In 2006, then-graphic designer Yulia Brodskaya abandoned the computer in favor of paper art. It always held a special fascination for her, and she now draws with paper instead of on it. The artist’s unique images are no doubt eye-catching; she utilizes the relatively simple technique of quilling to carefully cut and bend the material into lush, vibrant 3D designs.
Brodskaya’s illustrations have graced the advertising campaigns of companies like Target, Sephora, and Starbucks, but she’s also created a series of portraits that celebrate her love of the craft. These heavily-detailed works are colorful representations of people and fantastic characters. Using bended paper strips, she forms patterns that translate into the wrinkles on someone’s skin or the folds in their sweater.
Brodskaya also uses paper as a way to show emotion and the passing of time. In an especially poignant piece, we see an older woman wearing a scarf around her head. The image features a black background, and the delicate curls of the white-colored paper seem to fade into it.
