Kirigami - folding & cutting

[Dante Monson]

Kirigami is a captivating Japanese art form that combines the techniques of folding and cutting paper to create intricate, often three-dimensional designs.

The word itself comes from the Japanese words:

 * Kiri (切り): meaning "cut"

 * Kami (紙): meaning "paper"

Key Characteristics:

 * **Folding and Cutting: Unlike its more famous cousin, origami (which uses folding only), kirigami requires both folding the paper and then making precise cuts to form the design.

 * Three-Dimensional Structures: Kirigami is often used to create pop-up structures, architectural models, and symmetrical designs that stand away from the flat page.

 * Common Creations: Classic examples of kirigami include paper snowflakes and pop-up greeting cards. More complex forms include architectural models (sometimes called "origamic architecture") and detailed sculptural art.

 * Materials: It typically starts with a single piece of paper, and traditionally does not use glue, although some modern or complex applications may use it to join structures together.

Kirigami, along with Kirie (which is simply the art of "cut picture" or flat paper cutting), represents the long tradition of paper art in Japan.