Paper Painting: Artist creates incredible paper collages that look like oil paintings

When you first glance at the work of Polish artist Albin Talik you'd naturally assume that they're oil paintings. In actual fact, they're incredible paper collages, crafted using a technique he likes to call 'Paper Painting'. Taking thousands of pieces of cut paper in a whole array of colours, he arranges them and glues them to a canvas, trying to mimic the effect of irregular brushstrokes. Each piece can take up to a month to complete, depending on the degree of complexity.

He started out creating portraits of family and friends, but he's now working on a series called Rumination. He said: "Rumination is similar to worry except it focuses on bad feelings and experiences from the past. I try to show a man struggling with their weaknesses, loneliness, alcohol, stimulants, the man who meditates on the meaning of existence. The heroes of my paintings often wear masks. They are a symbol of thought, passing through life. In my work I try to encourage the viewer to think about what is really important in life."

Another ongoing series is called Pyramids. He added: "The heroes of these paintings are in the ordinary moments of life. We have a potter, librarian, seller, traveller, painter... The basic element of these paintings is a pyramid head. White and black. In each of us there are good emotions and bad emotions, good and evil. I try to show that we are all somewhat alike. We are all humans. It depends on us what we do with our lives. What path we choose. When I was studying painting, my teacher forbade me to use black and white paint. This series is my rebound on those prohibitions."

Based in Cracow, Albin was a rock musician before he set up his own recording studio to produce music for various projects including games, theatre productions and animations. He also creates illustrations for animated videos. Turning to visual arts at the age of 30, he originally experimented with pencils and tried to draw, but after taking painting lessons he discovered paper collaging and has never looked back. Discover more at www.albintalik.com.

Resource: http://www.creativeboom.com