The More Spatter, the Merrier

The "spattered" look sits high on my list of favorites; I enjoy finding new ways of creating this effect in my artwork.

Here is a greeting card cover that sports a 3-dimensional design:

Above:  the stencil I used was my 6"X6" Flowers Version 1.

And here is another card, made in the same way:

Above:  the stencil I used was my 6"X6" Marbles 6.

In earlier posts, I have displayed step-by-step photos that show modeling paste (also called molding paste) spread thru stencils to create 3-dimensional results.  (The stencils are lifted soon after use and placed in a basin of water until there is time to wipe/blot them clean with paper towels.)  After the molding paste has dried, I often highlight the raised areas with blending chalks or Distress Inks or glitter glue or a dry-brushing of acrylic paints.

However, in creating the cards above, I wedged one additional step between the spreading of the molding paste thru the stencil and the lifting of the stencil.

While the molding paste was still moist, I spritzed each card surface LIGHTLY with a variety of color washes (inks in spray bottles.)  Still in place, the stencils automatically did double-duty as masks -- keeping the sprayed inks from going anywhere except on the fresh molding paste.

Immediately after spraying, I lifted off the stencils and cleaned them. 

The molding paste and sprayed inks dried together.  Because I had chosen to spray lightly, the results were the mottled look that I really like, shown in the final results above.

My Flowers Version 1 stencil is available here and here only:

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/s078.htm

My Marbles 6 stencil also comes in a 9"X12" version; both are available here:

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=marbles&Submit=

Thanks for stopping by!

Is It Just Me?

Okay, I've already admitted I'm a heavy-handed artist.  But does anyone else agree that the little foam "mittens" that come with the Pan Pastel applicator will wear out before you're finished with even the very first usage?  I switched almost immediately to using a blending stick, a.k.a., blending stump (carried by Jerry's Artarama, Dick Blick Art Supplies, and many others) as well as the type of cotton swab that has one or both ends pointed (such as the Fran Wilson Makeup Eye-Tees.)  It's true, too, that foam-topped plastic makeup applicators can be found in some dollar stores -- but those proved as flimsy, for this purpose, as the one that came with the Pan Pastels. 

The top image above shows two greeting card covers cut from marbeled printmaking papers (first shown in their entirety in my posts of October 20, when I listed the steps to take in marbling paper previously stenciled with white modeling paste.)

Second in place is a close-up of a heron-cover greeting card.  This shows the effect achieved using the tools I've listed above, with Pan Pastels.

Back when the heron first emerged from the marbling bath, it resembled the heron in the similar print below:

Both herons were created via spreading white modeling paste across my 6"X6" Heron stencil, letting it dry, and dipping the printmaking paper into marbling solution.  And in both cases, the marbled background held so little contrast with the white heron that the resulting image was too subtle for my liking.  This is the reason that I have now outlined the uppermost heron in pink, using a wide-tipped Sharpie, before going in with Pan Pastels -- I wanted to create contrast to make the heron "pop."  

In the top photo you can see the white oil pastel crayon that I used to highlight areas of the heron.  If you click the heron to enlarge the image, you can see where the ridges of the dried modeling paste have formed texture that "caught" the white of the oil pastel crayon.

The right-side greeting card, in the top photo above, was created with the same modeling paste, applied thru my 9"X12" Steampunk stencil onto printmaking paper; after the paste dried, the paper was marbled.  (For full details describing that process, scroll down to click on OLDER POSTS, then scroll to the multiple posts dated October 20.)

The 6"X6" Heron stencil is available here:

 http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/s175.htm

The 9"X12" Steampunk stencil is available here:

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/l201.htm