NEW NEW NEW Stencil Release & 2 Techniques -- It's a Messy Business --

-- so wear disposable gloves, to try these 2 quick and easy projects with very few supplies:  iridescent Shiva Paintstik oil crayons, a stencil, thin, dark papers and a sharp knife.  I used black and other dark mulberry papers because of their thinness.  The best iridescent Paintstik colors to use on dark papers are silver, white, and light gold.  For these projects, I chose gold and silver.

Just before use, a Shiva Paintstik needs to be "primed" in that it naturally forms an outer "skin" which must be removed. This is easily done with an Exacto knife -- but it should be done by an adult, never a child; these knives are sharp.

Before introducing Project One, I'll announce that the stencil I'm using here is just one of six brand-new botanical-themed releases at www.StencilGirlProducts.com.  To see all of them, and the array of techniques I've used them in, please continue reading the "NEW NEW NEW" cluster of posts that follow this, as you scroll down. 

Project One begins with placing a stencil onto the dark, thin paper-- here I'm using my new 4"X4" stencil Fern Fronds Silhouette:

The stencil is held secure with one hand, while the other rubs across the top of the stencil with the Paintstik held flat on one side, as shown below.

The above photo shows that all spaces in the stencil design have been completely filled with a layer of metallic Paintstik crayon.  In the photo below, the stencil has been lifted off the paper and placed above the imprint.  

Above:  The oil crayon-coated stencil is at the top; under it is the imprint.
Below is a close-up of an imprint made in this way.

At this point, the stencil is heavily coated with leftover oil crayon.  To create another imprint of a different kind, without using more crayon, the stencil is placed on fresh paper and held in place with one hand, while the other uses a soft rag or a paper towel to rub across the stencil and the open areas of the stencil --

An imprint made this way is shown close-up below; it's been cut out for use in a collage or greeting card or an art journal page.

More than one "ghost print" can be made in the way just described, until most of the crayon has been removed from the stencil.  Then the stencil can be completely cleaned with an alcohol wipe.

Now comes Project Two, using the same materials. 

The first step is to slide the stencil under a fresh sheet of dark, thin paper.

Above:  the stencil is being pushed under the paper.

The second and last step is to rub the sideways oil crayon across the paper, pressing into the outlines of the hidden stencil below. This is a very old technique.  Oddly enough, its results are called -- ready for this? -- rubbings.  Below is one rubbing created in this way:

One place to purchase these oil crayons is --

http://www.dickblick.com/products/shiva-iridescent-artists-paintstik-oil-colors/.

Another vendor is --
http://www.dharmatrading.com/markers/shiva-paintstiks.html

The second link, for Dharma Trading, takes you to a webpage where you can watch a video of these oil sticks being used to make rubbings on fabric.  I'm not into fabric arts, but I suspect that when these oil crayons are used on fabric, there are follow-up steps for setting the color permanently.  Dharma would have information on this. 

The stencil used in this post, Fern Fronds Silhouette, is now available at www.StencilGirlProducts.com.  This is one of 6 just-released stencils continuing my line of botanical designs.  The other stencils are individually featured -- with other art-making techniques -- here in my "NEW NEW NEW" cluster of posts.  Thanks!