Free Cut Paper Art Template / Easter

Let's get ready for Easter! I created this cute rabbit paper cutting template for you to enjoy! The art has been flipped so you can cut out the words in the corner that read- Happy Easter! 

You can download the template for personal use only... and see how well you do with paper cut art! Free templates will be posted on the last Tuesday of each month. Be on the look out for my Cinco De Mayo template post in April!



It is a jpg but you should be able to download by right clicking on the art and copying it to your desktop.

Please comment below on how you liked the template or use hashtag #WCTemplate and @WashingtonCuts on Instagram to show off  your skills!

Cut Paper Art / Afro Comb Inspiration

I get ideas for my art by researching a certain topic, looking at pictures, reading books or flipping through blogs. While looking up African mask styles I came across a website about an exhibition in London at the Fitzwillam Museum called The Origins of the Afro Comb: 6,000 years of culture, politics and identity. The exhibit was over, but it excited me to see so many designs of the Afro comb. As an African American woman with lots of hair this tool has played important roles in the creation, maintenance, and decoration of my hair and in my cultures history.

I was so interested in this exhibit and the history I decided to design and have my own interpretation of the Afro Comb. I first created rough sketches and scanned my images into Illustrator. From there I refined my shapes and ideas, until my Afro Comb was symmetrical and looked the way I wanted. I then printed my design out, taped it down to black paper and started cutting.

Paper Cut Art Afro Comb

Paper Cut Print in Orange and Blue

I loved these two so much I am currently designing another Afro Comb paper cut. Stay tuned!

Favorite Female Visual Artists Women's History Month

For Women’s History Month I wanted to discuss some of my favorite female artist. I have been influenced by most of them and the others I just like their artwork. I don’t have a long list but I am always on the look out for new artist and styles.

Kara Walker focuses her art on identity, race, gender and sexuality. She uses large black cut paper silhouettes to express the darker side of human behavior.

http://learn.walkerart.org/karawalker

Tamara Natalie Madden is a mixed media artist that uses photos of everyday people and portrays them as royal kings, queens and warriors.

http://www.aviscafineart.com/Gallery_Artists/Tamara_Madden/tamara_madden.htm

Ekaterina Koroleva is a graphic designer and illustrator. She draws with sketchy pen strokes and uses beautiful soft watercolor backgrounds.

http://www.ekaterina-koroleva.de/

Njideka Akunyili Crosby is an mixed media artist that uses images of Nigerian culture and her own family photographs to create her own personal portrait of her home country.

http://njidekaakunyili.com/

Elizabeth Catlett is a wood, stone sculpture and print maker. She uses her art mediums to depict race, gender and class issues.

http://elizabethcatlett.net/

Cristina Troufa is a figurative painter. She using herself as her subject matter and her art express her life and her beliefs.

http://www.ignant.de/2014/05/05/self-portraits-by-cristina-troufa/

Stina Persson is an illustrator and uses watercolor, cut paper, ink, vector art and photography. Her style has a very sixty glamorous feel to it.

http://www.stinapersson.com/

Cassandra Gillens is a self taught painter. Her colorful paintings depict southern style and lifestyles.

http://cassandragillensart.com/

Frida Kahlo is a self portrait painter. She painted vivid and intense colored paintings showing the female experience and form.

http://www.fridakahlo.com/

Mickalene Thomas is a painter that glams up her painting with rhinestones, acrylic and colorful enamel. She portrays the complexity of being a black women and explores the definition of femininity and power.

http://mickalenethomas.com/

I hope you enjoyed my list. Who are some of your favorite female visual artist?

American Craft Council Overview

As I stated in my earlier post I participated in the American Craft Council’s “Let’s Make” Station in Baltimore. It was so much fun! Even though I was sick and it snowed heavily Saturday, I had a blast!

I got into Baltimore on Friday night to put up my paper cut art along with Annie from B’morecuts and to see the layout. Our station had a table with three stools and three dividers. Annie had beautifully created a banner and put up examples of our templates on the dividers.

Saturday, I was scheduled to be there at 10:00am and to man the station till 3pm. I had many inquisitive visitors stop by the station and lots of people actually sat down to try their hand at paper cutting. I talked to the visitors and showed them techniques to make the paper cutting process easier. Paper cutting art can be a long and boring process so most people started but didn’t finish their template. I ended up encouraged them to take it home and finish it later which most people were happy to hear. The Baltimore Convention Center is a huge place and there were many displays of quality artwork, so I understood when people stopped cutting their paper cut art templates. I was just glad they tried.

My family came out Saturday to support me and I made a couple of connections with people for interesting business collaborations.  

My Brother in law - Matthew Washington

Sunday was the last day and I got in that morning around 11am. This time Annie’s assistant was able to come and help since the snow in the area melted. I started to feel worse so I didn’t stay as long as I wanted. The crowd was a bit thinner than Saturday, understandably. There were more kids this time and they wanted to participate, which made me uneasy. I had two accidents, one from an adult and one from a teenager. They both cut their finger but they were good sports about it. So glad we had a emergency kit...

Overall the “Let’s Make” stations were a success. Many people told me that they enjoyed all the stations and would like to see this format again next year. Hopefully, I will be asked to come again!

Janelle Washington of WashingtonCuts

WashingtonCuts and B'More Paper Cuts Art Display