Greg Olijnyk lives and works in Melbourne, Australia, where, for the last 30 years, he has operated his graphic design studio. In 2017, he extended his creative expression into the third dimension, from keyboard to cardboard.

His sculptures turn the everyday medium of cardboard into fantastical objects. While this common material would seem to defy manipulation, Olijnyk manages to fashion it into sophisticated shapes and mechanisms. From a set of buildings where you can see crushed beer cans on the roof, to a feather in the hat of a robot samurai, the complexity and detail of his work contributes to a sense of whimsical character and narrative.

The sculptures are constructed without plans and without the use of digital 3D software or automated cutting devices. In fact, his primary tool is a scalpel blade. Often, the joints in the sculptures are real and can be moved, and Olijnyk frequently illuminates his work with small LED lights.

The form of a sculpture usually reveals itself during the creative process, where each element is informed by the one that came before. Because of this, a sculpture can take anywhere from weeks to months to finish. There is no shortcut when it comes to fashioning believable structure and detail – whether it’s a brick, a girder, a rivet, or even a tiny bird.

Thanks to Griffin Simm, who is responsible for all the great photography. All the crappy pics are Gregs. See more of Griffin’s non-robot work on Instagram @griffinsimm