal Members Art Gallery on the GAP homepage. Good luck! And, good wicked cutting!
1 – toad
2 – black cat
3 – Frankenstein
4 – moths
5 – werewolf
6 – skulls
7 – spiders
8 – thorns
9 – costume
10 – storm
11 – moon
12 – graveyard
13 – witch
14 – worms
15 – zombie
16 – mask
17 – wizard
18 – ghost(s)
19 – jack-o-lantern
20 – owls
21 – potion
22 – treat
23 – haunted house
24 – snakes
25 – rodents
26 – bat
27 – candle
28 – bones
29 – raven
30 – scarecrow
31 – Day of the Dead (You’ll be ready for the holiday on Nov. 1&2)
Extending A Hand
An Exhibition of Paper Artists
Guild of American Papercutters and Associated Artists of Pittsburgh
October 14 – November 12, 2021
Associated Artists of Pittsburgh Exhibition Space
100 43rd St. Unit 107
Pittsburgh, PA 15201
Now at the end of its second millennium, Paper has had a leading role in the human story. This exhibition will celebrate the endless way that Paper, the most commonplace of materials, can be manipulated while focusing on artworks where Paper, the material and its specific cultural history is at the technical and conceptual center of the work. In this time of remote work and learning, digital file sharing and clouds, streaming everything, this exhibition will show how Paper continues to carry the tactity and warmth of the human hand.
This exhibition will be juried and curated by Imin Yeh. Yeh works predominantly in paper, and her art uses repetitive handcraft and mimicry as a strategy for exploring the issues around the unseen labor and production that lies behind our many unconsidered everyday objects. Yeh is also an Assistant Professor of Art at Carnegie Mellon University
School of Art.
October Crafty Hour: the Fruits of Fall!
Various creations came into being during the recent October Crafty Hour: see the screenshot below for some! Hannah showed us an amazing stop-motion short that she recently created, Wendy talked about methods of using vellum and other materials, Mindy and Laurel shared information about Moroccan and Islamic geometric designs, Cindy showed us how to make cute pumpkin ornaments, and a good time was had by all!
Shown below– Wendy Bale: monarch butterfly using rock paper; Laurel Moorhead: Moroccan tile papercut, also experimenting with rock paper; Cindy Stinson: glowing pumpkin ornaments! also tried out by Hannah Kohl and Jerise; Tracey Escolme: cutober piece (rain & ghosts); Mindy Shapiro: Year of the Tiger celebratory design; Janice Harrel — hmm! Janice, you seem to have been taking notes!! 😉
Ctrl+V(irtual) GAP 2021 Conference a hit!
Our virtual conference was a hit! Thanks to everyone who participated, in all ways! We will be featuring some highlights here in this space soon, including reactions from Conference-Goers, recaps of some sessions, and memories of intense Trivia Games and Scattergories challenges! Stay tuned!
Seasonal Members Art Gallery
GAP artists! To have a particular piece showcased in our ever-changing gallery, please email a good resolution image with your name and the title of the work to gap@papercutters.org !
Recently, Guild members contributed their papercut artwork to the current exhibit at GAP’s National Museum in Somerset, PA, curated by Rebecca Raupach. And now, all of these beautiful member-created designs have been assembled as a traveling show, hosted by GAP members around the country. If you think your area could host a showing at a specific place you have in mind, please let us know: Write us at the address at the bottom of this page, or send email to us at gap@papercutters.org.
Copyright ©2020 Guild of American Papercutters. All Rights Reserved.
The Guild is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The operation of the Guild of American Papercutters is accomplished by volunteers and a very part time archivist and administrator at the Laurel Arts Center. For more information, email: gap@papercutters.org
