From off cuts to Paper Cuts - how a side project went rogue

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15 Nov

Paper Cuts has quickly become one of my favourite side projects, not just because they’re fun and quick to make, but because they give old designs a new lease of life.

Design should be fun. With Paper Cuts, I get to play with that idea.

Each badge starts with something most people would throw in the recycling — dated magazines, flyers, posters — you name it. These pieces of print would be long forgotten, but not for me. For years I kept them, in what I argued was a ‘reference library’, which I would use whenever I needed some inspiration.

The thing is, over the years, this library has become unmanageable.

Assorted paper cuts and magazine clippings spread out in an organic collage, showcasing a variety of textures, colours, and typography.

Editing down my library

I didn’t want to just chuck it away. After working in the magazine industry as a designer on Computer Arts magazine, I’ve experienced first-hand the hard work and commitment which goes into producing each issue so I didn’t have the heart to get rid. So I started thinking about how I could reuse parts of them instead.

I was already making my own pin badges for some time and when I came across a texture in a magazine that I felt would make a decent badge, I started ripping up pages!

At first, it was bits and pieces which directly appealed to me - bright colours, bold texture, type. But before long I started seeing beauty in the weirdest things - interviews, product reviews, landscapes, interiors…. The pages turned into a treasure chest of visual ephemera.

Assembling custom badges with vibrant designs. Various badge components, including printed designs and metal backings, are arranged on the workbench, showcasing the DIY craftsmanship involved in each step of the process.

Once I had a stack of raw materials, the fun began.

I cut them into round circles using a 25mm circle cutter, letting the design reveal itself organically. No two badges are ever the same, and that’s the best part — each one is a total surprise!

Repurposing print

What I love most about Paper Cuts is that it’s a design cycle that never ends. Old work, past prints, magazine cut-outs—they all find a way to get a second wind. By turning the old into something new, I’m constantly reminded that creativity doesn’t have to be about shiny new things. Sometimes, the best ideas come from what’s already been done.

At the heart of it, Paper Cuts is a reminder that design is about reinvention, play, and embracing the unexpected. Whether you’re wearing one of these badges or simply inspired to look at design differently, I hope you feel a bit of that same spark when you hold one in your hand.