Lai Jiawei, the founder of Ipaperart Workshop, is a master of origami - transforming ordinary paper into artwork. Since it opened in 2009, his Guangzhou studio has attracted all sorts of interested parties, from IT engineers and marketing managers to college students.
'Although we have all known how to make paper planes and paper cranes since we were children, most of us do not see it as a form of art,' says Lai. His first encounter with modern origami was in 2008. He got a chance to see the works of Kamiya Satoshi, a famous Japanese origami master. 'I was amazed, and wondered how he did it,' says Lai.
He found some basic origami tutorials and practised his technique every day after work. Lai's first creation was a paper bird, and it took him a whole day to finish. 'At first it was too difficult because paper folding involves knowledge of maths and physics, and each step needs elaborate handiwork,' he explains.
Li Tuzi, a student at United International College in Zhuhai , is also an origami enthusiast. At high school, he was fascinated by Gundam models, and practised various ways of polishing, inlaying and paint spraying. 'All these techniques laid a solid foundation for me to make paper models,' he says.
As the cost of Gundam model materials went up, he turned to paper. 'Plastic materials cost 200 yuan (HK$244) while paper is only about 10 yuan. And paper is easier to shape,' he says.
Li says the key to a good model lies in its detail and delicacy. In his 'Howl's Moving Castle' - a replica of the castle drawn by famous Japanese animator Miyazaki Hayao - Li went into great detail, putting chimneys on top of houses and clothes hung in the yard. 'Each tiny piece builds up the main part and the creator should pay attention to it,' he says.