Classy and Opinionated Lifestyle Mom Blog
Bored with the same old paints? The Organic Painter introduces innovative techniques for using non-traditional “paint” derived from materials like coffee, tea, and alcohol, to encourage freedom of expression. Traditional art supplies will only take you so far! * Complimentary book received for review. This …
At the age of 12 I was taught how to cross-stitch by my grandmother. Back in those days all young girls were taught how to do hand-sewing, cross-stitching, and embroidery. After a few days of basic lessons, my grandmother had me cross-stitching floral designs along …
For years, my favorite pair of earrings featured dangling purple beads made from paper. Paper! They were so pretty, I always wanted to make my own paper beads. Now I’m finally learning the paper-coiling art of quilling with the help of a brand-new book, The Art of Modern Quilling: Contemporary Paper Techniques & Projects for Captivating Quilled Designs by Erin Perkins Curet (Quarry Books/Quarto, February 2019), which I received to review along with some pre-cut quilling paper strips. Thank you!
* Complimentary book & paper received for review. This post contains affiliate links.
Like most crafts, quilling requires certain materials and tools, but Curet describes alternatives or items you might already have that you can use, so it may not be necessary for you to invest a lot of money to get started. I did buy an inexpensive beginner’s quilling kit, mainly for the slotted tool used to wind the paper and for a needle-nosed glue bottle, both of which I’ve found very handy.
The Art of Modern Quilling begins with a helpful tutorial for making the basic quilled shapes (coil, teardrop, marquis, diamond, semicircle, etc.) that form the basis for the projects to follow. The beautiful projects include jewelry, a candle holder, wineglass charms, a mandala wall clock, mosaics, and more. The variety of projects is amazing, ranging from useful everyday objects to artworks for display, all with clear step-by-step instructions and illustrations.
For my first project, I chose the Butterfly Mobile, which involves several different quilled shapes and quilling techniques. My initial efforts are obviously those of a beginner, but the butterflies are pretty nonetheless and I’m quite pleased with them. I’ve really been enjoying the whole quilling process and as my skills improve, I’m looking forward to making more complex and well-executed projects—especially paper-bead earrings! Aside from the projects, The Art of Modern Quilling is a great reference for the basics of quilling as well as a source of inspiration, and I’m grateful to have had this chance to review it.
Erin Perkins Curet is the creative force behind LittleCircles.net, which she describes as “a website dedicated to sharing the art & love of crafting with paper.” There you’ll find quilling projects and tutorials, many of them free, as well as her online shop for hand-cut quilling paper and tools. You can keep up with Curet on Facebook for all the latest updates.
* This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, we may or may not receive a small commission which helps to support this site. Thank you!
Giveaway: One lucky winner is going to win a copy of The Art of Modern Quilling Book thanks to Quarry Books, an imprint of Quarto, PLUS some pre-cut quilling paper to get you started from Little Circles! Good luck!
Giveaway Details: This giveaway is open to residents of the US ONLY age 18 and over. Please read our Terms of Service & Disclaimer Policy before entering. This giveaway will close on March 4th, 2019 at 11:59 pm EST time. No purchase necessary to enter or win.
Disclaimer: A. Bailey received a complimentary product for review purposes & feature on The Classy Chics blog. No monetary compensation was received. A. Bailey’s thoughts, opinions and words are 100% her own. Your thoughts may differ. Please read the blog’s terms of service policy before entering any giveaways. The Classy Chics are NOT responsible for prize fulfillment or shipping of any items won from this blog. This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through an affiliate link, we may or may not make a small commission which helps to support this website. Thank you!!!
At the age of 12 I was taught how to cross-stitch by my grandmother. Back in those days all young girls were taught how to do hand-sewing, cross-stitching, and embroidery. After a few days of basic lessons, my grandmother had me cross-stitching floral designs along …
The New Color Mixing Companion combines practical information with user-friendly projects for hands-on learning about mixing color and creating palettes. In addition, it includes over a dozen geometric and meditative templates for you to continue your color mixing practice. * Complimentary book received for review. …
We all know that beautiful calligraphic lettering can lend an elegant flair to the written word. But have you ever imagined going beyond lettering and using calligraphic techniques to create stunning works of art? Calligraphic Drawing: A How-To Guide and Gallery Exploring the Art of the Flourish by Schin Loong (Rockport Publishers/Quarto, November 2018) can show you how.
* Complimentary book received for review. This post contains affiliate links.
Like many craft books, Calligraphic Drawing begins with a section about the tools and materials you’ll need, in this case, metal nibs, nib holders, ink, and paper. Loong describes several brands of nibs and provides helpful information about their differences as well as sample strokes made with them so you can choose one best suited for you. She also gives some good tips for using and caring for your tools, in particular, repeating “Never let ink dry on your nib.” Her Troubleshooting Guide will help you solve problems you may run into as you undertake your new craft, and she provides advice and encouragement in a section called “Before You Begin.”
After practicing the lessons and performing the exercises in the first chapter, “Basic Strokes and Flourishes,” you’ll grasp the fundamental skills you’ll need to move on to the heart of the book. There you’ll use calligraphic strokes to draw a jellyfish, a goldfish, and several types of birds, including a swan and a peacock, all with step-by-step guidance. You’ll then learn to embellish your lettering and to add lettering to your drawings, as well as creating cartouche designs to enhance your pictures and lettering. In the latter parts of the book, you’ll find more intricate designs for animals such as an elephant, a dinosaur, and a puppy, some with embedded lettering.
Beyond the lessons, Calligraphic Drawing includes a gallery of some of Loong’s finished works to inspire your creativity. As she says, “The basic steps for the strokes are simple, but as you learn each new pattern and stroke, you’ll watch your drawings flourish and develop into more complex and beautiful compositions. Your process may be different from mine, but that is what makes flourished drawings so special—each is unique to the hand that created it.”
Schin Loong is the calligrapher and artist behind Open Ink Stand Studio in Las Vegas. Follow her on Instagram to enjoy beautiful samples of her work and updates on events. Rockport Publishers specializes in instructional design books and is an imprint of The Quarto Group. You can visit Quarto Knows on Facebook for all the latest updates.
* This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, we may or may not receive a small commission which helps to support this site. Thank you!
Disclaimer: A. Bailey received complimentary products for review purposes & feature on The Classy Chics blog. No monetary compensation was received. A. Bailey’s thoughts, opinions and words are 100% her own. Your thoughts may differ. This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through an affiliate link, we will receive a small commission which helps to support this site. Thanks!
If you like coloring, tangling, or lettering, you’ll love to dangle! Add whimsy and charm to your writing with A Dangle A Day: Lettering & Designs with Charms for Every Season by Angela Porter, publishing January 8th, 2019 from Race Point Publishing! * Complimentary book …
Looking to learn how to paint or to improve your artistic skills? Enjoy animals and looking to incorporate them into your art projects? If you answered YES to any of those questions you’ll want to check out this new book release titled: Colorways: Acrylic Animals by …