Graphic Quilling - Colorful Paradise Bird

More graphic quilling or multi strip quilling my style!! This graphic quilled bird is created with multi-strip quilling techniques, I basically pasted strips together and then adjusted the lengths and created the various shapes that went into the design. I like the way it turned out. I hope you do too.

Graphic quilling Tips are here.

Quilled Letters or Typography

I have always been awestruck by quilled letters, monograms and words, so I finally picked up the courage to try it and here are the results. Well, not too bad for a first attempt. Actually I quite like it. Sort of looks divine in its own way.

I did struggle to get the strip stuck properly on the printed letters. Guess I should have opted for an easier font. Anyway, on hindsight fonts like Gisha or Aharoni may be easier to quill.

How was it done??  Well..... just printed the letters and stuck the strip on top using a toothpick to apply glue on the strip and not on the backing. Had to do it bit by bit and hold it down till it dried a bit. I just picked the design out of the hat. Made it up as I went along.

 This was my attempt at quilling script. I found it easier than letters with sharp edges as those need precision folding of the strip, but my glue was not good enough and the letters kept coming 
out after all the time I spent gluing a specific section. For this one I pasted red, white & red and quilled the letters.

This was a narrower script I tried out. I think it is called sloop. I have tried to use multi-strip method here to get the double line effect. The flowers are made using continuous strip.

Graphic Quilling - Tips

For those who wanted to know how I did Tinkerbell's hair and dress, here are a set of tips.  Yulia Brodskaya is probably the one who developed this method. Her work is out of this world. I am only guessing at how it is done.

1. Strips are used to create the various shapes in graphic quilling   and the strips are pasted directly on the backing. ( Probably, thicker paper 100 to 120 gsm is used but I have used regular printer paper for all my graphic work).
2. I usually have the image outlined in pencil, and paste the outline strip on the pencil outline first.
3. In order to fill the space I tear up the strips to the relevant size.
4. Just as in the case of a pencil drawing the strips are pasted. A strip for a pencil line, in order to get the contour of the image.
5. Dark and light shades are used to get the depth for the image just as in the case of pencil drawings.
6. I generally keep the strip in the area I'm going to fill and get a sense of the length required and tear it accordingly.
7. The twists and turns of the strip is used once again to bring out the contours of the object. For example if you want to show a curved surface you will curve the strips to the right and to show it is going in, you will curve it in the opposite direction and combine a few darker shade strips.
8. I acquired a bit of knowledge by reading up on pencil drawing.
9. When applying gum you have to use very little. Best is to use a toothpick and roll it along the edge, allow it to dry a bit and paste.
10. I would not gum the whole strip if it is long, rather, I do it bit by bit.
11. If you are using individual shapes like circles etc.  it is better to make the shape and then paste it.

I feel that being  able to draw well is a definite advantage for graphic quilling  . I hope this post is helpful.

Quilled Monarch Butterfly Closeup

This monarch butterfly was quilled using a print out as a guide. I placed a polythene on the printout and quilled the wings first. I used coils and shaped them according to the picture. Then I encircled each one in black and pasted it, one to the other. Where colors are at the edges of the coils,  like the tip of the wings, I just made the black coil then a few white ones, shaped them and pasted them into the outer edge of the coil. I use the same technique to put highlights into the eyes I quill.

For the body, I have just pasted white strips cut to shape, after quilling the 3d body. I did a small trick for the eye as I was lazy!! I cut a strip like a long triangle and made a peg starting with the broader end.

Quilled Humming Bird Closeup

I have uploaded a closeup of the humming bird quilled picture in my Fuchsia Shower to show how the blended quills enable you to get different shades. The darker shade of green is achieved by mixing light/dark green and making the coil. The grayish look is by mixing black and white. The tail feathers have been made using husking technique. I have quilled the eyes then pasted strips to get the shape of the eyes.