Nayan and Vaishali (aka Venus Bird) are East Indian artist and collaborators. Each brings their special skills and training to the art of making miniature paper sculptures. (When referring to "miniatures," their finished sculptures are often less than 1 inch or1.8 cm! No magnifying glasses used.)
Their inspiration starts by observing creatures in their natural environment. Then, it's back to their studio to sketch what they've observed.
Nayan, with his training as a designer, is well prepared for the exactness of making models. A sketch is first made. This is transferred into layers on watercolor paper which Nayan carefully cuts out to create a 3-dimensional creature. Then, it is Vaishali's contribution as a 3-D animator, to paint the layers in keeping with the depth desired.
In all, a single tiny sculpture can take as many as 6 hours to complete. One ambitious project was also quite a challenge. It was titled, "365 Day of Miniatures," and included the completion of a bird each day. As if that wasn't enough of a challenge, from 2018 to 2020, they completed the "1000 Feathers Project." Their stated goal was to "... bring awareness about the significance and magnificence of wildlife through art."
While they are known mainly for the birds they've created, here are birds and some of the other animals that seem equally unique and demonstrate their versatility.
