Swans Together

Swans are beautiful and majestic creatures and their image is often used to communicate feelings of love, togetherness, being bound together. Swans pair up for life and are devoted to each other. Their bond has been emphasised in this piece by having their necks entwined where the paper has actually been manipulated to create the 3D embracing effect. Swans are elegant and are predominantly white, with a recognisable shape, therefore they have been stylised in this piece using clean lines. The swans take centre stage and their colourful, detailed surroundings envelope and support their presence.
 
The artwork has been precisely hand-made using layers of cut, pearlescent and coloured papers to form a bas-relief on every surface. The differing papers have been selected to add emphasis to the various parts of the design. The pearlescent gold paper is particularly effective, bringing out the various colours and shapes beautifully.

Working with paper allowed it to be bent to create a more dynamic form on the swans’ necks, and the water section in the foreground, generating an attractive shadow effect and giving the swans a sense of place. Acrylic paint has been used on all coloured aspects of the artwork, as those colours are not easily found in coloured papers and they needed to be tonally appropriate.

All sections of this design have been layered and built up to different heights, using model making techniques.  This emphasises the various parts of the design, plays with the idea of light, depth and shadow, elevating a potentially flat design into a far more involved piece.

Limited editions of 5

Handmade relief paper cut art mounted onto acid-free 500gsm mounts

12" x 12" x 1" (30 x 30 x 3 cm) gallery quality black / white wooden frame from sustainably sourced UK forests 

UV-protective glass with hard-board backs, professional hanging system and authenticity labelling

Professionally packaged in sturdy recycled cardboard boxes 15" x 15" x 2" (38 x 38 x 5 cm)

UK Shipping 5 - 7 days / International Shipping 10 - 14 days