1.

Process Of The Paper

4.

5.

6.

3.

2.

The traditional process begins by drawing a design which becomes the pattern.

The pattern is put over multiple layers of tissue paper which rest on a thick layer of lead

The artisan then cuts through the layers using a mallet to pound sharpened chisels into the sheet of lead

Papel picado is dying out as village artisans abandon the labor-intensive process to find better paying factory jobs in urban centers

The process of transforming sheets of tissue from the design to a completed papel picado can take up to 30 hours

The negative spaces must be removed from the design in a manner that allows the banner to hang together after cutting.