Julianna Brion Upcycles Old Books With Striking Results

Julianna Brion’s artwork is an exploration of the ways color and words interact with one another. Upcycling used books, Brion uses books as her canvas, transforming them into sketchbooks on which she paints and doodles quite freely. Her techniques span from ink illustrations to mixed media and painting; the finished product – thought-provoking and aesthetically pleasing.

View this post on Instagram

Woman x poodle #sketchbook

A post shared by Julianna Brion (@juliannabrion) on

With features in publications like The New York Times, The New Yorker, and Penguin Books and exhibitions in galleries, the Baltimore-based illustrator has amassed a small but dedicated following on Instagram.

“I come from a whole family of illustrators and designers,” relayed Brion in an interview with Working not Working. “My grandmother, Anne Rockwell, has written over 200 children’s books! I’d love an opportunity to work with her on a book someday.”

“Baltimore inspires me a lot,” she added, talking about her sources of inspiration “But I try to take trips periodically to refresh myself mentally and creatively. I’ve made it a priority to take at least one trip a year since I started my illustration career, away from the studio and away from the internet. My best ideas almost always occur in the times I find myself away from my computer.”

Scroll down to see some of her work:

View this post on Instagram

Playtime 🌺

A post shared by Julianna Brion (@juliannabrion) on

View this post on Instagram

Playing

A post shared by Julianna Brion (@juliannabrion) on