Your Creative Ideas Needed

How about hanging it on a blue or white wall as it would look in someones home (assuming that is how it can be used) letting the wall contrast with the dark paper cuts with coordinating accessories in brown,blue and white.

Another way (more involved) hanging it from a sheet of wood about the same size (stained white or natural) that has been mounted on the wall or sits on a shelf.

Thanks Suzanne, I tried that with a white wall but the shadow it created make it look too busy.

Lighting can be tricky, I think you may have to use two light sources, Rich Franco could help you with lighting issues using natural means or some simple light source. You can find Rich by looking up his name and messaging him, he loves to help with photography.

It works with the white fabric behind it, maybe do an outside entertainment vignette of outdoor chairs, table and the artwork hanging from a branch with the white hanging behind it. You could shoot a closeup without a lot of accessories in the picture. Rich would probably have some ideas about a vignette or ways to photograph it outside. Is there a wall or tall fence outside it could be hung on that is brick, wood or concrete you may not need the white backing.

I would think - uh oh - that if you hung it in front of a very indigo blue background with lighting that will not cause it to cast a shadow - a brightly lit room or put the work directly onto the background - would look spectacular. The color will still show - cause it will be lighter - and the contrast with the white that remains and the back will make it stand out.

and actually - I like it against that pale blue in the first photo

How about a gold wall background Alfred.It would make the cut-out pop out.

It is beautiful Alfred! I like Roy's idea of a dark blue background...very dramatic!

Thanks everyone for your ideas. I was more thinking how to show the cut out parts had been cut out in case some mistaken it was draw/paint on. So I think the shadow might be the way to go, just how much and how to control it.

All I have to say is WOW Alfred. That is absolutely amazing!

I am no professional at that type of thing but I do know as Suzanne mentioned, Rich Franco would be a good person to ask. I would think having a light source behind with a slightly different color background is a good idea like Roy mentioned, something slightly different than the color painted on the paper.

Good luck :)

here is another idea I came up with, I put a quarter inch between the paper and the backing which created some shadows

.

I would suggest casting the shadows against a crackled gold leaf backdrop, maybe with some brown paint lightly blended and mottled throughout giving it an aged look.
Would need to make sure that the contrast against the paper is maintained so not to confuse the intricacies of the cutout contours.
I dunno. Sounds cool to me.

Joe Burgess
jb-imagery.com

if you used a textured piece of glass, you can place that behind it and that should prevent the shadows. or diffuse it with tissue paper from behind. or place the whole thing in a stand, and place it on a large background. a spotlight shining through it, to create a shadow from the cut out on purpose.


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

If you want to go all out and spend some time and money... frame and then a sheer fabric in the color of your choice behind the cutout with soft backlighting,

Thank you, some very interesting ideas. I will try them tomorrow!

Alfred,

I would just photograph each piece under neutral lighting on white background and paste it digitally onto another scene - blue or beige blank walls, or even a sky.

Alfred,

I think the purpose for the photo should dictate how a photo is taken.

If it's to sell the original

I believe you were on the right track originally, using the sky as the background., emphasizing the amazingly beautiful cut-outs with a familiar background

It it's to sell POD

That's a whole different kettle of fish

The photo becomes more important than the original.

I would think by taking advantage of the cut-outs, a play of the piece with it's shadow may be the way to go ...That is, unless it becomes too busy

What I see that may be problematic, though, is the opaque portion

So, perhaps a straight on shadowless photo is the solution, with the intricate lacework quality of the original creating a beautiful photo.


I'm certain, Alfred with your fine tuned EYE...You'll come up with something truly compelling...As with all work, something we could never have imagined beforehand.

A bit of work, but if you have a pond or a beach nearby, or even a river so that you can see through the distance and around the image, I believe it would create a spectacular display that shows the cutout potions for what they truly are. Beautiful work Alfred.

I think the butterfly with coneflower works very well, just enough angled shadow to show the cutout without a confusing background so you can admire the cuts and the not cuts!

Alfred,

This is totally counter intuitive, but what about using a black paper background?

Hides the shadows and makes the main images look more powerful.

Careful with any lighting not to leave very slight splotches.

If you are making digital copies for sale on FAA/Pixels, you will not be directly selling the cutout effect.
You'd be selling a new image. So this could be a powerful way of doing it.

Dave

Roger, I think you knew what I was thinking of because as for POD I could only show one image of the paper cut and without additional image somehow it lost that delicacy of the cuts,
Recently, I sold an original of the watercolor/paper cut to a buyer in Australia and upon received the work she email me said she could only appreciated the paper cut after seeing it in person. ( which explains it is more difficult to sell on the web ) I done some research on the web how other paper cut artists present their works and no one came up with a more creative way. I framed some of them in shadow box frame which look great. I guess like they said, just had to see it in person!

Dave, the black would not work as most of the elements on the cut out parts are dark or black.

how about placing it on a white background of thin paper, having a bigger space between the paper and the cut out, than you did witht he butterfly one, and then lighting up the back paper, so that the shadow is more defined?

Alfred, I ran across this article a while ago and dug it out for you.... you might find some interesting ideas. http://www.designsinkart.com/library/M-PapercutMountingOptions200607.htm

For a personal choice, I like encapsulation, sandwiching between two layers of acrylic poly. It gives the art a 3D look.

btw, your art is amazing. If I was so lucky to own one of your works, I'd sandwich it first and mount it in an extra deep shadow box, with the backing semi-transparent and back lit. Stunning!

Cheers, Barbara

For showcasing the original (not for sale as POD) I really like the idea of the clothesline image. I think that shows off best that it is cut out. I would experiment with a bit softer look in the background, maybe just sky with clouds, or if you include foliage maybe just a little bit softer, less contrast in both color and a softer focus. These are amazing.

A video on YouTube where you can show the work in 3D by going around it and seeing the background change would be awesome.

Alfred,

How about a very deep dark red.

Dave

Thanks everyone for the interesting ideas.
Barbara, I read that article but don't think I wanted to mount the paper cut on another piece of paper somehow it just lost the point of the cutting. I like your encapsulation idea for framing, I think I would mat it to protect the painting and replacing the backing with a plexiglass and hang it in front of the window would be awesome!
I email Rich Franco and he gave me some great ideas how to photograph them. I just have to wait for a sunny day, it been raining all day here.

Alfred...I didn't read all the posts...but I just wanted to say...
great idea...very cool!! ;)...and....
I use to show in a gallery with an artist who did things like this...when you see it I think you'll see how it relates to photographing your work and why i posted it.

In my professional opinion, you need to use a single large light source like a window sans direct sunlight or a large studio softbox. Varying the relative size of the softbox (aka going closer or farther away from the light source) would allow you to control how hard the edge of the shadow is it creates, and thus show the depth and cutouts in a pleasing way.

Thank you Lawrence! it is very cool which make me rethink how I should display them.

Thomas, I don't have much in term of professional lighting I did try to shoot from the window with the light coming from behind the result was interesting but I lost some color of the painting. I will experiment with outdoor setting on a sunny day.

You're welcome... ;)
yeah, you can hang them with thin rods or fishing line from ceiling (line will cause them to move) or attach them to a stand...the results on the wall will be the same, once a light source is used and artwork is the desired distance away from wall.

you can even put them in a box with depth....and hang on wall like a painting