Glimpsecraft — Paper Illustrator, India

Glimpscraft is an artist who paints with paper – literally – and has developed a creative technique that’s so unique people can’t help but look on in wonder. No software. No AI fakery. This is an illustrator who creates by hand, cutting strips of coloured paper and turning them into stunning artworks that mimic brushstrokes. Each finished piece is tangible, tactile, textured and three-dimensional – a sculpture and a picture at the same time.

It’s a technique that has developed through years of exploration and experimentation. Glimpsecraft – AKA Priyanka Vaya – has gone from sketching and painting to paper crafting, evolving her practice and establishing a style nobody else is working in. Instead of traditional paints, she has transformed paper into a painterly medium, using carefully shaped, layered paper strips, oriented in just the right way. Often, they look like brushstrokes, but Priyanka has honed her skills to cleverly recreate a variety of effects. Clients appreciate her attention to detail, and the fact that she can bring their ideas to life using simple materials, with a distinctive, handcrafted look. She’s inspired by artists working across the spectrum of mixed media, but particularly by Eiko Ojala, whose use of paper to create shadow effects has influenced the Glimpsecraft approach. Priyanka is based in Gujarat, India.

Approach

Glimpscraft begins with the concept, focusing on the idea, what to create and how to execute it through the unique use of paper. She explores references, then sketches to plan the composition. Strips of paper or card – usually around 250gsm – are cut, folded, formed and glued into place as the image take shape.

Style

Textured paper illustration, blending sculptural elements with painterly effects to create vibrant, lush and detailed artworks with materiality and depth.