Paper Dragon (MET TTP 2018)

Paper Dragon, photo: Ayla Pilsworth [image info]

7. Paper Dragon

For the toy project, I set out to create a unique collectable toy that emanated the admirable craftsmanship of Japanese paper art, something that is deeply embedded within the traditional Japanese lifestyle and culture. I liked the idea of something conventionally thought of as two-dimensional becoming something physical and three-dimensional.

I chose to make a dragon after being influenced by Chinese dragon dances performed during Chinese New Year. These giant animated puppets brought enjoyment to all who saw them, tiny children and fully-grown adults taken by the lifelike role-play unfurling between the mystical creatures.

The fact that these giant flimsy-looking structures could seem so real pushed me to make my small paper dragon animate by making the main frame of the body in a similar style to a slinky, giving the body a spring like flexibility.

The dragon puppet can either be hung from above or placed on long poles to be operated, the nature of the paper making it possible to transition between both. I chose to use common colours used within Japanese paper art, the reds and oranges imbuing the fiery character of the dragon onto the user. For me though, the real magic happens when the toy is lit properly, casting fantastical shadows on the walls and allowing the dragon to come to life during play.

External links

• Dragon Dance (wikipedia.org)