ELEMENTARY

Lilyanne, grade five.

Leigh Drake

Paper quilling is the process of cutting paper into long, thin strips, rolling and pinching the strips into different shapes, and gluing the shapes together to create eye-catching designs with intricate details. Paper quilling can be used to decorate cards, boxes, gift bags, picture frames, and can even be used to create 3D standalone art pieces.

Iʼve attended several workshops on quilling over the years during both the National Art Education Association and Virginia Art Education Association conventions. Every year I say Iʼm going to try this process with my students, but it never happened until this year. When I first attended the workshops, I was intimidated by these elaborate designs, and I wondered if my students would feel the same way. Because I knew that my gifted artists are always up for a challenge, I decided to embed paper quilling into my curriculum for this school year, and I wasn’t disappointed.

Introducing Paper Quilling
I was researching quilling artists, looking for inspiration when I discovered Yulia Brodskaya and her beautiful, whimsical pieces. Her work immediately caught my attention, and I knew it would interest my students.

From simple household items to food, animals, and people, a variety of ideas flowed from every student based upon their interests.

After discussing Brodskayaʼs work and viewing examples of other quilling designs, we watched videos demonstrating paper quilling techniques. Then I gave students time with a few pieces of paper to practice the techniques using a quilling tool or small stylus stick.

Planning and Sketching
Students created thumbnail sketches of ideas for their own compositions, researching and developing several designs. I asked them to focus on the subject matter as well as a background that might complement the overall design. During a mid-critique, students received suggestions from their peers and refined their ideas as needed.

Let the Quilling Commence
I gave students a substrate on which to mount their designs. We used cold-press textured watercolor paper mounted on foam core for display.

I had bins of colored paper organized by color family for students to choose from. Some strips of paper were pre-cut from the manufacturer, while others I cut myself. I also had a paper cutter with a safety guard, which students could use to cut their own pieces. Students stored their pieces in zip-top bags.