Paper Quilling: is it a craft project? Is it an art form? Is it enjoyed by adults or children?
Yes to all the above.
According to Aunt Annie’s Crafts, “Quilling is the art of rolling narrow strips of paper into coils or scrolls, and arranging them to form elegant filigree.”
People who are young and young-at-heart both enjoy paper quilling as a craft. They roll, pinch and place computer paper, craft paper, construction paper and even junk mail to create 3D masterpieces. However, paper quilling is nothing new. Look back in time to better understand the evolution of this art practice.
Paper Quilling in the Colonial Era and Beyond
Is it any surprise that paper quilling, a favorite craft for artsy people of all ages, has been around for hundreds of years? Even though it gets its name from the Colonial era, when feather quills were used to create these works of art, filigree art has been around since the 14th century.
Before paper filigree filled the free time of craft enthusiasts, metal filigree was all the rage. Most popularly known as a jewelry metalwork, this form of filigree twisted golds and silvers together to create beads and threads that were used in jewelry items and small standing art pieces.
Today, paper filigree is growing in popularity again. However, thanks to the creativity of quillers throughout the world, paper quilling goes far beyond creating 3D art. People have created bowls, baskets, vases and teacups by rolling and coiling colorful papers.
Paper Quilling as Modern Art
Crafters aren’t the only people embracing paper quilling. In an article posted to mymodernmet.com, it is reported that “Seoul-based artist Ilhwa Kim hand-dyes, cuts, and rolls thousands of individual sheets of Korean mulberry paper to form vibrant, three-dimensional works of art bursting with striking patterns and imagery.”
Kim doesn’t refer to her art as paper quilling, although it seems to derive from the same family. Nevertheless, she seems to modernize the centuries-old practice. She “…carefully [arranges the rigid layers of paper] according to color so that, when seen from afar, the viewer spots subtle impressions of eyes, hearts, human figures, and more in Kim’s densely packed images.”
Paper filigree has come a long way and continues to evolve. Where will the art and craft go next?
Have you tried paper quilling? What was your experience with the craft? It seems like there are several ways you can make quilling unique; what is your technique?
Read more Segmation blog posts about art and color:
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