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Kirigami is similar to origami in that it is a form of paper art. The major difference is that in origami, you fold paper whereas in kirigami, you fold and cut paper. It's thought that Kirigami was first used in Japanese temples as a way to make offerings to the gods. By the 17th century, Kirigami was widely recognized as a true art form throughout Asian culture. People in Japan and China created Kirigami designs to represent:
Wealth
Perfection
Grace
Elegance
Man's relationship with the universe
In the United States, the term "kirigami" was coined by Florence Temko. She used the word kirigami in the title of her book, Kirigami, the Creative Art of Papercutting, 1962. The book was so successful that the word kirigami was accepted as the name for the art of paper cutting. In Japan, the word kirigami had been in use for a long time because "kiru” means to cut, and “gami” means paper. So, kirigami meant to cut paper.
Here are some examples of advanced Kiragami models.
Most people will remember making kirigami paper snowflakes. Paper snowflakes have six sections because the paper is folded in half and then thirds.
Here are some tips:
Practice and experiment with different designs. You need to do it to get an idea of what looks nice and what looks basic. Sit down, try it, and experiment. That’s the best way.
Use thin paper. Folded layers of paper become thick and difficult to cut. Thin paper, like origami paper is easier to cut and therefore will allow you to make detailed designs.
Fold the paper differently to change the symmetry. You can have
* 4-fold symmetry (fold in half and then half again),
* 6-fold symmetry (fold in half, then into thirds),
* 8-fold symmetry (fold in half, then into quarters),
* 12-fold symmetry (fold in half, then into thirds, and then fold in half again).
At this level, thin paper is a must. Keep in mind that real snowflakes have a six-fold symmetry and sometimes a 12-fold symmetry. If you fold the paper into four or eight sections, it shouldn't be called a snowflake anymore.Make lots of small cuts instead of a few large cuts. More cuts will give a more lacier look.
Make long cuts that go deep towards the other side of the paper. This will give you an elegant design instead of the chunky kindergartener look. Be careful though, too much cutting will cause the entire snowflake to fall apart.