babushka paper portrait by yulia brodskaya

‘babushka’ by yulia brodskaya all images courtesy of yulia brodskaya  

russian designer yulia brodskaya is known for her creation of paper illustrations for which she has produced for many international clients. her latest project is more of a personal one. it is a paper portrait of a babushka holding a guitar, the first in a series of works which she is considering as her declaration of love to the paper material and the technique of quilling – a process which involves the use of paper strips that are rolled, shaped and glued to a background.

through this project, brodskaya wants to raise the profile of this paper craft, and bring a new perspective to this type of artwork and its ability to convey meaning and emotions. with ‘babushka’ she has carefully selected flesh tone colors of paper, shaping, arranging and layering them in such a way to emulate the wrinkles and creases of an elderly person’s skin.

‘initially, I was concerned about the limitations of the quilling technique and the material from which the work is constructed – paper and card – as it very much dictates what can and cannot be said within the boundaries of the chosen medium. however, this material limitation turned out to be a strength for me: there is the potential to contain thoughts and ideas in unique ways so that the medium can become a significant part of the message. thus, after working with paper quilling for over three years I am at a point where I don’t feel constrained by the technical challenges of the medium; I’m eager to keep experimenting, and this piece is just a beginning.’ – yulia brodskaya

below is documentation of the various stages of the construction process of the paper portrait:

via my modern met