Yulia Brodskay - quilled portraits

I can't even imagine the time and effort that Russian-born, UK-based artist Yulia Brodskay has put into these remarkable, highly detailed works of art.

As she explains about her work and process:

I believe that one of the main reasons I enjoy the paper craft, is due to my love of the material: paper. Although I've always had a special fascination for paper, it has taken me a while to find my own way of working with it; and then it took a little longer to find out that the technique I have been using so intensively is called quilling - it involves the use of strips of paper that can be rolled, shaped, and glued to the background.

Initially, I was concerned about the limitations of the quilling technique and the material from which the work is constructed - paper & card - as it very much dictates what can and cannot be said within the boundaries of the chosen medium. However, this material limitation turned out to be a strength for me: there is the potential to contain thoughts and ideas in unique ways so that the medium can become a significant part of the message. Thus, after working with paper quilling for over three years I am at a point where I don't feel constrained by the technical challenges of the medium; I'm eager to keep experimenting.

See more of Brodskay's quilled masterpieces, including some incredible commercial illustration work, on her website.

(Via The Design Ark)