Getting Creative with Old Stencil-Prints

Have you ever ended up with more stencil-printed papers than what your art journal will hold?

How about getting out the scissors and cutting some of those prints into pieces?!

Pieces that form shapes; shapes that move in new directions....

Above, some simple squares, rectangles and circles have created a village in some magical place far away!

Below, more simple cut-outs have come together to make an abstract design --

Above:  The center of interest was cut from a print made with the 6" x 6" stencil Webbed Medallion.

6" x 6" Webbed Medallion

Other stencils used in making the original prints include:

6" x 6" Pavilion Shadows

Above:  the print, before it met the scissors!

6" x 6" Sprigs

Above:  This is not one of the Sprigs-printed prints that got cut up, but it's similar.

Today's post shows one last abstract design created with shapes cut from stencil-prints --

Above:  A 9" x 12" mixed-media collage on stretched canvas.  The black-and-purple printed papers are computer-generated.

The main stencil that went to work making these prints:

9" x 12" Garden Montage 

In the 9" x 12" collage on canvas shown above, I used a three-piece  stencil set with acrylic paints in creating shapes to correspond with the computer-generated strips of paper (black figures on purple backgrounds.) 

I developed these black figures on purple backgrounds in Photoshop; and when I imported similar images into Photoshop, it became the birthplace of this three-stencil set.

What three-piece stencil set?  Wait and see!

New Life to Old Artwork -- with Stencils!

 
Transforming an old painting:

If the old painting has thick, textured, raised areas of paint, this technique will not yield "perfect" results.  My personal preference for this technique calls for stencils with large openings -- not stencils with lots of fine details.

Secure stencils with masking tape to selected areas of the surface. Mask off areas of the stencils that you choose to avoid using. This masking can be done before or after you attach the stencils to the surface.   Below, in the lower right of a canvas, I've used paper for masking off part of my 9"X12" stencil Mimosa --

--but for smaller areas, I use strips of masking tape, as shown above.

Once the stencil(s) and masking tools are in place, you have choices to make as to what medium or media to use.  

In the examples shown below, I have used a mix of matte heavy gel medium and acrylic paint, applied with a sponge (in large areas) or a stipple brush (in finely detailed, small areas.)  My favorite kind of stipple, or stencil, brush is the kind with a flat-topped round sponge tip.  These are made by Tulip and other craft supply companies.  Stipple brushes also come another style -- flat-topped, stiff bristles.  

Another alternative -- that I highly recommend -- is the Art-C Groove Tool with a brush attachment.

If you can't find this tool, look instead in the cosmetics department of a large department store like Kohls.  In my local Kohls, I saw this very same tool on display in the cosmetics/health care area! 

Another medium you might want to consider, for applying color thru your stencils, is Liquitex Professional Spray paint  -- or homemade spray acrylic paint (a mister bottle containing a tiny amount of airbrush medium, a larger amount of liquid acrylic paint, and a larger-still amount of water -- well-mixed, and shaken before each use.) 

I often use both the above methods (spray paint and stippled-on paint) on the same piece of artwork.  Variety increases interest.

I remove stencils immediately after use.  If I'm not feeling lazy, I will float them in a basin of water until I have time to gently go over them with a soft discarded toothbrush.  Most acrylic paint will come off the stencil if it's been immediately soaked in water, but any residue can be removed with rubbing alcohol.  As a final touch, I pat or press stencils dry between layers of paper towel. 

After my first media applications have dried, I repeat the process described above, overlapping layers of design and color as I build up a new painting.

Again, here is an old painting as it originally looked before I started the transformation; if you don't work on canvas, as I do, you can also think of this as a journal page already layered with starter coatings of paint:

Below is a close-up of one area of the canvas where I have taped the first two stencils -- my Seaweed stencil (upper right) and my 9"x12" Mimosa stencil; here you see them with the acrylic paint already stippled on.  

Below is the same close-up section of the canvas, with the stencils removed.

The next step is shown below; the original stenciled areas having dried, another two stencils have been taped on:  Again I used Seaweed; to the right of it, I used another 6"x 6" stencil of mine, Marbles.

Below are some close-up details showing my use of 5 of my stencils, 9"x 12" Mimosa, Seaweed, Links, Grid and Marbles:

This painting is still in progress.  Thanks for visiting!  To scroll thru all the pages of my StencilGirl stencils and masks, please start here.

Marbling Paper (or Fabric) Using Stencils as a Resist

Besides StencilGirl stencils, my other supplies for this project included e 140-lb. hot-press (smooth) watercolor paper, Japanese dyes (Boku-Undo), a marbling comb, and water in a plastic basin.

(What I like about Boku-Undo is that these dyes are so easy to use -- even for me; I don't have much successful marbling experience, yet even I could do it with these!) 

 

Lots of Internet information is available, showing how to marble paper and fabrics. 

So I won’t repeat here the basic starting steps, and optional additional supplies, involved in marbling.  (With Boku-Undo, there are no supplies needed in addition to what I listed above.)

What I will do, however, is start at the point where (1) you have cut the paper or fabric to a size that corresponds with the size of the stencil and fits easily into the basin holding the floating fluid; (2) the marbling pigments have been floated atop the floating fluid; (3) the pigments have been stirred with a tool to create a marbled pattern. 

 

At this point, float the plastic stencil on top of the floater liquid.

Place your fabric or 140-lb. hot-press (smooth) watercolor paper -- face down – over the stencil floating on the fluid. 

 

You will see enough thru the paper or fabric to know when full contact has been made.

Once you see this, carefully lift off the paper or fabric.

Having lifted it and turned it right-side-up, you will see that it has picked up the imprint from the stencil.  Don’t expect picture-perfect results – there will be some (or a lot) of differences between your print and the stencil image.  That’s part of the fun – never knowing exactly what will happen. 

Set aside the print to dry.  Add more dyes and start again.  Or start anew with a fresh basin of water.

Here is one finished print of mine; it’s been immortalized by Bing, which now includes it among its collection of images to illustrate marbling with stencils.  This print was made with Maria McGuire’s stencil Stitch a Doily, available at http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/Stitch-A-Doily-Stencil-p/s169.htm

Here are more prints that I made in the same way, still using 140-lb. hot-press (smooth) watercolor paper:

Above:  This print was made with my 6"X 6" stencil Kaleid.

Above:  This print was made with my 6"X 6" stencil Feathers.

Many thanks for stopping by my blog today!  To scroll thru the pages of my StencilGirl stencils and masks, please start here.

Botanicals

Today's first image is a greeting card with a two-part collage on the cover.  The outer frame was created with my 6" x 6" Mimosa stencil 6.  The orange and purple embellishment, center, was cut from a print made with my 9" x 12" stencil Garden Montage.

Below:  a 2-page art journal spread printed with my 9" x 12" stencil Garden Montage.

Next, a multi-printed paper developed with my Ivy 9 Frame stencil (9" x 12") and my 6" x 6" stencil Ginkgo.

Above:  a greeting card cover made with my 6" x 6" stencil Mikki's Flowers (which is also available as a mask.)

Above:  I used acrylic gloss gel and thinned acrylic paint over a molding paste imprint created with my 6" x 6" stencil Mimosa.  (This pattern is also available as a 9" x 12", here.)

Thanks for visiting here today!  To scroll thru the pages of my StencilGirl stencils, please start here.

One more for the road:  a collage created with cut-outs from my 6" x 6" stencil Silhouette of a Wildflower Bouquet and my 9" x 12" stencil Garden Montage.

Happy Easter!

It's the happiest day of the year for me!

Hardly anyone sends Easter cards anymore, but I have some friends  who do.

Carol Baxter of StencilGirl has made an Easter card with a matching envelope using my 6" x 6" stencil Budding Branches --

  

Click on the image above to better see details.

Easter cards I've made this year ...

Above:  A double-print -- one atop the other, but the dark purple background print leans left, while the colorful top print leans to the right.  Made with my 6" x 6" stencil Mikki's Flowers and heavy-body acrylic paint..  Decorated with Pan Pastels.  The original background was a page from an old encyclopedia.

Above:  Made with my 6" x 6" stencil Mikki's Flowers and heavy-body acrylic paint.  Also decorated with Pan Pastels.

Above:  Made with my 6" x 6" stencil Mikki's Flowers and light modeling paste.  Decorated with Pan Pastels.

Above:  Also made with my 6" x 6" stencil Mikki's Flowers and light modeling paste.  And also decorated with Pan Pastels.

In past years, I created Easter cards with some of my other flower stencils --

You can click on the above photo to enlarge it and better see detail.  Far left and far right:  Swatton Flowers Version 1 Stencil, which measures 6" x 6".  Middle:  Pressed Leaves 6" x 6" stencil.

You can click on the above photo to enlarge it and better see detail.  Far left: Budding Branches stencil, which measures 6" x 6".  Middle:  Here I used part of my  Boxed Vines 9" x 12" stencil.  Far right:  I sprayed watercolor paint thru my 6" x 6" stencil Silhouette of a Wildflower Bouquet.

You can click on the above photo to enlarge it and better see detail.  On each of these cards, I used my 6" x 6" stencil Silhouette of a Wildflower Bouquet.  The far left and far right cards were colored in with a brush and Distress Ink Pads.

Thank you for stopping by this blog today!  May your Easter be as happy as mine!  To scroll thru the pages of my StencilGirl stencils and masks, please start here.  To follow this blog by email, please use that option in the upper right sidebar.  

VASES 9" x 12" Stencil

After meeting today's IRS deadline, it's fun putting together a couple of simple collages ....

Above:  The foreground was cut from a print made with my 9" x 12" Vases stencil and my 9" x  12" stencil Facets.  The background is digital art created years ago.

 Below:  Atop another background of digital art created years ago, I've collaged a foreground created with a second print made with my 9" x 12" Vases stencil.

I love the feminine shapes of vases and have designed two stencils to prove it --

my 9" x 12" Vases stencil

my 9" x 12" stencil Two Vases.

I appreciate your visiting here today!  To scroll thru the pages of my StencilGirl stencils and masks, please start here.

It's Spring -- Think Green! -- and Try Dyeing with Tissue Paper & Silhouette Stencils

Green -- the color of hope; of new beginnings!

Please click on the image below to better see details both in the green background and orange-green foreground.

Above:  Before being cut into collage pieces, the foreground papers were printed with my 9"x 12" stencil Feathers 9.  The green background is a Gelli Plate print made with my 9" x 12" stencil Vases.

In planning today's step-by-step project, I definitely had green in mind.  My supplies: 


"bleeding" tissue paper (tissue that loses color when wet)

a scraping tool (an old credit card or an artist's spatula)

a container of water

silhouette stencils (examples:  Cats ... Ginkgo ... Small Thistles ... et al.)

masking tape (optional)

a hair drier (optional)

Nitrile or latex gloves (optional, but recommended)

a paintbrush or a spritzer water filled with water

any 3-dimensional medium, such as molding paste, Titanium White heavy body acrylic paint, heavy gloss gel medium or heavy matte gel medium

a sturdy substrate (I used greeting card blanks cut from 140-lb. watercolor paper)


Masking tape is optional, but I think it helps make this particular technique more successful than it might be otherwise.  Below, I've taped one of my silhouette stencils -- Ginkgo -- to my blank greeting card cover.  I've also taped the card cover to my work surface.

Note:  The stencil is stained with paint from previous uses!

Below lower left:  heavy gel medium and an old credit card.

The next photo shows that I have switched from the credit card to an artist's spatula.  You can click on this image to better see details.  Here, I've begun to spread the gel medium thru the stencil openings.

Note:  I've used only the right side of the stencil.

The photo above shows the surface after the stencil has been lifted.  (When using any three-dimensional medium, I immediately clean the stencil.  Otherwise some of the stencil openings might be permanently closed, once the medium dries.)

While waiting for the gel to dry, I've brought out the tissue paper.  There are several brands available; the photo below shows the one I've chosen.

Below:  Having let the gel dry, I've cut a piece of tissue to a size just larger than the card cover.  On the left is the brush for spreading water across the card cover's surface.  A water spritzer will work, too.

Below:  After wetting the surface with water, I've covered it with the tissue paper.  My next step was to press my glove-protected fingertips all around each of the individual  three-dimensional shapes --  to insure that the tissue paper touches the areas around the shapes.

Above is another greeting card cover, pictured during the same tissue-bleeding phase of the process.  For this card, I used my 6" x 6" silhouette stencil Small Thistles.

The tissue paper can be allowed to air-dry, but as shown below, I've used a hair drier.

The tissue peels off the substrate very easily, once it's completely dry.

Two examples are below --

Above are two card covers created this way.  I could have left them  as-is, but I decided to keep going a little more --

Above, on the Small Thistles card, I've used glitter glue to outline  shapes.  Below, on the Ginkgo card, I have added Pan Pastels to the raised leaves.
   

Note:  After the tissue dye is dry, it's waterfast.  So you can  go over it with other wet media without worry that the dye might re-hydrate and cause smearing.

Today's stencils include:

9" x 12" Vases

6" x 6" Small Thistles (which also comes in a 9" x 12" size)

Feathers 9 stencil (9" x 12" but also comes in a 6" x 6" size)

Ginkgo (6" x 6")

Thanks for stopping here today!   To follow this blog via email, please use that option in the upper right sidebar. 

To scroll thru the pages of my StencilGirl stencils and masks, please start here.   You'll find other silhouette stencils of mine, including 6" x 6" Cats and many more.