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!

Stencils on Aluminum Tape

Masking tape isn't just for painting walls; non-stick aluminum foil isn't just for baking; and aluminum tape --

http://www.amazon.com/Scotch-Aluminum-Foil-3311-Silver/dp/B000HBOYZO

-- found in hardware stores and home improvement centers, isn't just for repairs. 

This beautiful tape, just shy of 2" in width, comes with a white paper backing that, when peeled off, reveals a self-stick backing.

Above, at the top of the photo, is a view of the tape as it comes, in a roll.  Here, I have cut off 2 lengths of it and secured them with masking tape to (left) a sheet of yellow craft foam and (right) an old mouse pad.  Underneath is more aluminum -- the non-stick kind, also secured with masking tape to my work surface.

Below is a close-up of the next step I took in this project -- placing stencils over the tape.  The upper photo shows my 9"X12" Wrought Iron Gate stencil and the smaller photo shows my 9"X12" Borders 1 stencil.

I traced the stencils' line-work with an embossing stylus, the top of which appears below, but a ballpoint pen would work, too.

My next step was to lift off the stencil to reveal the embossed tape --
 

 

Below are two photos showing the embossed tapes with alcohol inks added--

 

 

I liked the colors of these inks but wasn't happy with the way the embossed line-work disappeared under them.  So I began experimenting.  One experiment was to remove most of the ink with rubbing alcohol.  I also got out my Sharpie pens, knowing that these deeply embossed lines would be easy to trace.  But to be on the safe side, I replaced the stencils, lining them up with the embossed line-work --

 

 

After lifting off the stencil a second time, I had the results below.

 

The lower strip of tape has been embossed, alcohol-inked, and wiped with rubbing alcohol.  Some of the alcohol ink remains, highlighting the embossed line-work.

I ended up with lots of decorative tape, some of which will used to embellish art journal covers.  One piece was used on the cover of a 6"X6" greeting card --

 

 

 

Cheap Joe's Art Stuff 2014 Guide to Great Art

 

Above is my painting Orange Border, which appears in the hot-off-the-press 2014 art supply catalog of Cheap Joe's.  I'm humbled and honored because the other artworks that were chosen are truly awe-inspiring.  Request this free catalog and you'll see what I mean!www.CheapJoes.com

The main element in Orange Border was painted with my 9"X12" Borders #1 stencil, available at STENCILGIRL(TM)Products:

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/l220.htm

In the upper left corner of this abstract painting, you can also see where I used one of the other borders from this stencil, which contains three borders in all.

Thanks for stopping by!