Using a Sponge Brayer with Stencils

Today's post parades several stencil-made prints on assorted backgrounds (mostly foreign newspapers); the first was made with my Marbles 9 stencil.  This stencil measures 9" x 12" (and has a 6" x 6" "little sister," Marbles 6.)


Having coated the background with an even layer of orange translucent acrylic paint, I gave it time to dry, then used a sponge brayer* and high-viscosity aqua acrylic paint-mix to add this complementary color thru the stencil:

Above:  Since I didn't have high-viscosity (heavy-body) aqua paint on hand, I mixed soft-body paint with extra-heavy acrylic medium gel, before loading the brayer with paint.

Here is a photo showing a sponge brayer being loaded with paint upon a disposable foam plate:

Below:  This photo shows the paint-loaded brayer being rolled over a stencil.  (This stencil is my 6" x 6" Sassy Spray.) 

 

Moving forward to make my next print for today's post, I coated newsprint with a layer of Titan Buff mixed with acrylic matte liquid medium; then, I used another sponge brayer to add orange acrylic paint thru two borders from my Borders # 2 stencil.  As you can tell below, from the sponged borders around each border, this stencil has been cut into three strips, to separate each of the three borders it contains.  It's not necessary to cut any of my three Borders series stencils into strips, but it's my personal choice; I find them easier to use this way.

Above:  My Titan Buff acrylic paint (by Golden) isn't translucent to begin with; I mixed it with acrylic matte liquid medium (which is transparent) before loading my brayer with paint.  This way, some of the background print remained visible, thus creating a layered look.

I made another orange-background print with a bright aqua foreground, following the same steps as in the first print posted today.  This print was made with two of my Trivet series stencils -- left:  Trivet B stencil; right:  Trivet C.  Both stencil measure 6" x 6" and are part of a 4-piece series that includes one 9" x 12" stencil (Trivet 9 A.)

Above:  Trivet B, on the left, always reminds me of a turning wheel.  Trivet C, on the right, makes me think of razor blades!  I didn't design either of them with these images in mind.  It just happened on its own.

Today's final image:

Too late, I realized that I should have added more solid aqua, or a solid beige, to the background of this piece, before printing it with an orange paint-loaded sponge brayer and my 9" x 12" stencil Two Vases.  If I'd had the forethought to mute out the background printing with either of those paints, the two orange vases would have stood out better. 

But there's always a next time!

To scroll thru the pages of my StencilGirl stencils and masks, please start here. 

And I thank you kindly for visiting my blog today.

* Sponge brayers, sometimes called sponge rollers, can be found here.