After three decades in the graphic design world, Melbourne-based Greg Olijnyk was ready for something different. In 2017, he traded his computer for a surprising new medium: cardboard! Since then, he’s been blowing minds by turning this everyday stuff into seriously cool sculptures of robots, insects, factories, and all sorts of wild machines.
You’ve gotta see the detail in Greg’s cardboard art. He’s got incredible control over the material, and it shows in every piece. Take “Ascension,” for example – it’s like a Gothic tower, but with tiny, hand-cut decorations. And get this, at the bottom? Rocket engines! It totally shows Greg’s love for the fantastical. Then there’s “The Assembly Line,” where you can see these little automated tools building a robot with super precise gears.
It’s clear Greg’s got a sharp eye, but his work also hints at his lifelong fascination with machines and sci-fi. Growing up in Ballarat in the ’60s, he felt surrounded by the past, with old architecture and a traditional way of thinking. But sci-fi books, movies, and TV shows? They were his escape.
“They offered a glimpse of exciting new technology and amazing visions of the future,” Greg mentioned in an interview a while back.
This awesome future he imagines? It’s all from his own head. Greg likes to just go with the flow when he’s sculpting. No strict plans, no fancy 3D software, no automated cutters. He just lets the cardboard kind of tell him what it wants to be.
“Cardboard naturally works well with simple curves, straight lines, and basic shapes,” Greg explained. “When you see a bunch of my pieces together, they feel like they’re connected, even though I didn’t plan it that way.”
Planned or not, all of Greg Olijnyk’s creations live in the same imaginative world – a place filled with incredible machines, strange buildings, and fantastic robots. It’s a rich and vibrant vision, and that’s probably why he’s built such a loyal following online.
“At some point, you want to share what you’re proud of with others,” Greg said about his Instagram. “What brings you joy might bring joy to someone else too.”
Want to see more of Greg’s amazing cardboard art and robot art? Check out his website to dive deeper into his world of intricate creations!