As was the case with the previous paper art creations, I already knew, ahead of time, what I wanted to make to represent something poisonous. I decided on a cauldron with poison stew and a spell book that would show exactly what it was.

I began by drawing out my pot. I then decided what areas of the pot needed to have extra layers to have more dimension. Once I decided that, I drew them out, cut them, and attached them to the pot.

It should be noted that I am never worried about being too perfect or precise when it comes to drawing out and cutting objects that aren’t people. I figure it doesn’t have to be perfect to look like the object or convey the overall look I am going for. I just want to make sure I have the right size.

For these particular pieces, I decided I wanted a lot of semi-transparent paper. I felt that regular cardstock paper wouldn’t do for certain parts of this piece. I knew it would look a lot better with semi-transparent paper that would shine light through it once the pieces are placed in the light box.

Semi-transparent paper is a bit harder to work with, because it rips more easily and the glue, or any mistakes made, are a lot more visible. I often use tape when I can, but glue is best to hold everything in place more permanently. I was very pleased with the overall look of the piece and the extra glow that semi-transparent paper adds. For the rest of the pieces, I colored them with marker to add shade and light and give it all a bit more definition.

For the book, I simply cut out three different layers that were pretty similar in shape and size, but each piece was thinner and longer than the last. Obviously the book cover part was the largest and shortest and the main page the book is open to, is the smallest, but longest. To give the book the look of an old and worn book, I simply painted the pieces of the main pages with a darker shade of brown and the rest of the pages with a more yellowy tone.

Overall, I feel like these two pieces, particularly the cauldron, have been the most successful at depicting the look I was going for. However, I do think once I have all the pieces completed, that I will have to make both the book and the cauldron smaller. But that shouldn’t be too hard to do. I can simply cut the bottom parts a bit and adjust accordingly, if needed.

Have you ever worked with semi-transparent paper? If so, do you have any tips on how to get the best use out of it?

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