So simple yet so gorgeous! Our papercut heron artwork is inspired by Asian motifs of birds in garden ponds. So not only is it a beautiful piece of art to look at, but it also gives off a very soothing and serene vibe.

You can make this DIY project in no time at all with the help of your cutting machine, which we do recommend using for intricate cuts like this one. Otherwise you are always welcome to cut your paper by hand using our printable template.

Heron you heard? Making your own art is easy!

Similar to some of our other framed art, Krista designed this papercut heron artwork to fit a 9×9 shadow box frame. She also used a combination of solid colors and our own frosted paper. This gives it a bit of shimmer as well as some depth.

This is a quick and easy craft project, but be sure to let us know if you have any questions! We’d love to see your version, so feel free to share photos on Instagram with the hashtag #MadeWithLia or on our Facebook page for members.

Skill level: Beginner

Crafting tips: You can use foam squares in your papercut heron artwork to create more depth. We used some squares behind the top layer and the layer with the lotus leaves and heron. Note that you can use 8.5″x11″ sized paper for any layer except for the top layer which needs to be at least 9″x9″, because that is the front-most layer that will show in the frame. Just make sure that you center your smaller paper size where the main window image will be cut on the cutting mat. 

This content uses links from which we may earn a commission. Disclosure.

Tools

• Cutting Machine (recommended)
• Detail Knife, Cutting Mat, Ruler, and Scoring Tool (if cutting by hand)
• Adhesive Dot Roller or Glue Stick

Materials

• 12″x 12″ Paper — Lia Griffith Frosted Craft Paper Conifer Pack: colors 2 & 3 and Succulent Pack: color 2
• Text or Cardstock Paper – Recollections Earth pack and PaperPapers Basis Green & Poptone Gumdrop Green, Sour Apple, and Pink Lemonade
• Shadow Box Frame
• Adhesive Foam Mounting Squares

Instructions

Cut the pattern below using either your cutting machine (recommended) or detail knife. Layer colors according to the template notes, and read our crafting tip above for adding depth with foam squares.