VectorPaint paper-cut landscapes: build depth with silhouettes and gaps

English translation of the Chinese original, translated on 2026-10-27. Original publication dates, attribution, code and version notes are retained.

Paper-cut-style depth comes from layered silhouettes. Draw a fictional valley window with foreground openings, overlap and colour hierarchy. This is a 2D vector illustration, not a production cutting template or automatic simulation of paper shadows.

Assign foreground, middle and distance roles

Test foreground aperture, valley position and sky space on a 900 by 1100 pixel canvas. Let the foreground frame, middle hold the main mountains and distance stay simple. Establish greyscale shapes before effects. Keep the aperture open enough to reveal the subject and name layers by their spatial roles.

Draw closed distant silhouettes

Place a sky background and a closed distant mountain path extending below the future overlaps. Keep distant ridges broad and restrained, using value separation rather than outlines alone. Preserve complete paths even where hidden. Verify the distant layer before adding foreground layers instead of concealing unfinished geometry.

Differentiate middle and foreground contours

Give the middle more local variation and use substantial trunks or rocks to frame the foreground. Construct openings through supported masking or separate edge shapes rather than an assumed paper-cut tool. Inspect seams and unnecessary nodes. Different contour rhythms should express spatial roles instead of repeating the same wave in different colours.

Keep layers distinct through values

Begin with lighter distance and darker foreground, checking separation without texture. Related colours and restrained temperature changes can help. Alternative value schemes need fresh subject-contrast checks. Assess visible overlap, not just layer order, and compare a simplified greyscale version before restoring colour.

Use shadows to support edges

Use a narrow darker shape behind an edge if helpful, keeping direction and spacing consistent. This is a manually chosen shape, not simulated material lighting. Fix geometry before shadow. Toggle effects independently and retain only useful ones; the distant layer may need none. Add one effect at a time to diagnose dirty edges.

Test apertures through reduction and layer movement

Move foreground slightly in a copy and update associated shadows. Check narrow openings at delivery size, enlarging space before adding bright outlines. Hide a middle layer to assess its contribution; fewer layers may communicate more clearly. Choose depth for the subject, not complexity for its own sake.

Save layered sources and inspect output edges

Retain layered sources and inspect exported silhouettes, joins and values at large and small sizes. Decide explicitly whether the sky background remains in transparent delivery. Real paper cutting requires separate material-aware connectors and cutting paths. Label this as an illustration, not production artwork, and exclude diagnostic effects from delivery.

Restore depth through contours and gaps

For muddy depth, inspect foreground coverage and value separation before darkening shadows. Diagnose white seams through overlap and strokes at normal size. Simplify fragile branches. For disconnected sticker-like layers, restore coherent direction and overlap. Verify the subject with plain fills before reintroducing selected effects.