Three artists who work with paper

If you’ve ever fallen in love with the beautiful heaps of blank paper displayed in stationers and art shops, you’ll understand why some artists choose to work with paper directly, rather than simply using it as a canvas. It’s an incredibly versatile material, seen in everything from delicate papercuts to large-scale installations. Here are three of my favourite paper artists to give you a taster.

Isabella de Borchgrave is a Belgian artist and sculptor, best known for her stunningly intricate paper costumes and gowns. She recreates textiles and fabric in amazingly accurate detail.

Paper costumes of three brigands from the ballet Daphnis and Chloë (1912), initially designed by Léon Bakst. Made in March 2009. Photo : René Stoeltie, from Isabelle de Borchgrave's website.

Paper wedding dress of Jackie Kennedy, permanently exhibited at the Memorial Kennedy in Boston (since 2004). Dimensions : 120 cm x 100 cm x 165 cm. Photo : Ghislain David de Lossy, from Isabelle de Borchgrave's website

Su Blackwell is a London-based artist who works predominantly with paper, creating exquisite 3D papercut scenes from books, often based on fairy tales and folklore.

Art by Su Blackwell

Wuthering Heights by Su Blackwell

Julie Dodd is a UK installation and 3D artist who uses discarded paper as her material, often highlighting environmental issues.

Julie Dodd, Blood Cells

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