Another Way to Use Stencil-Prints ...

Here is an old post that I'm re-running, during this crazy-busy couple of weeks ...

I started today's project with a dark background on a sheet of 140-lb. watercolor paper slightly larger than my 9"X12" stencil Facets.  The background below is not identical to the one I used, but it's very similar.

Next, I altered the background paper with Titanium White acrylic paint.  I applied the paint using a cosmetic sponge (lower left corner, below) thru the Facets stencil, which I'd secured with green masking tape.

Below is the background paper with the stencil lifted off.

Below is the same paper, after I added an overcoat of translucent pale green acrylic paint.

Below is a close-up of a section of this paper, where I've followed the original lines to mark off several rectangles and one circle.

My next step was to cut along those outlined shapes.  Then I assembled them to form a flower. 

I auditioned several new background papers to see which I liked best as the base of the flower collage.

My favorite is the middle one.

Repeating Pattern Stencils -- Readymade and Customized

At http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/category-s/1932.htm, you will find a new category-grouping of stencils:  Repeating Designs. 

A repeating pattern stencil enables an artist to lift the stencil after its first print, then place it back onto the printing surface and easily line it up with the earlier print -- to maintain even, seamless spacing of the overall finished design.  This can be done endlessly to cover a surface of any size.  It's commonly used by artists working in the fiber arts but it's gaining popularity among those into the paper arts, too.  I suspect the whole idea started back in ancient Egypt with hieroglyphic reliefs along the walls.

My stencils Quilted Flower Garden and Facets fall into this special new category.  Here's how the technique works:

Above:  Having made the first print (on the right) I've lifted the stencil.  In the upper left is the sponge dauber I used to apply the acrylic paint thru the stencil. 

Above:  I've placed the stencil down again, lining it up exactly with the first print.  I recommend using masking tape to get exact alignment.

Above:  I've lifted the stencil after making the second print.  Notice there is a space gap between these two prints.  I could choose to make the third, fourth, fifth, etc., prints with this same space gap between each print.  Or, I could approach the whole project, from step one, by eliminating that space gap.  To do that, I would simply overlap the stencil over the original print, as show below: 

Above is a distance shot, showing the stencil overlapping the original print along one edge.  Below is a close-up which shows this better.

I chose to make my second print using a color-blend that differed from the original print.  If I were to repeat this process again and again, I would continue to create color-blends across the entire printed surface, which could end up any overall size that I want.  But this is just an option, to create variety.  Repeating pattern stencils are often used with no variation in color.

Now that I've shown how the repeating pattern technique works, I'll show how some stencils easily lend themselves to customization, so they can be used in the same way. 

For example, you can create long narrow Repeating Pattern Stencils with my stencil Borders #1, simply by cutting this stencil into 3 equal strips.  Just place the stencil over a self-healing cutting mat pre-printed with a measurement grid.  The below photo, and its close-up that follows, show the stencil lined up with the measurements and grid-lines on the cutting mat.

Once the stencil is lined up where you want it, place a ruler where you want to cut the new stencil edge.  Use the mat's guidelines to keep the ruler straight and, with a Sharpie pen, draw a cutting line.  You can then lift off the stencil and cut it with scissors -- but better yet, for a perfect cut, you can leave the stencil and ruler on the cutting mat, and cut along the line with an X-acto knife.

Likewise, you can easily customize my 9"X12" stencil Wrought Iron Gate to make it a Repeating Pattern Stencil.  Just line it up on the cutting mat and cut off the "ornament" at the top of the "gate."  Below, I've used a ruler with a metal edge that will be useful in the next step, when I will use my X-acto knife to do the cut.  But for now, I'm just drawing the guideline for the cut:

Above:  I've placed the stencil onto the cutting mat, lining it up with the measuring grid pre-printed on the mat.  Those blue lines helped me place the ruler exactly where I wanted, to draw a line between the ornate "gate top" and the rest of the stencil.  This is shown better in the close-up below:

Click on the above image to enlarge it.  This will help you better see the ornate "gate top" that is to be cut off.

The above photo shows the ruler pulled away from the line that I've drawn.  The cut will be made here.

One important thing to note is that this stencil customization gives you an edge-free design.  This kind of raw-edged stencil is more fragile, but the lack of an outer border makes it easier to align prints side-by-side, for a seamless overall effect.

Stencils are tools to be personalized any way you want to achieve your unique artistic goals!

Subtractive Technique with my Just-Released 9"X12" Stencil "Facets"

Subtractive technique, which I first learned from my friend Cindy Powell, works very well with Facets because of its wide openings.

To create this piece, I started with a substrate that is a favorite of many artists, including Mary C. Nasser -- an old map.

Above:  an old nautical map with an early coat of diluted orange acrylic paint.

Above:  the same map after a coat of diluted white gesso has been added. 

Not shown:  After the altered-map substrate had dried, I added a coat of magenta Dr. Ph. Martin's Bombay India Ink.  (This ink comes in a variety of colors.)

Next, Facets was secured to the altered map with masking tape.  Altho many techniques allow you to skip the taping step, the subtractive technique will work best if you take the time to include this step.

After the stencil was secured, I used a water-spritzed terrycloth rag to rub away the magenta ink that showed thru the openings of the stencil.  Then I lifted off the stencil.  Below is the result:

And the final product is shown in the top photo in this post.

 

After creating that image in the top photo, I scanned it into my PC and altered its color in Photoshop:

 

 

 

 Facets is now available at www.StencilGirlProducts.com.  

3 New Stencils Released!

Twinship, Facets and Vintage Script are my 9"X12" stencils just now released at www.StencilGirlProducts.com.

Artwork created with Facets -- 

Above:  I will soon be posting a step-by-step description of the creation of this artwork using the subtractive technique.

 

Artwork created with Twinship --

 

Above:  This collage was created with a background Gelli Plate print of my new 9"X12" stencil Twinship, available at www.StencilGirlProducts.com.  The foreground is a print-out derived from my photo of a peacock.

Above:  a Gelli Plate print.

Above:  a Gelli Plate print.

Above:  a Gelli Plate print.

Above:  a sun-print.

 

Artwork created with Vintage Script, now available at www.StencilGirlProducts.com--

 

Above:  the foreground was created with acrylic paint on a cosmetic sponge, applied thru my new stencil Vintage Script.

This is the cover of a greeting card to send at Christmas; I used the same method as described above.

Above:  this was created with a mix of acrylic paint and modeling paste, applied thru my stencil Vintage Script.

Above:  a close-up of a collage showing the right lower corner where the stencil Vintage Script was used.  Like the image before this, it was created with a mix of molding paste and acrylic paint.



Above:  This shot shows the entire collage with the stenciled area in the lower right quadrant.

My thanks to Mary Ann Russo for the two vintage photos of a cute little girl, serving as backgrounds for two of the Vintage Script applications.