Mt. Fuji is Japan’s iconic mountain. Known and admired the world over, it was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site not as a natural site as one would expect, but as a cultural site due to its historical importance as a muse to artists of all kinds.
The snow-capped mountain has been depicted in every artistic medium you could imagine: wood-block prints, photos, video, stories and more. And now it’s been recreated in what may be my favorite form to date: 3D, laser-cut, 360-degree, miniature picture books!
The Japanese artist behind this unique creation, one Yusuke Ōno, won a Global Creative Award in the 2012 YouFab design contest, a competition which judges digitally fabricated designs (designs that utilize 3D printers, laser-cutters, etc). His 360-degree paper “book” of Mt. Fuji won the FreeFab category. It’s easy to see why:
▼40 intricately cut pages.
When all 40 paper pages of the book are fully opened, they reveal a 3D view of Mt. Fuji. Each page is individually cut with a laser cutter, allowing for intricate detail in the clouds and cranes that surround the mountain. Its beautiful detail perfectly captures the elegant ambiance of Mt. Fuji and Japanese craftsmanship all in one fell swoop.
▼ Look at the kind of detail you can achieve with a laser printer.
While the Mt. Fuji version is just a scenic view, the creator also offers three-dimensional storybooks, such as The Jungle Book and Snow White, among other beautiful laser-cut art. You can view the books at the artist’s profile on Loftwork, a website for artists to display their unique work to the world.
▼ A scene from the 3D, 360-degree book of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book.
Technology is quickly changing everyday life and even the art world, but it’s nice to see that the essence and inspiration for the art is staying close to home for many artists. I’m looking forward to the future of art, but for now, I would really like to find one of these 360-degree Mt. Fuji books in my stocking this holiday season (*hint hint*).
Source: Japaaan
Images: Loftwork (Yusuke Oono)