Remember pop-up books, the kinds you’d open up and have a magical castle or a flying dragon jump at you? Those were fun, right? Guess what – they’re still fun, and they’re not just for kids anymore!
For the past 10 years, Rob Kelly has worked as a paper engineer – which basically means that he creates moving, 3D art using paper. Kelly started out experimenting with different materials, but his one true passion has always been working with paper – taking cardboard models apart and building his own paper models. So he decided to focus on that medium.
In recent years, Kelly has been creating pop up cards and books that both kids and grownups would enjoy. Unlike the mass-produced, cheaply-made store-bought cards we all know, Kelly’s cards are handmade and beautifully carved. He makes everything from the life cycle of a butterfly to a car race.
These cards remind us of the joy and wonder of opening our own birthday cards or children’s books and getting lost in a wonderful, 3D cardboard world of magicians, fairies, and princesses. We can’t actually open any of Kelly’s cards ourselves – but we can enjoy his work through Instagram.
