Up: [[Visual Arts]] Related: [[Visual Poetry Notebook]] Created: 2024-12-04 Updated: 2025-12-20 I love handmade and decorative papers. Most of them are Japanese and fit under the global heading of **washi** paper. I have several drawers full of them so have done some looking to see possible uses. I found a site that gives [54 uses for Japanese paper](https://paintspot.ca/54-things-you-can-make-with-handmade-papers/). Chigiri-e jumped out at me. Chigiri-e is torn or cut paper collage using Japanese papers. It’s sometimes poetically referred to as *painting with paper*. The art form was brought to Japan by Chinese Buddhist monks in 610 AD. The images that were made accompanied poems written in calligraphy. This is perfect for me! I want to make a [[Visual Poetry Notebook]]. Chigiri-e images can be either realistic or abstract. Things from nature are very common. Some of the Japanese paper that is used shows fibres when it’s torn. Many chigiri-e artists prefer this because it gives the final image a softer and warmer look than do cut edges.