PAPERCUTTING.art
Jack B. Du
Advisor: Yuliya Parshina-Kottas
Across continents and millennia, people have cut paper to tell stories, celebrate life, and express culture. PAPERCUTTING.art explores how a digital tool can reinterpret this age-old folk art as a space for creativity, connection, and cultural reflection.
Project Description
PAPERCUTTING.art is a web-based vector-graphics design tool that simulates the tactile experience of cutting paper. With virtual scissors, anyone can explore, experiment with, and create custom paper-cutting pieces. These can then be exported in digital formats for sharing or as printable templates to be cut by hand. Inspired by the artist’s childhood memories of making papercuts with his mother and her enduring love for the medium, the project reimagines that sensory joy and intimacy in digital form. Just as physical paper-cutting artworks are often displayed or gifted to express appreciation and celebrate special moments, PAPERCUTTING.art offers people from different cultural backgrounds a way to connect through the shared act of making and giving.
Technical Details
Custom geometry library:
Handles virtual cutting logic, tracks paths, and updates shape data for consistent on-screen behavior and export.
Rendering:
Graphics are rendered on canvas using p5.js for live interaction. A custom SVG renderer mirrors the same geometry for vector output. Additional p5.js logic is used to generate animated videos and printable templates.
Exporting:
Image: Image: Exported using p5.js built-in functions (PNG and other formats).
Vector: Custom SVG exporter.
Video: Captured with p5.capture (MP4, WebM, etc.).
JSON: Custom format for saving and reloading editable papercuts.
Deployment:
Built with Vite and deployed on Netlify.
For more details, visit the project on GitHub.
