Figure-Ground Contrast -- the Principle behind TANGLED PODS SMALL and DANGLED PODS SMALL

S582 Tangled Pods Small (6" x 6" stencil)

The principle of "figure-ground" contrast can be phrased as a question: “Which part of this silhouetted image is “figure” and which is “(back)ground?”  

When an image is printed with Tangled Pods Small (an example is shown below), spaces between the pods can be seen as the “negative” (“ground/background”), whereas the pods themselves can be seen as  the “positive” (“figure.”)  

Made with Small Tangled Pods (6" x 6".)

  
S581 Dangled Pods Small

Again, the principle of "figure-ground" contrast can be phrased as a question: “Which part of this silhouetted image is “figure” and which is “(back)ground?”  

When an image is printed with Dangled Pods Small (an example is below), the pods are the “positive” (or “figure”), whereas the spaces between the pods are the “negative” (or “ground/background”.)

 Made with Small Dangled Pods (6" x 6".)

Each of these new 6" x 6” stencil resembles-- but doesn’t replicate -- its big-sister measuring 9” x 12” – Dangled Pods Stencil and Tangled Pods Stencil. 

Tangled Pods Stencil (9" x 12")

Dangled Pods Stencil (9" x 12")

The little sister and big sister stencils work well together.  All four stencils work together even better!

Today's post uses mostly the two 6" x 6" versions, which are brand-new.

Above:  Two prints made with Small Tangled Pods.    Method:  After using this stencil in the traditional way, daubing acrylic paint thru the stencil with Sofft Art Sponge, I immediately flipped the stencil over and, using it like a rubber stamp, pressed its still-wet paint into scrap papers.

Below:  I used the same method here, in repeated layers, alternating between the two new stencils -- Small Tangled Pods and Small Dangled Pods.  The top layer of zinc white paint was made with Small Dangled Pods.   

The fact that these two 6" x 6" stencils are exact opposites makes it lots of fun to use them together!  

Below is another example of combination usage, slightly more complicated.  This is a close-up showing imprints made with Dangled Pads Small, Tangled Pods Small (both 6" x 6") and Tangled Pods Stencil (9" x 12".)

Have questions about figure-ground contrast? -- please leave them in Comments; I will reply.

More art samples made with my April 25 releases will appear here tomorrow.  To follow this blog by email, please check the option displayed above right.

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

To scroll thru the pages of my full line of StencilGirl stencils, please start here.