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Shobhna Patel profile photo

Hello

I am a freelance illustrator based in North Lincolnshire, UK. I specialise in all things paper!

After graduating, I have enjoyed working as an illustrator on editorial, promotional, advertising, and publishing commissions.

My paper art sculptures and illustrations are intricate and innovative. I love experimenting with different textures and colours within my illustrations and I thoroughly enjoy the problem-solving that goes into the engineering of the paper sculptures.

Shobhna Patel photo

Commissions

I would love to discuss any private or corporate commissions. Please feel free to email your enquiry to:
info@shobhnapatel.com

The design and creation is always a collaborative process; I can work closely with you from concept to creation and advise on paper weights and finishes. I work instinctively with paper and focus on attention to detail. For most projects, I work with my hands and utilise a range of paper-sculpting techniques, such as cutting, folding, curling and tearing, to bring the paper to life!

Shobhna Patel photo

Workshops

I relish sharing my knowledge and teaching my skills to others. As a tutor, I have taught workshops in paper art and bookbinding at various locations, art institutions and schools in the UK. I have also delivered workshops via Zoom to international students.

I am available throughout the year to teach creative workshops for arts venues, schools, team building and events. Please send me an email to discuss: info@shobhnapatel.com

Follow my work and classes on social media


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FAQs

I specialise in paper-cutting and paper-engineering. Paper-cutting is a method of creating illustrations with paper, by cutting designs into a sheet of paper with a scalpel or scissors (I prefer to use a scalpel as it allows more freedom of movement). The end result has a very intricate and dainty charm and when photographed can cast beautiful shadows.

Paper-engineering on the other hand is a method of creating sculpture-like forms with paper. The end result of paper-engineering is a smart, 3D paper object, which can also be cleverly engineered to create movement, open and close, become longer and shorter or convert into another shape.
Paper is such a versatile material, the possibilities with what you can create with paper are endless, e.g. it can be cut up and stuck together, embossed, turned into a 3D object, mulched down and reformed into something entirely different. It can be curled, torn, folded, fringed, pleated, looped, rolled and so much more!
The time it takes from initial sketches/ideas to the finished piece can vary on every project but as a rough guide, larger papercuts e.g. A1 size, can take anywhere between 7-10 days to create depending on how intricately detailed they are. A paper-engineered pop-up/sculpture can take a few days to construct. There is a very important process of experimenting and testing that goes into each piece of paper-engineering.

With both papercuts and paper-engineered pop-ups/sculptures, the creative process involves initial sketches/ideas, an experimental stage of creating, testing and editing prototypes, before a final finished piece is produced.
During my time at university I was inspired to experiment with paper because of the incredible artwork I'd seen by Rob Ryan and Su Blackwell. I initially started working with paper during my second year at university when I dabbled in book arts and I created a sculpture out of an existing book. This spurred me on to work more with paper! In my final year at university I went on to create an entirely papercut concertina book featuring poetry by a final year Creative Writing degree student.
I've always been creative, since I was very little. Throughout my secondary education I loved and excelled in Design Technology. During this time I was always told by teachers that I had a natural artistic talent which I must pursue.

After my A-Levels, I studied BTEC Foundation Diploma in Art and Design. During this course, my passion for art and design flourished, and as I started pushing my creative abilities, I realised how important a career in the creative industry was to me.
I enjoy sewing, embroidery, baking and reading.