Illustration · Traditional craft, digital revival 2010s–present
Paper Cut
Layered paper silhouettes creating depth through stacked shapes and their cast shadows, with the visible physicality of cut and torn paper edges.
Live preview base style — press Wear
$2,100
Revenue, up 12% from last month.
| Customer | Plan | Status | MRR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwind | Studio | Active | $1,240 |
| Acme Labs | Team | Trial | $0 |
| Kaldi Coffee | Studio | Active | $860 |
Use this style 16 tokens
- --bg
oklch(90% 0.025 78) - --fg
oklch(16% 0.02 50) - --muted
oklch(42% 0.02 55) - --surface
oklch(97% 0.012 82) - --surface-2
oklch(93% 0.02 76) - --border
oklch(80% 0.02 72) - --accent
oklch(62% 0.14 42) - --accent-fg
oklch(99% 0 0) - --focus
oklch(62% 0.14 42)
| Token | Value |
|---|---|
| --font-body | 'Nunito', ui-rounded, system-ui, sans-serif |
| --font-display | 'Nunito', ui-rounded, system-ui, sans-serif |
| --font-mono | ui-monospace, monospace |
| --radius | 2px |
| --radius-sm | 2px |
| --shadow | 0 4px 12px -2px oklch(16% 0.02 50 / 0.22), 0 2px 0 oklch(16% 0.02 50 / 0.06) |
| --shadow-lg | 0 12px 36px -4px oklch(16% 0.02 50 / 0.28), 0 4px 0 oklch(16% 0.02 50 / 0.08) |
@import url('https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Nunito:wght@400;700;800;900&display=swap');
:root {
--bg: oklch(90% 0.025 78);
--fg: oklch(16% 0.02 50);
--muted: oklch(42% 0.02 55);
--surface: oklch(97% 0.012 82);
--surface-2: oklch(93% 0.02 76);
--border: oklch(80% 0.02 72);
--accent: oklch(62% 0.14 42);
--accent-fg: oklch(99% 0 0);
--focus: oklch(62% 0.14 42);
--font-body: 'Nunito', ui-rounded, system-ui, sans-serif;
--font-display: 'Nunito', ui-rounded, system-ui, sans-serif;
--font-mono: ui-monospace, monospace;
--radius: 2px;
--radius-sm: 2px;
--shadow: 0 4px 12px -2px oklch(16% 0.02 50 / 0.22), 0 2px 0 oklch(16% 0.02 50 / 0.06);
--shadow-lg: 0 12px 36px -4px oklch(16% 0.02 50 / 0.28), 0 4px 0 oklch(16% 0.02 50 / 0.08);
}Where it came from
Origin: Chinese and Japanese paper cutting traditions; Polish wycinanki; Matisse cut-outs
Paper cutting is a craft tradition in many cultures — Chinese jiǎnzhǐ, Polish wycinanki, Mexican papel picado. Henri Matisse's late-career cut-outs elevated it to high art. In digital design it became a distinctive alternative to flat illustration: stacking layers with depth shadows to simulate actual cut paper, using bold silhouettes with organic cut edges. Seasonal web illustrations and brand campaigns use it for warmth and handmade depth.
How to spot it
- Multiple stacked layers, each casting a soft shadow onto the one below
- Organic cut-paper edges with slight irregularity
- Bold silhouettes — shapes read at a distance
- Limited, flat palette per layer — no gradients within a single cut
Trade-offs
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| Strong sense of depth without 3D rendering | Requires careful layer management — gets complex quickly |
| Achievable with CSS box-shadow and clip-path alone | Not suitable for dense or data-heavy interfaces |
| Warm, handmade quality that reads as culturally rich | Cut-edge detail gets lost at small sizes |
In the wild
- Seasonal and holiday web illustrations
- Matisse-inspired brand illustration systems
- Children's publishing and educational product design
Use it when
The brand calls for warmth, craft, and cultural depth — and a layered, physical quality sets it apart from flat-first competitors.