Handcrafted Paper Illustrations by Mariia Lapitan-Yashchenko

Ukrainian paper artist Mariia Lapitan-Yashchenko crafts miniature worlds from cut and layered paper, tucking forests, gardens, and floral fields inside silhouettes of heads, eyes, and everyday objects.

Working entirely by hand, she uses depth, texture and shadow to give each composition a tactile, dimensional quality. Her playful creations range from floral portraits and dreamlike landscapes to tiny camping scenes, paper meals and intricate botanical arrangements.

Mariia previously worked in visual communication, first as a graphic designer for one of Ukraine’s largest TV channels and later as a UI designer in the IT industry. In 2023, she shifted her focus entirely toward physical materials, turning a long-standing fascination with paper into the foundation of her practice. Since then, her distinctive approach has led to collaborations with brands including Disney, Ferragamo, Ciroc and Lessebo Paper.

For more of Mariia’s work, check out her portfolio and follow her on Instagram.

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