The artist who is a cut above the rest (using nothing but paper for his sculptures)

By Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 8:58 AM on 27th July 2011

These amazing pictures are the sculptures of artist and animal enthusiast Calvin Nicholls, who using nothing but sheets of A4 brings to life many exotic creatures including lions, pandas and zebras as part of his paper zoo collection.
Each piece takes around four weeks to produce and in some cases have taken up to two years with Nicholl demanding up to £16,000 for his art.
Strikingly realistic and intricately observed, his collection in total amasses over 75 pieces and is on display at the Follett Library near Chicago, Illinois.

Birds fly together: A pair of Mallard ducks captured in flight

Nicholls revealed the preparation that goes into each sculpture, insisting: 'In the case of an animal over a dozen drawings are done to get the musculoskeletal features correct.

'This determines the shapes of the body form or underlying structure, these form pieces are cut from heavy paper and shaped and glued together with scalpels, foam and leather cutting tools.

'Detail drawings are done of the entire subject and followed closely as the individual paper components are cut, textured and glued in place.

Young and old: An fully grown Zebra and it's infant relax while a Panda eats through bamboo leaves

Using lighting shadows to create the feeling of depth, Canadian Calvin's work brings even chimpanzees to life.
'Each sculpture is around one and half foot wide by two feet long and take up to two weeks for research and sketching and two weeks for cutting and final prep for the photography.'
His work has been used in many books since his series began in the mid 1990's working throughout the United States and Canada.

Family affair: This group of beavers gnashing through some twigs

Living and working in Lindsay, Ontario, Calvin' first paper artwork was for his uncle's bus business, DeNure Tours in 1983.
'I developed my art to the point where I blended many of my passions-wildlife, the natural world, photography, design, model making, sculpture, light and shadow and have managed to indulge all of them.
'I see the sculptures in my mind like a Hollywood movie set with one angle that looks impressive.

'When I started out in the early 1980's I didn't see this being my job nearly 30 years later.'