If you’re a lover of paper and cardboard art, the work of Australian artist Greg Olijnyk is a treat for the imagination. Based in Melbourne, Greg spent three decades running his own graphic design studio before making a remarkable creative shift in 2017: he traded his keyboard for a scalpel and began building intricate sculptures entirely from cardboard. Since then, he has carved out a distinct artistic universe where fantasy, whimsy, and meticulous craftsmanship meet in the warm, familiar texture of this everyday material.
From designer to paper sculptor
Olijnyk’s design background is evident in every edge, joint, and fold of his sculptures. Precision and visual problem-solving, which are skills he honed throughout his graphic design career, translate beautifully into his move into three-dimensional work. After discovering other artists working with cardboard, he became fascinated by its sculptural potential. He describes the material as strong, flexible, quiet to work with, and surprisingly forgiving. He uses commercial packaging-grade board, often called Buffalo board in Australia, which provides a natural, monochromatic finish that allows the form and craftsmanship to take centre stage. The uniform color highlights each cut, fold, and glued seam, celebrating the handmade nature of his pieces rather than concealing it.
Truly making the jump from digital to analog, the most captivating aspects of Olijnyk’s practice are that he works entirely without digital plans, 3D software, or automated cutting tools. His sculptures emerge organically, guided by intuition rather than blueprints.
Truly making the jump from digital to analog, the most captivating aspects of Olijnyk’s practice are that he works entirely without digital plans, 3D software, or automated cutting tools. His sculptures emerge organically, guided by intuition rather than blueprints. He begins with only a rough idea and lets each element dictate the next. Over the course of weeks or months, this spontaneous, evolving method results in highly detailed creations featuring elements like rivets, gears, bricks, beams, tiny birds, and even crushed beer cans perched on miniature rooftops. All of it is cut by hand using his primary tool — a simple scalpel blade — and held together with his preferred woodworking glue.
Whimsy cardboard magic!
Olijnyk’s cardboard world blends fantasy, sci-fi, and architectural storytelling. His creations range from illuminated robot explorers to mechanical insects, whimsical factories, floating towers, and hybrid structures combining gothic ornamentation with futuristic machinery. Many of his sculptures include real, functioning joints that allow limbs or mechanical components to move, adding a lifelike quality to his characters. Some pieces incorporate tiny LED lights that glow from within, giving his robots and buildings a sense of energy and inner life. Even when the mechanical details don’t “work” in a literal sense, they feel believable — grounded in the artist’s keen eye for the logic of structures and machines. Make sure to follow the artist on Instagram for more inspiration.
Images ©Greg Olijnyk