This Octopus Was Hand-Cut From A Single Sheet Of Paper

Imagine the hours the artist spent in carving or cutting out the small details for this intricately-detailed octopus paper art! Japanese artist Masayo Fukuda has been practicing the traditional art of paper cutting, also known as Kirie for 25 years. The art form involves cutting detailed pieces from a single sheet of white paper and contrasting it against a black background:

At first glance, the beautiful artwork looks as though it was rendered using fine-tipped pens, but Fukuda carefully cut every detail from one sheet of paper. The elaborate depiction details the majestic sea animal’s rounded body, bulging eyes, and 8 long arms. Various textured sections look like pieces of delicate patterned lace, such arm suckers that resemble ornamental doilies and decorative swirling patterns on the head. The mesmerizing artwork celebrates the beauty of the fascinating species, who are known to change their skin color and texture within seconds to match their surroundings.

You can see Fukuda’s stunning Kirie designs up-close at Miraie Gallery in Osaka from April 24 through April 30, 2019. If you can’t make it to Japan, you can check out more of the artist’s impressive creations on Instagram.