Childhood:
* Early exposure to pop-up books: Sabuda's fascination with pop-up books started at a young age, sparked by the elaborate pop-up books he received as a child. This ignited his passion for the art form and laid the foundation for his future work.
* Encouragement from his mother: His mother, a librarian, instilled in him a love for books and encouraged his creative endeavors, playing a crucial role in shaping his artistic journey.
Artistic Influences:
* Traditional Japanese papercraft: The intricate paper folding and cutting techniques of traditional Japanese papercraft (origami and kirigami) have a strong influence on Sabuda's work. He utilizes similar precision and artistry in creating his complex pop-up structures.
* Victorian era mechanical toys: The intricacy and ingenuity of Victorian era mechanical toys, such as automata and moving figures, inspire Sabuda's desire to create dynamic and interactive experiences within his pop-up books.
* Art Nouveau and Art Deco aesthetics: Sabuda draws inspiration from the ornate designs and patterns of these artistic movements, incorporating their elements into his intricate paper sculptures.
Personal interests:
* History and mythology: Sabuda often explores themes from history and mythology, drawing inspiration from stories and legends to create captivating pop-up narratives.
* Nature and the environment: He finds inspiration in the natural world, incorporating details from flora and fauna into his intricate designs.
Other factors:
* Technical innovation: Sabuda is constantly pushing the boundaries of pop-up book creation, exploring new techniques and materials to achieve increasingly complex and visually stunning results.
* Desire to evoke wonder and delight: Sabuda's work aims to evoke a sense of awe and wonder in viewers, recapturing the joy and excitement associated with childhood experiences with pop-up books.
Overall, Robert Sabuda's inspiration is a confluence of his childhood experiences, artistic influences, personal interests, and a constant drive to push the boundaries of pop-up book art.