Japanese Artist Creates Intricate Paper Sculptures Of Creatures As Small As A Grain Of Rice

Japanese artist paper sculptures

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From crustaceans to insects, Japanese artist Toshiaki Kawasaki creates intricately beautiful paper sculptures modelled after a range of creatures. These sculptures are exceedingly lifelike and do not look like they were crafted from paper at all. 

Some of his sculptures are so tiny that they are comparable to a single grain of rice! His incredible work has landed him many opportunities to present his art at museums and exhibitions.

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Original and artistic interpretations

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Kawasaki often creates his own artistic interpretation of the creature that he is modelling after, but still maintains its recognisable qualities.

Image credit: @garyukirigami

Though seemingly simple at first glance, these multi-coloured skeletal fish whose tails are finely cut add complexity and depth to the design. The slightly translucent quality of the fish also greatly enhances its watercolour effects.

Image credit: @garyukirigami

Kawasaki also models his paper sculptures after insects, which are extremely detailed and realistic.

Besides basing his art on the appearance of creatures itself, Kawasaki also takes inspiration from the creation of life. In particular, the hatching of praying mantis larvae from their egg sac.

Image credit: 我流切紙人＠ペーパーアーティスト

With hundreds of larvae bursting forth from the egg sac, Kawasaki’s sculpture vividly captures the imagery of the emergence of the praying mantis larvae. 

The realistic portrayal is enough to make one feel icky when staring at the photo for too long, as the sheer number of larvae itself is rather unsettling.

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Miniature sculptures that are the size of a grain of rice

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If you’re impressed by Kawasaki’s craft so far, wait till you see his miniature work. 

Image credit: @garyukirigami

The size of the paper scorpion that he sculpted is almost comparable to a single grain of rice. We can only imagine the amount of effort required to produce something so minuscule yet detailed.

Some of his other miniature works also include mini centipedes and baby orchid mantises, which, despite their size, are also incredibly realistic.

Image credit: @garyukirigami

Image credit: @garyukirigami

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Japanese artist exhibits and sells his works

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Kawasaki’s work is often featured in museums and exhibitions. For instance, his praying mantis larvae and egg sac sculpture was featured in the Tokyo Insect Exhibition on 7th December 2021.

If you are currently in Japan and would love to visit one of these exhibitions, follow his Twitter or check his blog for the latest updates on his upcoming exhibitions.

He is also currently selling tote bags, notebooks, stickers, and mugs with beautiful butterfly designs here. If you would like to purchase his paper sculptures, feel free to drop him a message on Twitter, as he does limited made-to-order items as well.

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Japanese artist inspires us with his paper sculptures

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We may not be able to reach Kawasaki’s level of skill, but his amazing craftsmanship certainly inspires us all. Instead of creating paper sculptures, perhaps a more achievable hobby would be origami. Who knows, you may even become a master paper craftsman one day.

Also check out:

• Japanese artist creates miniature models of rooms in walls
• Japanese artist recreates miniature Tokyo Olympics
• Japanese artist turns cardboard boxes into art sculptures
• Japanese clay artist turns iconic animal memes into mini sculptures
• Japanese baking artist creates Totoro

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Cover image adapted from: @garyukirigami