This week You! talks to a Lahore-based artist, Rumesa Saddozai, who dabbles in the delicate ancient craft of paper quilling, which is all the rage these days...
arts & crafts
This week You! talks to a Lahore-based artist, Rumesa Saddozai, who dabbles in the delicate ancient craft of paper quilling, which is all the rage these days...
We live in a digital world where machines have slowly crept into every aspect of our lives, whether it is communication or consumption. But despite the fact that everything is mass produced and readily available nowadays, there is still something very special about handicrafts. Be it an intricately embroidered dress, a decor item to something as simple as a handmade card, it feels special knowing that every little detail has been done painstakingly to perfection. Trends come and go, but there are certain crafts that will always remain timeless.
Like many forms of craft, paper quilling can trace its origins back hundreds of years to at least the 15th century (or even earlier). It is a decorative art which is basically the manipulating and arranging of small strips of paper into detailed designs.
Arts and crafts have a way of reinventing themselves and sure enough, paper quilling has seen resurgence in recent years. With artists revisiting this centuries-old medium and sharing their incredible work online, it is inspiring other people to give it a go as well. One of those artists to dabble in paper quilling is Lahore-based Rumesa Saddozai, who creates and sells paintings on her Facebook page ‘Art de Rumesa’. Rumesa found a new love for this intricate art form and decided to give it a try as well. “I like painting with a palette knife and I can work with oil paints or water colours. But then I came across the art of quilling. The beautiful three-dimensional art pieces, all made of such a simple thing as paper, really intrigues me still,” she tells.
“I have a quirky personality which is why this art resonates with me and helps me experiment with an array of mediums. Varying techniques, textures and unconventional colours always excite me. For instance, I have always liked trying different techniques like ironing fabric paints over a chart paper card to bring out the texture. So, one thing that I really find interesting about working with paper in this way is its 3D texture. You can easily make something pop as the pattern formed with the papers glued upright make it prominent. And, there is no rule about the kind of material you can use as long as you are able to control it,” she enthuses.
Most people believe that this form of art was created by French and Italian nuns, who would use this trick to simulate carved ivory and wrought iron, in an effort to save money. Nowadays, this paper craft is commonly used on things like greeting cards, boxes, jewellery, portraits and many more decorative items.
It can be as simple as making a cute little flower or making a full-blown portrait with intricate details, “I was inspired by the work of Russian artist and illustrator Yulia Brodskaya, who is absolutely phenomenal with the portraits; and an American fine art painter Iris Scott, who uses her fingers to create master pieces which compel me to take projects that are hands-on,” says Rumesa.
One can create different shapes and designs (florals being a popular choice) by rolling, looping, twisting and curling paper strips; and using glue to secure them into place.
“While this craft is amazing, it requires a lot of persistence, especially if you are trying to make something intricate on a large scale with no proper tools. I am a pretty impatient person, so I try and finish a piece in one sitting within a few hours. Longer than a day, and I find it hard to complete. I usually keep my projects on a miniature level, that way I can continue making many of these,” she elaborates.
When asked how one can delve into this art, Rumesa had a bunch of tips for anyone interested. “If you want to take up paper quilling you should check out the incredible work done by Yulia Brodskaya. It may look a little intimidating at first but it’s really not. You can start by watching some tutorials online which will you a step-by-step guide for your first attempt. The items you will need are: thick white glue with a small pointed opening to help you apply it better; some basic tools (slotted quilling tool, needle tool and some moulds) that will help you with rolling; and of course paper strips that you can either cut yourself or find at stationery shops. Start with something simple that you may find interesting and fold away,” she concludes.
