The Quirky Beauty of Unconventional Handicrafts
A look at how the most bizarre and ‘ugly’ DIY handicrafts can challenge traditional aesthetics and showcase creativity in unexpected ways, from using odd materials to experimenting with unusual techniques.
What makes a handicraft project qualify as outlandishly abstract or ugly? According to a popular discussion on the Q&A site Zhihu, users shared some colorful examples of their most questionable DIY creations over the years.
One common theme that emerged was using unconventional materials to construct crafts. A user recalled their childhood attempt at making an ice cream cone figurine using just a metal hoop and various colors of 10-cent yarn. Another described a purse woven together from discarded plastics. While the end results were often visually jarring, they demonstrated a sense of resourcefulness.
Other “ugly” crafts were born from experimentation with new techniques, even if mastery was elusive. For example, trying to combine Japanese-style gilded lacquerware with precious stones, which requires extremely precise applications that are difficult for a novice. Or the frustrations of properly shaping fondant onto pearls to mimic intricate 3D patterns. The crafters admitted the finished products looked “nauseating” but were breakthroughs in their learning process.
Sometimes, the concepts were creative but the execution was humorously botched. Like a parent who promised their child a trendy Fuwa doll during the Beijing Olympics, but had to hastily construct one by hand when stores sold out. The result was an unintentionally spooky mutant plushie.
From an artistic perspective, these abstract, non-conventionally attractive handicrafts are important for pushing creative boundaries. Experimenting with unorthodox materials like discarded odds and ends, or mashups of contrasting techniques, may yield results that are initially “ugly” to the untrained eye. But they can embody clever ideas around sustainability, or simply jolt us out of stale aesthetic norms.
As one Zhihu user wisely reflected, what seems like an epic crafting failure in the moment can be an invaluable learning experience propelling you forward. After all, imagination and innovation rarely emerge from staying squarely inside the lines. The most intriguing handicrafts are often the quirky, ugly ducklings that expand our definitions of what counts as art.