Title: Paper Dandy's Horrorgami
Author: Marc Hagan-Guirey
Publisher: Laurence King Publisher
Genre: Non Fiction, Creative Arts
Release Date: 1st September 2015
BLURB from Goodreads
Paper Dandy's Horrorgami features 20 kirigami (cut-and-fold) designs based around haunted houses and scenes from horror films by the creator of the successful Horrorgami blog and exhibition. Each project features step-by-step instructions and a template that you remove from the book. You then follow the lines on the template, cutting and folding to make your own kirigami model. All you need is a scalpel, a cutting mat and a ruler. Clear cutting tips help you with the tricky stages and give you an order in which to complete your work, while photos of the finished model show you the final design. Suitable for folding experts and beginners alike, Paper Dandy's Horrorgami makes the perfect Halloween activity.
Goodreads Link
PURCHASE LINKS
ABOUT THE PUBLISHER
Laurence King Publishing became established in 1991 and is considered one of the world's leading creative arts book publishers. Their books are commended for their inventiveness, beautiful design and authoritative texts.
WHAT IS KIRIGAMI?
So I guess these days most people have heard of Origami, the art of paper folding and may have even had a go at doing it. Kirigami is the Japanese technique of making intricate pop-up scenes out of a single sheet of paper. The world’s leading Kirkigami artist is Marc Hagan-Guirey, aka Paper Dandy. His book Horrorgami: 20 Gruesome Scenes to Cut and Fold is a truly fascinating new book based on Marc’s sell-out Horrorgami show in London that took place last year. This book is aimed at both newcomers to the art of Kirigami aa well as more experienced fans of this new art. The book contains ‘cut out and keep’ scenes from cult horror films such as Dracula, Frankenstein, Sleepy Hollow and King Kong for you to recreate and is packed full of incredible photographs of Marc’s intricate, spooky cut outs – Kirkigami is the Japanese technique of making intricate pop-up scenes out of a single sheet of paper.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
MARC HAGAN-GUIREY
AKA PAPER DANDY
Marc Hagan-Guirey is the United Kingdom's leading kirigami paper artist and he is also a successful design director. Marc say's he can trace his fascination with horror films all the way back to the Halloween of 1992, when he accidentally tuned into a "mokumntary" called Ghostwatch on BBC. After his neighbour found him sobbing with fear on his doorstep, Marc described the TV programme as the "most traumatic" TV he had ever seen! In March 2012 Marc left his post as Head Of Design for a Soho based advertising agency to concentrate on kirigami. Marc's first exhibition made International headlines as well as attracting the attention of BBC Online, Wired, Time Out and Creative Review.
Title: Paper Dandy's Horrorgami
Author: Marc Haga-Guirey
Publisher: Laurence King Publisher
Genre: Non Fiction, Creative Arts
Release Date: 1st September 2015
BLURB from Goodreads
Paper Dandy's Horrorgami features 20 kirigami (cut-and-fold) designs based around haunted houses and scenes from horror films by the creator of the successful Horrorgami blog and exhibition. Each project features step-by-step instructions and a template that you remove from the book. You then follow the lines on the template, cutting and folding to make your own kirigami model. All you need is a scalpel, a cutting mat and a ruler. Clear cutting tips help you with the tricky stages and give you an order in which to complete your work, while photos of the finished model show you the final design. Suitable for folding experts and beginners alike, Paper Dandy's Horrorgami makes the perfect Halloween activity.
PURCHASE LINKS
INITIAL THOUGHTS
I was asked to review this book by Midas PR, and thought it would possible make a great book to check out around Halloween! I didn't quite know what to expect from the book, would it be a list of instructions with a few pictures or what it would involve within the book, so I was looking forward to finding out more about the book and the actual craft of paper folding. I have had books on origami and done a little of it with my daughter when she was younger.
MY REVIEW
As I explained somewhat in my "Initial Thoughts" this book was brought to my attention by Midas PR, though I have to say it is the type of book I would pick up in a book store to look at. So I was actually sent a paperback copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The cover is done in several shades of blue, so giving the illusion of a dark but moonlit night. The only downside about the cover to me is the sticker on the cover which informs you how many designs are in the book. Personally I would have preferred the sticker not to be there at all and either the information be actually printed somewhere on the cover or on the inside front cover instead. So would the cover make me pick this book up from a bookstore shelf? Yes, I think the book cover is attractive and certainly catches your eye making you want to pick up the book and look inside it.
As the sticker on the front cover says the book contains "20 Gruesome Scenes to cut and fold" So looking through the book the first scenes look to be the easier ones in the back becoming gradually more intricate and complicated as you work your way through the book. The first thing you actually come to within the book is the Introduction which explains a little about the art of paper folding and cutting from the author and how he has combined some of his favourite hobbies and craft skills within the pages of this book. The reader is also given the correct name for this craft which is Kirigami = the art of paper cutting and folding. When I originally saw this book I actually had jumped to the conclusion that is was based solely on origami and the art of folding. The next information section in the book gives a list and explanation for each item needed to carry out this fascinating craft under the heading of "How To Use This Book" . This section also lists and explains the different folds you will need to use throughout the book such as the Mountain and Valley folds, Marking mountain scores and Progressive folds. The next page has more folding technique instructions along with images showing you what they look like. Then you go straight on to Design 01 That Thing under The Stairs, there's a description about where the inspiration came from for this scene which is quite detailed, then a large image of what the finished scene should look like when done, next there are the instructions along with the small images of the folding and cutting needed for re-creating the scene yourself as well as a pull out sheet that is all marked out for you to build the scene yourself. This way of explanation/description, then finished scene picture followed by the instructions & images with the "how to do" along with the pull out sheet to use for you to physically build the scene from scratch.
As I said there are 20 Designs that range from the beginners, 01 That Thing under The Stairs, and 02 Crypt Creeping to a more mid level selection of 07 The Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow, 10 Farmhouse Bloodbath, and 12 The Werewolf (which is the scene pictured on the front cover of the book. Then of course there are also the more intricate designs of 15 Dr Frankenstein's Laboratory, 18 Dracula's Castle, and finally 20 Monster Attack. The scenes are truly beautiful and I would think most people would happily display these with immense pride upon completing them.
So what sort of people would buy this book? Well anyone could buy it as a gift, maybe for Halloween for a child or grandchild instead of candy. Or a great gift to find within your Christmas or Birthday Presents. Though I think the quality of the book, it's pages and the intricacy of the designs would appeal to children and adults alike. My daughter always loved origami and she is going to test out one or two of the designs for me. So I will be revisiting this book to let you all know how she coped with the fine detailing and patience for this.
What sort of people would this book appeal to? Someone with lots of patience who love's crafting, doing things such as decoupage, card-making or perhaps even crocheting. Having said that I think this book would suit both male & female "crafter's".
What age group would it be suitable for? I'd say due to the the whole patience and intricacy needed to re-create the scenes it would be suitable for older children or as I said above adults.
So I've covered a lot of positives about the book, did I find any negatives? Well the print size within the book was definitely too small for me even read with my glasses! which I think is a great shame as I would think this could be the case for many people who would love and enjoy this book. I really wanted to read through the whole Introduction, about the art of Kirigami and how Marc put the book together and how he came up with the idea's for the individual designs as well as why/how he began doing this detailed artistry. The thing is there is plenty of empty space that could have been put to better use by making the writing a more readable font size.
A negative my daughter mentioned was she would have hated pulling out the page to do the design as when she was younger she would have thought it would have "spoilt" the book and defaced it in a way. Maybe the templates could have been all together in a separate booklet or as individual cards, however I personally fell that perhaps that would have ruined the flow of the book a little.
Is there anything else I can say about the book? My daughter also thought it would be a great idea to have an online resource to download more templates, or perhaps a DVD with the book that has more templates on it. I have to admit the instructions are a little vague upon first reading them for a complete Kirigami novice, and I'd say that it takes lots and lots of patience and a certain level of skill to attempt to re-create the scenes. There was certainly a level of frustration in the air as my 19yr old daughter and I attempted 01 That Thing under The Stairs the apparently easiest scene to recreate in the book!
FINAL THOUGHTS
So did I enjoy the book? From an artistic, creative point of view this book truly is beautiful, and a treasure trove of scenes to recreate yourself.
Would I recommend the book? Yes, for older children, or that person in your life who has everything and loves creating things, perhaps the "card-maker" in the family could convert some of the techniques and use them in their other crafting too! I also think that at the price of just £12.95 (price correct at time of reviewing) this book is well worth the price too. I purposely didn't look at the price of the book before checking to see the cost. I admit I thought it would have been much more expensive! Personally I thinks its a reasonable cost to try a new hobby! An ideal book for Halloween!
Would I want another book of this genre? I think, being totally honest here, that for me another book would have more "beginners" "easier" scenes to recreate to slowly build up to the more intermediary and difficult templates and scenes.
Would I be interested in trying any other such artistic books? Yes, I love discovering new past times and hobbies.
