Tag Archives: #japan

Hariko Murata

January 18, 2021 12:03 AM \

Dictionary.com defines paper-mache as a substance made of pulped paper or paper pulp mixed with glue and other materials or of layers of paper glued and pressed together, molded when moist to form various articles, and becoming hard and strong when dry.  The pieces shown above was created by Hariko Murata, a Japanese illustrator and paper-mache artist based in Yokohama, Japan. Her designs are ‘kawaii’, the culture of cuteness in Japan.

You can follow the artist on her website, Behance and Instagram.

Images:  Courtesy of Hariko Murata.

Posted in: Japan, Kawaii, Paper-Mache \ Tagged: , ,

Tetsuya Nagata

January 15, 2021 12:03 AM \

Ten years ago Osaka born paper artist Tetsuya Nagata started collecting wooden moulds with which Japanese traditional sweets are made.  Having collected more than 2,000 molds, Nagata created three dimensional embossed groupings of sea breams, peonies, chrysanthemums, deities and more.  The material used is Japanese paper, washi, made from mulberry, mitsumata, and ganpi. By pressing Nishinouchi washi into the carved wooden molds he created delicate sculptural works that celebrate tradition with a contemporary flair. He learned this technique of natural sculpting at Tokyo University of the Arts Faculty of Fine Arts.

 “I would like to leave a memory of Japanese beauty and tradition that people have forgotten. I am fascinated by the beauty of Japanese design that has been put into wooden moulds. Those moulds have in themselves the history of each craftsman’s work.”

You can follow the artist here on his website.

Images:  Courtesy of Tetsuya Nagata.

Posted in: Japan, Sculpture \ Tagged: ,

Pochibukuro

December 17, 2020 12:03 AM \
Whenever we travel to Japan we always bring back a few of these paper envelopes.
They’re called Pochibukuro traditionally used for children’s monetary gift for the New Year.
Now they are being used for other purposes, tip for service rendered or an envelope to enclose a small message.  We found this tutorial for making a cloth envelope but the same pattern can apply to paper.

Tutorial courtesy of Nunocoto Fabric.

Posted in: craft, Japan, Paper \ Tagged: , ,
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