Artwork by Andrew Harner
Papercut art is having a moment in digital design. The tactile, 3D look can be found everywhere from advertisements to editorial illustration. But you don’t have to be a pro to achieve the popular aesthetic. This easy-to-use template by design studio Pixelbuddha quickly adds depth and texture to simple illustrations — all you have to do is cut and paste. (With your mouse and keyboard — no glue sticks required.) We asked art director Andrew Harner to create an original work with the Papercut Effect; the result is a colorful tiger illustration.
Andrew created his tiger using Adobe Photoshop’s Shape tool. “This style works best with simple shapes,” he says. You can work from reference images, breaking them down into their components: circles for eyes, triangles for animal ears, and so on. “Think about negative space,” Andrew suggests. “If you punch through like I did with the tiger’s eyes, what’s going to show underneath?”
The most important thing to remember is that you’ll want to use artwork that has a few layers. (Andrew grouped shapes of the same color on the same layer.) That’s how you get the depth, as each layer get its own shadow. If you don’t want to make your own artwork, you can source Photoshop-compatible layered artwork in Adobe Stock.
Use the link above to get the effect and read on to learn how to make your own paper-free papercut art.
STEP 1/5
Get your assets.
Use the Open in App link above to open the Papercut Effect file in Photoshop. Click the Add library link in the Resource box to add the Papercut layer styles to your library. When you open your Library panel (Window > Libraries) you should see it at the top of your libraries list.
STEP 2/5
Place your artwork.
You’ll see Andrew’s tiger when you open the file. Applying different styles and textures to it is a great way to try out the effect. (Check out the original in the Tiger Flat layer.)
To import your own artwork, open it in Photoshop and highlight the layers you want to bring over to the effect template by holding down the Shift key and clicking on the layers. Use Command+C to copy them, click back into the Papercut effect file, select the Paste Your Layers layer, and use Command+V to paste. (You may have to drag them into the folder.) Hide the tiger art by toggling off the Eye icon next to the Tiger Example folder, or delete it. TIP: If your artwork is in an Illustrator file, use the Selection tool to select your artwork, then copy it using Command+C. In the Papercut effect file use Command+V to paste, and when the Paste dialog box appears, select Layers, then Ok.
STEP 3/5
Customize the look.
Experiment with the 12 layer styles. The styles are what create depth and shadow, giving it that 3D look. Click on any layer, then click on one of the layer styles in the Library panel to apply it. You can mix and match styles, or you can apply the same to all layers.
STEP 4/5
Texturize.
Open the Texture layer folder and experiment with the 15 options there. The texture options create the tactile, paper-like effect. Apply and remove them by toggling the Eye icon next to each on and off. “It’s fun to try and combine a few of them for a different look,” says Andrew. “Each has a different finish; some have a little more coarseness to them.” Finally, change the background color by double-clicking the thumbnail in the Background Color layer, which will open the Color Picker, where you can choose a new hue.
STEP 5/5
Take it further.
If you want to customize your creation even further, you can adjust the shadows by clicking the arrow next to the fx icon to expand the layer effects. Double click on any of the shadow effects to open the Layer style panel. Adjusting the Opacity, angle, and distance will have the most dramatic effect.
ABOUT THE STUDIO
Pixelbuddha is a team of design enthusiasts who create high-end resources for creative professionals, artists, illustrators, and entrepreneurs. The studio’s main focus is mockups and various add-ons, including actions, effects, brushes, and layer styles.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Andrew Harner is an artist/designer, musician and outdoor enthusiast. The Southern California native spent his early career designing for brands in the action sports industry, leading to a long stint as an art director at Patagonia. He’s currently an Art Director for Aquent x Adobe Studio. For more from Andrew, visit his website and follow him @andrewharner.
