Using Paint-Stained Stencils as Collage Elements -- Part 1

Do you own a collection of beautifully stained stencils -- souvenirs from past trips into the happy land of mixed-media adventure?

Once upon a time I was reluctant to cut my own growing collection into pieces -- but I kept seeing opportunities to use these gorgeously colored designs in new ways -- so I grabbed the scissors and never looked back!  (Mind you, I've ordered replacement stencils and masks!)

Ready to read about it?  

Tangled Pods (9" x 12"), Small Tangled Pods (6" x 6") and Small Dangled Pods (6" x 6")were used not only in creating this background, but also, in two places, as collage elements (after being cut apart.)  The substrate is a 12" x 12" stretched canvas.  The technique is demonstrated as part of the May 2019 StencilGirl StencilClub package.)

6" x 6" masks Webbed Medallion and Tiger Lily were likewise used not only in creating this background, but also, in two places, as collage elements.  The substrate is a 12" x 12" stretched canvas.  The technique is demonstrated as part of the May 2019 StencilGirl StencilClub package.)

Be aware:  To use stained stencils as collage elements, I advise using sturdy substrates (for example, stretched canvas.)  This idea would not work well with thin substrates such as printer paper.

You can enlarge any of today's images, to better see details.

Usually, my paint-stained stencil and mask pieces step unto the spotlight as my last step in developing a background.  Two examples of this last-step approach are at the top of this post.  In the second example above, the masks were left in their original sizes -- being 6" x 6" masks, they were perfect for creating a quadrant design on the 12" x 12" canvas.

Other times, my stencil or masks pieces are added to an artwork as the next-to-last step, so I can add more paint (or other media) over them.  One example is below; this a close-up of an artwork-in-progress shows part of my 9" x 12" stencil Prayer Flags, adhered to the canvas before fading a bit into the background behind a coat of translucent white acrylic paint (often called "zinc white" or "mixing white.") 

Since StencilGirl creates stencils and masks using the highest-quality Mylar, I need a "glue" with enough strength to permanently keep these sturdy stencil-bits in place.  So I always use heavy-body matte gel medium to adhere stencils to my substrates.  

Painted stencils can be cut apart with scissors, or a hobby knife paired with a cutting board.  But I use Joyce Chen scissors, originally marketed as a kitchen tool for cutting apart chicken bones!  These scissors have short blades that easily make cuts in detained areas of stencil designs.  And they are sharp enough to deal with the high quality Mylar that StencilGirl uses.  


And when applying the gel medium, I work atop sheets of scratch paper, since some of the gel will end up on whatever's under the stencil-piece.

Above:  the "right" side of the stained stencil -- cut from Palm Fronds Silhouette Small (6" x 6")

Above:  the stencil piece has been flipped over to its "wrong" side.

Above:  I dip this old paintbrush (no longer used for painting) into heavy gel medium and spread the gel across the entire surface of the stencil-bit, on its "wrong" side.

The first photo below shows an artwork-in-progress.  Its background has been established with acrylic paints and collage papers.  The blue pieces of masking tape are attaching stained stencils in the places where they may, or may not, end up being added with heavy-body matte medium gel.  This step is called "auditioning."  I'm using the masking tape because I work vertically -- the stretched canvas is facing me, propped up on the shelf of an easel.  If I were working horizontally -- the way most artists do, using a tabletop -- I wouldn't need the masking tape.

Below:  A close-up of one area of this work-in-progress.  In the upper left lies part of a stained stencil that started life as my 9" x 12" stencil It's a Jungle Out There.  To its right lies a piece cut from my 9" x 12" stencil Fantasia.  In the lower left corner, there is a green-and-white stained cut-out section from my 9" x 12" stencil Prayer Flags.

Above:  If familiar with StencilGirl products, you may recognize the leafy white botanical image surrounded by reds and oranges.  This is an image I developed in Photoshop and it later became part of my 6" x 6" stencil Ferns 6.

Below is today's first example of my acrylic-and-collage art in a completed piece.

Above:  This art on canvas, entitled Meet in the Middle, was accepted into the annual Open Juried Show at the Guild of Creative Art, Shrewsbury, NJ. 

Above:  stencils used include ...

my Prayer Flags (9" x 12") 

Warped Holes 9 (9" x 12") designed by Lizzie Mayne

City Stencil (9" x 12") designed by Jamie Fingal 

Above:  part of my 9" x 12" stencil Blooming Where Planted,  stained with acrylic paints, then collaged over a background printed with my 9" x 12" stencil Prayer Flags.

In developing the artwork above, I used my stencils ...

6" x 6" Pavilion Shadows 

6" x 6" Palm Fronds Silhouette Small (also available as a 4" x 4" mini)

6" x 6" Kaleid

6" x 6" Trivet A (also available as a 9" x 12" stencil)

and the 6" x 6" stencil (borders removed) from the May 2019 StencilClub 3-piece set.

The following 2 photos show abstract compositions created on backgrounds that are fairly tame; my goal in creating them was to have the stencil-pieces and stencils star in each of the pieces:

Above: 6" x 6" Kaleid  (left) and 4" x 4" Palm Fronds Silhouette Mini (right)

Above:  orange-and-yellow pieces are cut from 6" x 6" Palm Fronds Silhouette Small  and the central purple-green stained stencil is cut from my 9" x 12" stencil Blooming Where Planted 

My next post will show more art samples created with acrylic paint-stained stencils serving as collage elements.  Thanks for stopping by here today!  To scroll thru my StencilGirl stencils and masks, please start here.  To follow this blog by email, please use that option in the upper right sidebar.