The Amazing Stuff

When he’s not working for an advertising agency, photographer Rich McCor is turning the world into a more entertaining place with the help of a few paper cutouts. Placed in front of landmarks, they turn everyday street scenes into charming, witty photos.

McCor got the idea after joining Instagram.

He was tired of taking ordinary photos, so he decided to start a clever Instagram series.

He started adding amusing cutouts to famous scenes and totally transforming them.

Here, the Eiffel Tower is ready for takeoff!

Initially, McCor challenged himself to do ten cutout photos around London, creating different compositions for each one. Coming up with clever ideas was a bit difficult, but the images quickly gained popularity on Instagram.

He also says that the process was extremely fun and rewarding, since he created awesome photos while also learning more about major landmarks and interacting with passersby.

This photo, for example, earned him the praise of a 10-year-old girl.

He can find inspiration in just about anything.

Of course, all of this planning and shooting makes McCor’s vacations a little different from the average traveler’s. “I am probably the worst sort of person to go on holiday with,” he jokes. “I’m constantly taking photos and tracking down ideas.” Still, he enjoys learning about every city he visits. This collection allows him to see popular landmarks from a whole new perspective.

He’s already created a ton of images, but he has no intentions of stopping!

You can see more of McCor’s cutout photos on Instagram, as well as a few more traditional travel pictures.

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You could say that the artwork of Nikolai Tolstyh is collaborative, since he uses the natural beauty around him to color his pieces — and we mean that literally.

Tolstyh cuts out the silhouettes of various animals from white paper, and then hunts down the perfect backdrops to fill them in.

He usually chooses backgrounds that resemble the natural coloring of the animal.

He used fallen leaves to mimic the feathers of this little owl.

Pockmarked wood is reminiscent of this beaver’s favorite pastime.

By placing the outlines over natural backgrounds, Tolstyh invites us to see our surroundings in a totally new way.

The idea is relatively simple, and Tolstyh says that he’s inspired by the beauty of nature, as well as by the practice of turning one thing into something else entirely. “I was inspired by nature,” he says, “and its colors [and] unusual textures. If you use your imagination, you can easily see a fox in [a] yellow bush and [a deer in tree branches].”

Depending on where he holds the paper, the images change in color, texture, and pattern.

The possibilities are endless!

By peering at the world through a cutout, we see things in a whole new light.

Tolstyh’s art challenges us to take stock in things that we normally take for granted.

(via My Modern Met)

You can see more of Tolstyh’s cutouts, as well as plenty of beautiful photos from his walks through nature, on Instagram.

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Using only paper and light, Harikrishna Panickerof and Deepti Nair, the artists who make up Hari & Deepti, create stunning, mystical worlds.

By carefully cutting out layers of paper and arranging them into three-dimensional settings, they create richly textured worlds. Add some light behind them, and the paper layers take on an otherworldly glow, casting shadows that make the scenes come to life.

Originally hailing from Denver, the artist duo and real-life couple recently relocated to Mumbai, and have just installed their first European show in Oslo, Norway.

Their shows are held in darkened galleries that are only lit by the works themselves. The effect is ethereal and engaging.

Even without light, the dioramas are impressive.

Despite the stark whiteness of the paper, these designs are intricate and detailed.

The pair likes working with paper because of its nearly endless possibilities. According to the artists, “Paper is brutal in its simplicity as a medium. It demands the attention of the artist while it provides the softness they need to mold it into something beautiful. It is playful, light, colorless, and colorful. It is minimal and intricate.”

This project was created with Norwegian advertising company Anorak for Starbucks and Fairtrade Norge.

While many of their topics are mystical scenes, they appreciate pop culture, too.

This shot shows the amount of painstaking work that goes into each project.

(via Colossal)

You can see much more of this creative couple’s work on Facebook and Instagram. They also have a website in the works, so be sure to check back in a bit and see the completed site!

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John Duncan loves living in Charleston, South Carolina, because of all the beautiful historical buildings in the area. Not only do they give the city character, but they also inspire Duncan’s artwork.

Duncan creates unbelievably accurate miniature models of homes, churches, and public buildings, and the only things he uses to do so are paper and a knife. Although they look like they were made with a computer, everything you see here was made by hand.

First, Duncan decides which house or building he wants to recreate, and takes some reference photos.

He draws up detailed plans, just like you would when designing a home.

He then cuts out all the components of the structure using papers of varying thickness.

For the amount of detail in these pieces, they’re actually quite small. They’re normally about 20 inches wide.

The main elements are cut from thick paper, while the smaller details are cut from thinner, more delicate material.

Each measurement needs to be precise so that every piece fits together properly.

There are a ton of individual parts.

“No detail is overlooked. From louvered shutters to and individual bricks, an exact replica of the building is built piece by piece,” Duncan says.

Duncan uses watercolors to add the finishing touches.

If you didn’t know better, you might think that this was a photo of a real house!

He even added sand to wet paint to create the appearance of stucco.

The landscaping makes it look even more realistic.

Each leaf, petal, and blade of grass is individually cut out and painted.

It’s serious labor!

Duncan estimates that there are usually about 1,500 leaves on a typical tree.

He even makes every single flower by hand!

Here’s the finished product.

Duncan says that projects like this will usually take about 250 hours to complete.

Duncan’s work has been recognized across the country, and he’s been commissioned to recreate many iconic buildings, including Charleston’s St. Michael’s Church. You can see many more of these creations on his website.

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