There are no limits to creativity: here is a new painting technique that has the added bonus of the third dimension
Her name is Yulia Brodskaya and she is a Russian-born artist who produces striking illustrations using paper: small strips of paper are used to create various shapes that go to make up works that are often very complex, colourful and impactful. Unfamiliar with Quilling, the artist later expanded his technique by specialising in portraits. She lives in the UK, not far from London, and we interviewed her exclusively for Paper Industry Word.
Yulia, what is your education?
My parents sent me to an art school when I was just about 6 years old, so I was head-deep involved in creative art practices long before I gained any conscious ideas of what I want to do in my life; I grew up thinking that creativity in one form or another is an integral part of life, that’s how it is supposed to be. That’s why after the art school I went on to study Graphic Design in one of Moscow universities; and after that moved to the UK to get deeper into the world of Advertising and Graphic Design as I believed that Russian educational system in early 2000s was not able to provide me with an adequate experience in this industry.
When did you start using paper?
As long as I can remember myself paper always held a special fascination for me, but if someone had told me all those years ago that I will become a paper artist and won’t be even remotely interested in using any other materials, I would have never believed that. Over the years I’ve tried many deferent methods and techniques of working with paper, just as a hobby ‘on a side’ because I was convinced that all things digital is the only reliable way to make a living. However, after finishing my Masters degree in Graphic Communications, I realised that I would rather try to become an illustrator and create with my hands, so I spent about 1.5 years drawing and searching for my unique drawing style, but instead I found paper…
Back then I was working on a little self-promotional booklet with my best drawings in order to get editorial commissions from magazines and newspapers. The only crucial thing missing was an eye-catching cover image that would make certain my booklet would be noticed. I decided to illustrate my name for the cover and created several hand-drawn versions of my name “Yulia”, but none of them seemed to be good enough, so I discarded them all. What happened next turned my career aspirations upside down.
I can’t remember how I got the idea exactly (because back then I never even heard the term Quilling), but I cut some paper sheets into strips and glued the outlines of my name adding more coils and frills inside. The work took me couple hours and once it was done, I realised that I’m definitely onto something much more interesting than all my previous drawn illustrations; immediately I abandoned the booklet idea, and instead emerged myself into this new territory of making art with strips of paper.
Do you have collaborators or do you work alone?
I do brand collaborations (commercial projects as a freelancer), but I create artworks on my own without assistants unless there is filming/video production is involved.
Let’s talk about the technique called Quilling: can you describe it?
Basically, it is edge-glued strips of paper; however, there are different ways you can use them depending on the weight of paper that you have. I see a strip of paper as a 3-dimentional line.
I started ‘drawing’ with paper strips at the beginning of my paper journey when I was doing mainly typography-based paper designs (where every line or element was neat and clearly defined); but then gradually moved on to ‘painting’ method – a lot more expressive method of working with paper strips.
When I ‘draw’ with paper strips, I simply follow a pencil line that I previously sketched on a background with bent or shaped segments of card or heavy paper which I glue on top, thus creating a 3D interpretation of a line.
Several years ago my techniques made another evolutionary turn from ‘drawing’ to ‘painting’ with paper. Painting with paper means imitating brushstrokes with tightly packed strips of paper, achieved by combining different colour strips in a similar way as mixing paints on a palette. This new technique comes as close to the real painting as possible, but with added quality of a third dimension. Obviously combining coloured paper strips in this manner won’t give you a smooth new colour that you can get when mixing paints, it is more of an optical illusion explained by limits of the human eye’s ability to perceive alternating colour stripes — at a certain distance the eye struggles to discern individual stripes and begins to perceive the new blended colour as a whole.
Creating a tight stroke-like shape (or pack) is simple: bend a strip or several strips together multiple times alternating the direction of the bend (if you let go of the strip at this point, you’ll get a zig zag shape); dip it into a puddle of glue (I use PVA), place onto the background surface and secure with a clip until the glue dries completely.
What are your tools of the trade?
Scissors, a firm round straw for curling the paper strips, PVA glue and paper, paper – all sorts of paper.
What type of paper do you use?
I use all sorts – depends on what element I’m creating, but I definitely prefer heavy paper/card –simply because the edge is more visible (the keyword here is EDGE-glued – so you mostly see the edges of the papers). Colour is another crucial aspect because my palette is limited by what is manufactured/I can buy, so I’m always on the look for new colour variations to enrich my colour palette.
Do you have particular suppliers?
No, I need as much colour/weight variety as possible, so I get papers from everywhere I can.
How long does it take you to create a work?
From couple days for small simple designs to over a month for larger scale complicated artworks – size is the main criteria that affects the time needed for the creation
Can you tell us about the book “Painting with Paper: Paper on the Edge”?
In my book ‘Painting with Paper’ I describe my journey and methods in more detail, however it is not a step-by-step project book because what I really care about is creativity (partially because there is a certain stigma around crafts like Quilling when people think there are right and wrong ways to do it and learning exact techniques from someone is essential). What I’m trying to encourage through sharing my experience and practical advice, is creative freedom: we create in order to feel joy from making something beautiful with our own hands; this feeling of joy is many times stronger when you create art inspired by something that moves you deeply as a person. That’s why it is important not to get stuck and develop a habit of needing somebody else to outline and plan every creative decision for you. The real unique creativity comes from inside when you find the courage and learn to make your own decisions (and, sometimes, mistakes), but ultimately create the art that is a unique expression of yourself rather than a replica of somebody else’s vision.
What are your plans for your future as an artist?
I’m open to allowing my art journey to evolve organically without making long term plans; maybe I’ll write another book, maybe it is time to have a solo exhibition. The main thing that I need daily is the freedom to create whatever I feel like creating – as long as I have this freedom – I’m good.
Painting with Paper: Paper on the Edge
A book for learning how to perfectly position carefully cut and folded strips of paper to “paint” images using paper and glue. The vibrant three-dimensional paper art in this book will amaze paper art enthusiasts of all levels. After the initial wow factor, you can try the method yourself, expanding your skills at your own pace with the guidance of artist Yulia Brodskaya. Using two simple materials, paper and glue, the artist has perfected the positioning of carefully cut and folded strips of paper to “paint” images.
• Brodskaya doesn’t offer a predictable project book, but rather practical advice on how to work with her method in a variety of ways of your choosing.
• A method that brings new impact to lettering, nature themes, portraits, larger pieces, and experiments.
• A guide to learning how to choose colors, test compositions, and sense where to start in an image and when to consider it complete.