Scherenschnitte: Designs and Techniques for the Traditional Craft of Papercutting

Provides instructions for making cut paper designs in the style of European folk art

Scherenschnitte, as its name implies, is a popular folk art form in German-speaking countries, although the craft had its origins in China and spread to many countries in Asia and Europe. Paper snowflakes cut from folded paper are the simple forms that most people know, and Schlapfer-Geiser's practice exercises resemble these. However, true scherenschnitte becomes much more complex, with elaborate scenes resembling paper lace consisting of large branching trees, animals, and human figures. Variations such as paper cutouts applied to eggs and silhouettes are also included in this comprehensive guide to cutting and mounting scherenschnitte. For most collections.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Today's new crafts invariably are based on old techniques slightly altered for modern tastes and technologies. One technique that has survived through literally centuries of neglect is paper cutting, or scherenschnitte, a seemingly uncomplicated art practiced by the Chinese since A.D. 750--if not earlier. Through the skilled hands and adroit instructions of Swiss cutter Schlapfer-Geiser, it all appears quite simple to do. She patiently explains even the minutest of details of fine scissoring, from simple folds to pasting cuts on eggs, but in few words and with many black-and-white drawings (which also show directions for both right-handers and left-handers). And although no actual projects are featured in the traditional step-by-step format one might expect, there are more than 48 pages of scherenschnitte samples to copy and snip, as well as a small gallery of famous "paper surgeons." Barbara Jacobs