Studio Favorites: Circle Punches

Last spring The Studio ran the Public Art Project Circle Circus, when visitors could use an array of geometric shapes to create a collage or three-dimensional assemblage.  To mix things up a bit from a typical collage project, visitors could change the shapes any way they wished, but without the use of scissors.  (Sneaky challenge, huh?) We prepared TONS of shapes ahead of time for the project: squares, rectangles, triangles and circles and arranged them on trays in labeled baskets.

Another one of our favorites for cutting circles is the Fiskars Squeeze Punch Round’ and Round’ seen above.  We use the extra large 2-inch size, but this style punch is also available in other sizes.  For this new design, Fiskars flipped the cut-out to the front so it’s easy to see exactly where you’re punched.  Our volunteers love this style because it’s very easy to squeeze the handle without tiring out your hand.  If you only have the budget to add one style to your arsenal, this in the punch you should own!

We prepare circles on strips of paper and hang on to them for future projects.  Play with the spacing between each punch and the negative strips will be just as much fun to use in a collage as the shapes themselves.