Children are displaying their completed works

French paper art maestro Philippe Ug is teaching children of Xi’an the paper art skills.

Poetic and romantic, a pop-up book provides a diversified and mysterious realm with each platform folded to be opened. Of late, Philippe Ug, the famous French paper craft master, took children and art fans to explore the wonderful world of pop-up books and taught them how to make such nice books at a number of kindergartens and elementary schools in Xi’an.

In the exclusive interview with this journalist, Ug disclosed his deep impression of the unique street views and the traditional culture of Xi’an and his creation of pop-up books that will contain the Chinese elements for children around the world.

With endless charm pop-up books fascinate readers of Xi’an when opened

Co-sponsored by the French Embassy in China, lelequ.com of Rongxi Education and Cultural Industry Development Co. Ltd, the program, known as “Poetic and Romantic Quality of Pop-up Books—China Tour of French Paper Art Maestro Philippe Ug” was held in three major Chinese cities, namely, Beijing, Xi’an and Guangzhou. The pop-up books of Ug is full of the romantic and childlike elements of France, and draw the pleasing and surprising cheers from the audience when they are opened, with either adults or children reluctant to leave them behind.

“Wow, it is so wonderful, each page is so great!” All kid readers were stunned by the wonderful world presented to them when each page was opened. “Which looks like a magic show!” Yesterday, on the enlightenment class of arts, when Mr. Philippe Ug opened his work Starry Night, praises broke out from the site audience. Geometric lines and natural beauty were delicately integrated to present a different poetic and the unique aesthetic taste of this French artist. When he said everybody even without any basic knowledge and skill of paper making could make a great piece, all were aroused yet with doubts. Ug said, “I like to make the works with strong artistic features, but it takes the integration of both computer design and the three dimensional paper design. For that, I have to try and error and adjust the sample and cutting by hand.” He is capable of completing a book singlehandedly that requires technical design, painting design, and the post pasting and collage.

Exploring the mysterious world of paper art to make the incredible come true

How is a pop-up book made? The simple works like cutting and pasting have secrets hidden inside. Ug taught the children of Xi’an a lot of practical skills in this respect.

For example, how to make a butterfly look like flying out of the page, first the form of a butterfly has to be outlined, and its wings and feelers are folded, then a butterfly is produced which is to fly up from the paper. The process, short but creative, stunned and wowed all kids.

During the work, Mr. Philippe Ug gave his instruction amid the kids by showing how to fold, cut and paste the parts with great patience to make the incredible idea come true. Seeing some parents were helping their children work, Mr. Ug then smartly led the kids in the work of “making a shooting star” to work by themselves, encouraging them to use their heads to add anything that is interesting so as to complete the best starry sky in their mind. A teacher of the kindergarten said, “The imagination of kids is very valuable, and the creativity and instruction of pop-up book making is very interesting.” In the end, all kids on site ended up producing the one and only starry sky of their own.

Different from other pop-up books that focus on a pure demonstration of sophisticated skills, the works of Ug highlight the art as a whole which combines the French-style romance and the strong modern artistic style, bearing the resemblance of the Chinese paper-cutting.

To incorporate Xi’an elements into pop-up books for better understanding by the world

In the exclusive interview with this journalist, the humorous French artist said that his interaction with the children of Xi’an in the last couple days has made him fall in love with the city and that the local children are very smart and artistic with high gift in handicraft.

He also disclosed that the most important part of the creation of 3D books is to bring to full play imagination and mental picturing; that during his stay in the Xi’an Hi-Tech Zone, he has been fascinated by the high-rise buildings, neon lights and a lot of other geometric forms, which looked like a big party to him; that apart from the modern structures, he also found many ancient and classical buildings in the city, which combined to give him a sense of time travel; and that Xi’an has greatly aroused his inspiration for creation which he will put into his future works to make known to children around the world the past and present of Xi’an.

With a heart concerned about nature and loving gardening, Mr. Philippe Ug creates the exquisite 3D books that present the beauty of nature and life to plant the seeds of beauty and art in the hearts of kids.