The Art of Quilling by Obsidian Rose Design
Quilling is the art of rolling, folding, and shaping paper. I was introduced to quilling art when I was a teenager, and for everything I saw at the time, quilling looked a lot like little flowers and small embellishments to enhance handmade cards and other paper crafts. It was not until much later that I started to fully grasp the scope and potential of this art form. When I saw Corinne Brazier’s work at Obsidian Rose Design, I realized how hard artists have been working to push the boundaries of quilling and redefine the scope of this extremely intricate art form.
Origin Story
Corinne discovered quilling much the same way many of us discover our own new hobbies: YouTube. After watching many videos on the subject of quilling, Corinne was gifted a quilling starter kit. That was about 5 years ago. The rest is history.
Corinne’s artistic journey hasn’t been all rainbows and butterflies–like many artists, Corinne has had to face off against her own self confidence and the struggle to really believe in herself, her business (Obsidian Rose Design), and her art. “What can be achieved with paper is astonishing,” Corinne explains. “Sometimes it’s hard not to compare yourself to other quillers, but my goal has always been just to be myself.”
Technique
One of the things I admire most about Corinne’s work is how different each piece is from the next. She uses a number of techniques to achieve various visual effects and infuse her own personal style into her quilling artwork. The two techniques I wanted to show you today are called “coiling” and “on edge.”
Coiling
If you’ve seen quilling art before, you’ve probably seen it represented with the traditional coiling techniques, similar to what you see in Corinne’s gorgeous rainbow. The quiller rolls the paper strips up (traditionally around some kind of quill) and then uses these shapes to build their artwork. I rarely see quilling artwork that uses this technique to fill the entire background the way Obsidian Rose Design does. The result is stunning.
On Edge
As I mentioned above, Corinne utilizes a vast number of techniques in her quilling art. I found her portfolio absolutely fascinating to thumb through. “My current favorite technique is called on edge,” Corinne explained to me. “It is a lot more time consuming and intricate and involves sticking the strips of paper on the thin edge.”
You can see the “on edge” technique at work in many of her pieces at Obsidian Rose Design, including her favorite, the Highland Cow. “I think it’s my favorite because it really pushed me out of my comfort zone with the on edge style of quilling. I really believe that it showed me I was capable of anything if I put my mind to it.”
Quilling Tips And Advice From A Pro
When it comes to quilling, Corinne has a few tips for other artists out there. Her first piece of advice? “Less is more when it comes to glue.” As with any papercraft, you definitely don’t want to go overboard with the adhesives. But it was Corinne’s next tip that I really wanted you to hear today: “Just be yourself. Get lost in the art.”
Just be yourself. Get lost in the art.
Corinne’s advice may sound simple, but it is also oh so important. A common trap, especially for newer artists, is falling into a box of what you think others expect or want to see from you as an artist. When you free yourself from the expectations of others and create the art you love, you can fall in love with the art you create. There is a peace in this headspace that a lot of artists are never quite able to achieve. (Read more: “What is art: the chronically low self confidence of a crafter”)
Corinne Brazier, Artist behind Obsidian Rose Design
Corinne is an artist specializing in quilling. You can find and follow her quilling artwork as Obsidian Rose Design. Corinne dreams of staying true to herself as she grows both as a person and as an artist. There are still many projects she cannot wait to create, and I am excited to see what inspirational quilling artwork she comes up with next.
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Feeling Inspired?
If you are feeling inspired and want to give quilling a go, check out these awesome quilling starter sets on Amazon.
Originally posted on April 24, 2022.
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Hi, I'm Tania!
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Find tons of talented artisans without ever leaving home. Our online Vendor Directory is full of artists and crafters who would love to earn your business. Shop small and find a truly unique gift for every occasion.
this is amazing! I’ve never heard of quilling before but it is so beautiful! I definitely want to try it someday 🙂
That sunflower one is AMAZING! I’ve always thought this craft was so cool!! Thanks for sharing!!
These are so cool!!! I haven’t seen this type of art before and I’m loving it! The sloths are too cute! Thanks for sharing!