Create Chigirie: Tuesday Chigirie Tip

To Cut or Not To Cut

Are you breaking the rules if you use scissors in torn paper collage art?

Some Chigirie masters say yes and some say no.

Create Chigirie when you want gorgeous watercolor-like art. Chigirie is often mistaken for watercolor paintings because when the paper is blended, it resembles a painting.

When you’re working with tiny pieces of paper and tearing is next to impossible, should you use a scissor?

Don’t hesitate to use small scissors to trim your paper to your liking.

Take note of the windows in the Sturbridge Village Chigirie I created many years ago. The windows needed additional details above and beyond the window frames. In order to make the windows stand out from the black paper, I cut those fine strips of white paper. There’s no way I could have torn the paper.

Create Chigirie with large and tiny pieces of paper. Should you cut or attempt to tear your paper regardless of the size? Keep small scissors on hand to trim the paper to your desired size.

Are there other exceptions when you’ll want to cut rather than tear? Not all Washi and other varieties of paper you’ll use are easy to tear. Some will contain small flecks or fibers that are intentionally embedded in the paper that will prevent you from tearing large pieces. Rather than toss the unused pieces in the trash, you can use them for trim and other details.

Learn how to customize your paper to suit your needs when you join my members-only Facebook group. Sign up here today.