Can’t afford one of those fancy, expensive SLR cameras? Then why not make one out of cardboard? American artist Kiel Johnson did just that, and his final creations look amazing. Johnson used his background as a painter and sculptor to take simple cardboard pieces and turn them into something extraordinary.

He not only made SLR cardboard cameras but Polaroids as well. The only thing not made out of cardboard is the “belt” that is supposed to go around a cardboard person’s neck so that the camera doesn’t fall.

Kiel Johnson has used cardboard for other projects as well, like this 8 bit pixelated costume that tickled the toes of many an observer. So, question for you.  Would you buy these to decorate your home or office? Would you give them as a gift? Is this the kind of art that you would spend money on, and if so, how much? Or do you regard this art as the kind of novelty that, while interesting, can’t be plopped into the same category as high-brow art that would win awards at festivals or titillate audiences at museums?

In the future, you may very well see giant cardboard people holding these cameras at cardboard cocktail hours across the country.