SHADOW PUPPETS AND PAPER CUTTING

Kay E. Vandergrift

USE OF PAPER CUTTING IN SHADOW PUPPETS

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Although we do not have to know how illustrations are created to enjoy them, such knowledge can greatly enhance our appreciation. Most readers find it fascinating to examine how an artist uses a specific approach to work in order to obtain a final result that pleases. Paper cutting is an ancient and widely spread technique and shadow puppets have been with us for a very long time as well. This page also provide an extensive bibliography on these art forms. The page also includes examples of paper cutting from China and an illustration from the book Shadow-Play. David Wisniewski, who uses both art forms, discusses his techniques of paper cutting in the following excerpts from Author Notes in three of his books.

After the sketches were approved by the editor, I prepared a tracing paper rendition, as detailed as possible. Then, using carbon paper, I transferred the elements of the illustration to the back of the colored papers used in the final art. Each detail was cut out with a #11 X-Acto blade. The pieces were assembled with double-stick photo mountings and foam tape. Finally, the completed pieces were photographed, with light and shadow controlled to capture the most dramatic effect."

From: Wisniewski, Davd. Sundiata: Lion King of Mali. Notes by the Author.

The pictures were first drawn on layout paper in pencil, then drawn more tightly with a technical pen on tracing paper. This tracing acted as my guide for constructing the final art. Each portion was transferred to the back of colored papers with carbon paper, then cut out with a #11 X-Acto blade. . . . The finished artwork was then photographed, with each piece lit to provide the most dramatic shadows.

From: Wisniewski, David. Rain Player. Notes by the Author.

The illustrations are cut from Chrome-arama art papers and adhered with double-stick photo mountings. Each figure's silhouette is transferred to the back of a sheet of black paper. The outline is inked with a technical pen and then cut out with an X-Acto knife. Colored papers are cut in the same way for backgrounds, buildings, and decorations. More than eight hundred blades were used to produce the illustrations for this book.

From: Wisniewski, David. The Warrior and the Wise Man. Notes by the Author.

BIBLIOGRAPHY ON SHADOW PUPPETRY AND PAPER CUTTING

Blackburn, Stuart H. Inside the Drama-House: Rama Stories and Shadow Puppets in South India. Berkerley, CA: University of California Press, 1996.

Borja, Robert and Corinne Borja. Making Chinese Papercuts. Chicago, IL: A. Whitman, 1980.

Cochrane, Louise. Shadow Puppets in Color. Illustrated by Kate Simunek. Boston, MA: Plays, Inc., 1973.

Fleischman, Paul. Shadow Play: Story. Illus. by Eric Beddows. New York: HarperCollins, 1990.

This illustration is taken from: Fleischman, Paul. Shadow Play: Story. Illus. by Eric Beddows. New York: HarperCollins, 1990

This is a story within a story, using a re-telling in shadow puppetry of Beauty and the Beast.

The full image is K. Please click on this thumbnail to download the complete image. Clicking on the backbutton on the full image page will bring you back to this page.

Forman, Bedrich, illustrator. Chinese Paper Cut-Outs. London: Spring Books, 1960.

Grol, Lini R. Scissorscraft. New York: Sterling Pub. Co. [1970].

Hawcock, David. Art from paper. New York: Crescent Books, 1987.

Hawkesworth, Eric. Paper Cutting : Making All Kinds of Paper Shapes and Figures. New York : S. G. Phillips, [1977].

Keeler, Ward. Javanese Shadow Plays, Javanese Selves. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1987.

Keeler, Ward. Javanese shadow puppets. Singapore ; New York: Oxford University Press, 1992.

Kuo, Nancy, Chinese Paper-cut Pictures, Old and Modern. Illus. by Guy Davis. New York: Taplinger Pub. Co. [1965].

McGill, Ormond. Paper Magic : Creating Fantasies and Performing Tricks with Paper. Brookfield, CT: Millbrook Press, 1992.

Rich, Chris. The Book of Papercutting : A Complete Guide to All the Techniques with More than 100 Project Ideas. New York : Sterling Pub. Co., 1993.

Robson, Denny and Vanessa Bailey. Shadow Theater. New York: Franklin Watts, 1990.

Sierra, Judy. Fantastic Theater Puppets and Puppetry. New York: H.W. Wilson, 1991.

Temko, Florence and Steve Madison. Paper Cutting. Garden City, NY: Doubleday [1973].

Warren, Jean. Scissor Stories for Winter. Everett, WA: Totline Press, 1984.

Warren, Jean. Scissor Stories for Fall. Everett, WA: Totline Press, 1984.

Warren, Jean. Scissor Stories for Spring. Everett, WA : Totline Press,1984.

Wisniewski, David and Donna Wisniewski. Worlds of Shadow: Teaching with Shadow Puppetry. Englewood, CO: Teachers Idea Press, 1997.

Zimmermann, Erika. Shadow Puppets for Children. [Wir spielen Schattentheater] Translated by Donald Maclean. Edinburgh [Lothian] : Floris Books, 1983.

Zurbuhen, Mary S. The Language of Balinese Shadow Theater. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1987.


Created June 1, 1997 and is continuously revised
SCILS, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey