The laser cutter creates endless possibilities for paper! Announcing designs for the three categories of play, communication, and surprise.
You Fab is a design contest for items made with a laser cutter. This year—for You Fab’s second year—we called on creators from all around the world to design items made with paper and using a laser cutter. The contest ran for two months from May 15 to July 15, and we were thrilled with the response. We received 78 designs from all around the world, and we would like to extend a huge thank you to all those who submitted entries.
To judge the submissions, Designer Eisuke Tachikawa (NOSIGNER) and Yuichi Takeo from Takeo Co., Ltd., got together at Loftwork in Tokyo’s Shibuya. They were joined via live feed by artist and writer Johnny Strategy in New York and Tim Wong the co-founder of the Taiwan FabCafe in Taipei. They discussed the submissions and selected the winners based on if the design was;
・a stimulating idea that showcased originality,
・outstanding in terms of design quality,
・a creative hack using paper,
・communicated the appeals of Fab (digital fabrication) and paper,
・and was able to be made with a laser cutter.
Check out the winning entries and the judges’ comments.
N.B. Originally we planned to award only one entry with a Special Award, but due to the overwhelmingly high standard of entries, the judges decided to present a number of entries with Special Awards.
Category A: Toys
Grand Prize
Creator’s Name: Ryoichi Ogura Title: hanabi
Concept:
By layering a number of these, the regular patterns overlap with one another and create a moiré pattern. The appearance and color resemble fireworks (hanabi) in summer, and it is a toy that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. The laser cutter is used to produce the dotted pattern on the five different sized and colored pieces of paper. An eyelet is fixed to the center of each of the five disks. When you spin each of them around, the colors mix together and create a variety of patterns. If you spin them slowly, it looks like an animation.
Judges’ Comments:
Eisuke Tachikawa (NOSIGNER)
It’s so cool how this creates moving visuals just by cutting plain paper. I really want to see this brought to life.
Johnny Strategy
What is really interesting for me is that it is very analog but there is something also very digital about the product in the way that the movement is very systematic, almost computerized. I think it will be very beautiful.
Yuichi Takeo
The moiré pattern created by the colors, not from printing the pattern, is really stunning. The combination of colors really pops!
Tim Wong
This design seems very simple, but the idea of the design is smart and interactive. It allows users to engage with the product to create interesting pattern.
Special Award (3 entries)
Creator’s Name: julien wulff Title: Paper Kaito
Concept:
Ecologic paper kite. This form can be applicate on every type of papers with the condition that’s a paper not too fine. If the person want his own design, she can use old posters for exemple.
Judges’ Comments:
Eisuke Tachikawa (NOSIGNER)
It’s a little hard to visualize from the drawing, but it looks like it would be a really fun toy to make, and would make a really beautiful piece of artwork at the same time. I think it would be cool to supersize this.
Tim Wong
The design seems to embrace a traditional aesthetic but designed to be implemented with digital fabrication technique. I’d love to see this design being made.
Creator’s Name:horirium Title: Polyhedron Tiles
Concept:
These are paper tiles that anyone can easily put together by hand to make a polyhedron or dome. The polygons are the same length. They are put together in the same manner, and can be assembled and pulled apart easily. No need for glue or buttons! Thanks to the pliability of paper, you can make completely balanced objects which are impossible to make using hard materials.
Naturally, if you use regular paper, the joints won’t hold up, so the choice of paper is really important. The prototype uses 1mm thick material that is used for the labels on jeans. Each side is 74mm long.
Judge’s Comments:
Yuichi Takeo:
This entry makes me reminiscent of my childhood. I think it would turn out really well if we used a fine leather-inspired paper called Cordoba.
Creator’s Name: Kevin DeBoer Title:Forest in a box
Concept:
The box is hand made from reclaimed White Oak. Each tree is laser cut from matte paper and painted, before being assembled into the fold out forest. Each tree is connected by accordion fold paper at the base and a string of thread through the middle. A tree silhouette is laser etched on the cover of the bo.
There are over 23,000 different species of tree in the world. Trees are the largest living organisms on earth and the oldest living organisms of all time. Trees and forests are extremely important for the health and survival of humans and animals. Not to mention, they are absolutely beautiful!
Judge’s Comments:
Johnny Strategy
I like the aesthetic of this and the idea of keeping a forest in your pocket and being able to carry it around with you. So the concept is great!
Category B: Greeting Cards
Grand Prize
Creator’s Name: Masatoshi Oka Title:Celestial Greeting Card
Concept:
Paper has many characteristics, but the ones that I decided to focus on with this design are folding and writing. Writing in this card is designed to be really fun because the finished shape can fit together (or not fit together) depending on the way it is folded with the cuts in it. By cutting semicircles into it and bending alternate pieces from the middle and slightly changing the point of the bend a little each time, and you get a sequence of three-dimensional concentric circles that look like a celestial globe. Some ideas on how to have fun with this card include writing a message on the upright parts and another one on the flat parts, or drawing stars and planets on the upright parts so it looks like a little solar system.
Judges’ Comments:
Eisuke Tachikawa (NOSIGNER)
I think it would be amazing for an architect to reproduce this geometrical object on a massive scale large enough for a person to be able to walk through it. It would also be really cool to make it into a celestial globe by hanging planets and stars off it.
Johnny Strategy
The idea of a flat piece of paper folding out into something larger like the universe is very poetic. I also like how the folded paper naturally allows space to write messages – one of the most important parts of the greeting card.
Tim Wong
The design of the card is elegant and spatial. I think the subject of the card is also very creative.
Yuichi Takeo
This project perfectly showcases the characteristics of paper; to be able to be written on, cut and folded. It’s sweet and simple, but I think the process of trial and error in making it would be a lot of fun.
Special Award (3 entries)
Creator’s Name: Makoto Sasao
Title:Congratulations Box Card / Thank You Box Card
Concept:
This card is made using reversible paper. The words “Congratulations” and “Thank You” in Japanese can just be made out when the cards are folded up, but when you erect the cards to a 3-dimestional state, the words (in Japanese characters) pop out and can be seen clearly on each card. Not only can you send the cards flat, but you can put them together and put a present inside and send them like a gift box.
Judges’ Comments:
Eisuke Tachikawa (NOSIGNER)
People from other countries would see this as a very Japanese-looking design. I think the concept of three-dimensional text is really interesting.
Johnny Strategy
I am very impressed by how the text becomes part of the box and part of the package. It actually works as functional object that you can keep around. I think that the shadows will be very beautiful.
Creator’s Name:Yui Tashika Title:FOR BOOK CARD
Concept:
Somewhere along the lines we started giving book gift cards instead of the old-style gift vouchers for books. Even though the shape and form has changed, the sender’s intentions remain unchanged. They want the recipient to read many books and be taken to many enchanting places as they read. I think sending a gift like that in a paper packet is boring, and so I designed these card cases. Behind the bookshelf is a little girl and a white bear. When you open the card, there is a book gift card behind the bookshelf with a place to put a message. The little girl’s elbow is sticking out over the shelf in the bookcase.
Judge’s Comments:
Yuichi Takeo
This is perfect for sending a book gift card. The design shows a warmth that can only be created with paper. I want one!
Creator’s name:K Title:Sakura card
Concept:
Flowers are used to express our emotions and circumstances. Buds represent beginnings and the fruit of our efforts, blossoms in full bloom can represent a heyday, and fallen blossoms are symbolic of loss or defeat. When flowers bloom they bring us joy, and when the blossoms fall, that joy is taken away. This card has pop-out petals and leaves (with perforated edges) to be placed on the cherry blossom tree to bloom as you like. This greeting card can express your feelings to fit the circumstance or season.
Judge’s Comments:
Tim Wong
I like that the design can engage the person who received to continue to “design” foliage, in which it signifies a poetic echo to the season.
Category C: Party outfits or accessories (Surprise)
Grand Prize
Creator’s Name:Nishigaichi Title:KATSURA
Concept:
KATSURA is a wig made from paper. The paper selected is called Reversible Mermaid and a lace motif is etched onto it using the laser cutter.
Judges’ Comments:
Yuichi Takeo
This is so much fun! I also really like the choice of paper; Reversible Mermaid!
Johnny Strategy
If someone wore this to a party, he or she will be very poplar. It more than meets the criteria of party wear.
Tim Wong
As Johnny said, if you wear this one, you will be popular! In terms of originality, this one is great
Eisuke Tachikawa (NOSIGNER)
This sure is a design with impact! It looks like the hairstyles that some young delinquents in Japan have. It’s kind of a part of Japan’s street culture. This will make a party-goer out of anyone who wears it!
Special Award (1 entry)
Creator’s Name: Ryoichi Ogura Title: Skin Jewelry
Concept:
These are stencils that allow you to create your own skin accessories using tanning spray for a lovely golden glow without having to be exposed to UV rays. The stencils have an adhesive film on the surface and have been cut using the laser cutter. You can put them on our arms or back and make your own designs. You place the stencil on the area of choice and spray it with tanning spray and the design appears. It’s much quicker than getting a natural tan, and you can use it as a party accessory for the summer!
Judges’ Comments:
Tim Wong
This is an interesting idea to think of the passive use of paper to create the imprints using spray tan.
Eisuke Tachikawa (NOSIGNER)
I really like the idea of how the laser-cut paper is not used as a paper craft itself, but is used to create a specially designed tan. I think you could also use the stencil as a paper accessory too though.
Johnny Strategy
I like the idea of screens actually being used on the skin, then being removed. It’s a unique idea.
Overall Comments
Yuichi Takeo
We received some amazing ideas that demonstrate some brilliant hacker minds. I really feel that the collaboration of something so analogue as paper and digital technology presents a great deal of enjoyment and potential.
Johnny Strategy
I was very encouraged to see everyone using the idea of hacking paper and laser cutting. I feel more brighter about the future of laser cutting with all these creative ideas. They are truly unique and it is great to see people challenging the norm.
Eisuke Tachikawa (NOSIGNER)
Looking at all the submissions to You Fab, I am glad that we opened it up to not only designers. You don’t have to be an expert. Anyone with tools like Illustrator can become a designer. I think everybody has a chance to shine if they fully leverage their various skills in their creative works.
Tim Wong
After seeing the entries of this design competition, I think the future of open design is very bright. We saw a lot of entries that draws inspirations from daily lives and demonstrate how they can provide a creative hack with their design.
I think this is very encouraging sign that designers or the general public can feel they are empowered to declare their own creative statements.
Photo: (Left to right) Mr. Takeo and Mr. Tachikawa in the middle of selection.
(Photo) Right: Tim Wong from Taipei. Left: Johnny Strategy from New York
