Many people see art as something with many barriers to entry – maybe the materials are expensive, maybe you don’t have the space, or maybe you think it’s difficult, requiring many specialized tools. Sometimes that’s true, but the artists here have created incredible works using almost nothing but paper and scissors or knives.

Besides their stunning mastery of paper, these works grabbed our attention because of how they changed our perspective on paper. Many of us have some form of paper or another within hand’s reach most of the time, and yet we never think about the extraordinarily beautiful pieces of paper art that we could create with them if we ever took the time to try.

The next time you’re about to throw out a grocery receipt or gum wrapper, try to fold or cut it into something beautiful. Maybe you’ll get a flash of inspiration and create a work of art!

One Sheet of Paper by Peter Callesen

See more here | Author’s website: petercallesen.com

Quilled Paper Portraits by Yulia Brodskaya

Author’s website: artyulia.com

Folded Paper Art by Simon Schubert

See more here | Author’s website: simonschubert.de

Animal Paper Sculptures by Calvin Nicholls

Author’s website: calvinnicholls.com

Paper Cut Art by Hina Aoyama

Author’s website: hinaaoyama.com

Origami Masks by Joel Cooper

Author’s website: joelcooper.wordpress.com

Tree Carved From McDonald’s Paper Bag by Yuken Teruya

See more here | Author’s website: yukenteruyastudio.com

Laser Cut Paper Art by Eric Standley

See more here | Author’s website: ericstandley.30art.com

Paper Cut Tapestries by Tomoko Shioyasu

Author’s website: scaithebathhouse.com

Paper Sculptures by Jen Stark

Author’s website: jenstark.com

Origami Street Art by Mademoiselle Maurice

See more here | Author’s website: mademoisellemaurice.com

Anatomical Cross-Sections Made of Rolled Paper by Lisa Nilsson

Author’s website: lisanilssonart.com

Paper Landscape by Eiko Ojala

Author’s website: ploom.tv

Handcut Paper Art by Lisa Rodden

Author’s website: lisarodden.com

Paper Art by Cheong-ah Hwang

Author’s website: papernoodle.com

Intricate Paper Art by Bovey Lee

Author’s website: boveylee.com

Origami by Nguyen Hung Cuong

Author’s website: flickr.com

Paper Portraits by Anant Nanvare

Author’s website: anantnanvare.blogspot.com

Paper Birds by Diana Beltran Herrera

Author’s website: dianabeltranherrera.com