New Artwork created with a STENCILGIRL(TM) Products' stencil...

Above is the 6"X6" version of my stencil design Mimosa.

The background on this greeting card cover was created with my 6"X6" Mimosa stencil using spray paint.  Collaged over it were leftovers from my days of creating digital clipart, along with a drape of real lace.

This stencil is available here:

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/s126.htm

Modeling Paste + Titanium White Acrylic Paint + Spray Paint + Stencils = Fun!

STENCILGIRL(TM)Products stencils used in step one below:  6"X6" Grid, 6"X6" Links, and 9"X12" Borders 2.


Above:  Stencils have been secured to background papers with masking tape.



I use the Pat Dews atomizer, purchased from Cheap Joe's Art Supplies online.  I clean the atomizer thoroughly after each use.



Above and Below:  I have been sprayed the stencils with a mouth atomizer and acrylic inks. 
 



To the left:  I've cut out two 6"X6" backgrounds from the spray-and-stencil prints.

Below: With masking tape, my Cats stencil has been secured to one of these two background papers, and, with an artist's spatula, I've mixed equal parts Titanium white acrylic (heavy body) paint with light modeling paste.

Above:  I've spread the paint-paste mix thru the stencil, lifted off the stencil, and placed it immediately into a basin of soak-water.  I will clean the stencil later with paper towels.

Below are similar artworks created with the same mix of modeling paste and heavy body paint (Titanium White); the first two were created with my 9"X12" stencil Borders 2 --

This is a close-up detail of one border created from my 3-border stencil Borders 1,  which measures 9"X12".  After the paste-paint mixture had dried, I brushed on orange-yellow blending chalk.

After creating this border with my "9"X12" stencil Borders 2,  I applied yellow-orange oil pastel crayon, once the  paste-paint mixture had dried.

The two substrates shown above began as white cardstock; I then embellished them with  monoprints of mauve acrylic paint, which created the wavy backgrounds.

Below:  final versions, as greeting card covers:


This cat, made with my 6"X6" stencil Cats, was painted with glitter glue, after the paste-paint mixture had dried.  My substrate had been previously embellished with spray paint thru my 6"X6" stencil Links.

This osprey, made with my 6"X6" stencil Osprey Wings, was created with the same paste-paint mixture.  After that dried, I used oil pastel crayon to outline the figure.  The substrate had been prepared earlier, with spray paint thru my 6"X6" stencil Grid.  

The Cats stencil (6"X6") is found here:

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/Cats-Stencil-Cecilia-Swatton-p/s183.htm

Borders 1 stencil (9"X12") is found here:

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

Borders 2 stencil (9"X12") is found here:

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/l221.htm

Osprey Wings (6"X6") is here:

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/s176.htm

Grid (6"X6") is here:

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/s077.htm

Links (6"X6") is here:

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/s079.htm

Note:  Whenever you see a blue stencil being used, this is a prototype which is sent to designers at STENCILGIRL(TM)Products.  Stencils that you purchase are made from a heavier and sturdier acetate which is translucent white.

Thanks for stopping by! 

"Two Fans" 9"X12" Stencil -- Introducing my Upcoming Asian Series at STENCILGIRL(TM) Products

 

I used a cosmetic sponge with teal and dark green acrylic paints to pounce thru my Two Fans 9"X12" stencil.  The paper underneath was foreign newsprint, which had been painted over, earlier.

I decided to cut out and use one of these fans on the greeting card cover below.  The card edges were colored with Distress Ink and I added glitter glue to the squiggles that formed the fan:

I treated the other fan-print as a squiggled background, and cut four letters from it, then collaged them onto a foil-covered greeting card:

The greeting card below shows another way to use the fan-lines as background for shape-cutting, this time as a heart.  I glued this heart cut-out onto another heart, then glued both to a greeting card covered with prepared paper.  (Earlier prep of that paper was done with a Gelli Plate and yellow-green acrylics, on newsprint.  The embellished background design is from another stencil of mine, Borders 1.  To make that print, I brayered the Gelli Plate with green acrylic, added the stencil, and placed the substrate over that.  I burnished with both hands, then pulled the print.)  Both stencils can be found by scrolling down this page:

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/category-s/1832.htm

If You Love Queen Anne's Lace --

-- you'll be delighted with this newly released 9"X12" stencil of mine, (Swatton) Queen Anne's Lace, available here --

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/Queen-Anne-s-Lace-Stencil-Cecilia-Swatton-p/l229.htm


I have used this brand-new stencil, with acrylic paints, in creating a mixed-media collage:

 

And I used it as foreground in another artwork; previously, I had created the background with my own original-design silkscreens:

 

 

And finally:

 

 

Above:  I used three strips of narrow tape to create a background design; then I painted this canvas with black gesso.  I removed the tape once the gesso had dried.  I used crackle paste thru this brand-new stencil and allowed it to dry.  Then I further enhanced the background with green interference paint.  The last step was to paint the crackle paste with purple acrylics, then spray away some of that color with a water mister.

"(Swatton) Two Fans" -- A Brand-New 9"X12" Stencil Just Released at StencilGirlProducts.com!

One of my newly released 9"X12" stencils, (Swatton) Two Fans, was used with spray paints on white paper:

The above spraying job didn't turn out too badly, but another spraying had less pleasing results.  Throw it out?  Nope!  I cut out three long rectangles and collaged together a birthday greeting card ...

And the rest of that paper will be cut into backgrounds for other greeting cards.

This stencil was also used in my "Spoiler Alert" post of October 8, 2013; the topic was creating marbled imagery using water and inks:

Under "Older Posts," you can find my Oct. 8 post, which has full details on this easy marbling technique that uses floating stencils.

Shown above, this just-released stencil is available on my STENCILGIRL(TM) web-page --

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/Two-Fans-Stencil-Cecilia-Swatton-p/l230.htm

Lastly, I want to repeat something from an earlier recent post.  This stencil lends itself beautifully to art-making projects like mixed-media collage, in coordination with any of the Asian papers that feature fans.  These papers are easy to find, sometimes as giftwrap and sometimes as art papers.  There are many sources; here is just one:

 http://www.artpapersonline.com/ ...

 

"(Swatton) Cats" 6"X6" Stencil -- Just Released at StencilGirlProducts.com! Cat Lovers, Rejoice!

This stencil is now available here:
 http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/Cats-Stencil-Cecilia-Swatton-p/s183.htm

Introducing a brand-new stencil based on silhouettes very dear to my heart ...  All but one of these images were drawn from photos of a sadly missed companion, Kitty.  One of them was drawn from a photo of my now-cat, Puma (aka my "office manager.")

As you can imagine, I've used this stencil in many ways. 

One just-started project was inspired by a wonderful video by Paula Phillilps --

http://www.stencilgirltalk.com/2013/12/stencil-packing-tape-transfer.html?m=0

-- and this is my starting point:

Here, I have placed the new stencil over a page torn from a National Geographic magazine.  I will eventually follow the directions in Paula's video to create a packing tape transfer.  (Paula has cleverly updated this old technique by adding the "twist" of using a stencil as part of the transfer process.)  But, before doing that, I will be experimenting with this initial image, in my PC's digital-processing program (Photoshop in my case), to see if it would make an interesting overlay as part of a digital collage that will include other cat imagery.

Now however, I bounce back to the topic of hands-on art-making, to show these pieces I've created with this brand-new 6"X6" stencil --

Above:  First, I created a mask, using one of the figures on this new 6"X6" stencil.  With a Sharpie fine-line pen, I traced along the outline of this figure, drawing on a scrap of clear acetate.  Next, I cut out the figure, using fine-detail scissors.  I placed the mask on a Gelli Plate, then brayered on a layer of acrylic paints.  Last step was to pull a print, using a sheet of music.

Above:  I used the same tracing technique with another figure on the stencil.  This time I did the tracing on Asian newsprint previously painted Chinese red.  I cut out the tracing with fine-detail scissors, then placed the Chinese red paper atop another newsprint that I'd painted blue.  This became the cover of a collaged greeting card.

Above:  This is a re-run of an earlier-posted image.  It was created, likewise, by my making a mask from the stencil, then placing the mask on a Gelli Plate, brayering on paint, and pulling a print on a tearsheet from an old book.  After the print had dried, I collaged on the scrap of Chinese imagery shown on the far left.

Above:  Again, I traced one figure from this stencil onto a sheet of already-painted newsprint.  Then I cut out the figure and placed the newsprint over blue paper, to create a collaged greeting card cover.
 

 Last but not least ... The "scraping technique" works well with thin but sturdy paper and liquid acrylic paint.  Titanium White is the color most successful, for me.  An earlier post addressed my using this method with deli wrap.  This time, I've used thin but sturdy foil giftwrap.  I first placed the stencil onto a flat work surface, then covered it with the foil.  I poured a little paint onto palette paper, dipped the wide edge of an old credit card into the paint, and scraped it firmly across the paper, while holding both the paper and the stencil in place with one hand.  It takes several dips and scrapes to cover the entire 6"X6" design.  For me, the most effective scraping movement is to push the card away from myself -- instead of placing it on the far edge and pulling it toward myself.  Also, I find that best results come from holding the card at a 45-degree angle to the paper.  My Cats stencil has large openings and it lacks fine detail-lines, which makes it perfect for this technique.

Above:  The white-on-blue foil scraping results are subtle, but this is a look that appeals to me.

Below:  the set-up for the scraping technique, showing paint on the palette paper on the left; at top middle is the old credit card with one wide edge dipped in the paint; and on the right is a sheet of thinly painted newsprint that is being "scraped" with the use of my 9"X12" Mimosa stencil (also available at STENCILGIRL(TM).

 

Coordinate!

In a mood to buy yourself a Christmas present?  (Don't forget, "Little Christmas" comes after Christmas -- so you have plenty of time!)

http://www.artpapersonline.com/ carries papers that coordinate beautifully with stencils by STENCILGIRL(TM) Products -- look at the examples below, and just imagine how you can use these papers with your stencil-prints, in art-journaling and lots of other paper arts!

If you have the Tribal Hand stencil by Lizzie Mayne --

 http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/s180.htm

-- and/or the Arabesque stencil by Nathalie Kalbach --

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/l197.htm

and/or Swirly Floral by June Pfaff Daley --

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/l060.htm

--and/or my Wrought Iron Gate stencil --

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/l224.htm

-- you can coordinate with any or all of these ArtPapersOnline papers:

And if you have Twist Latice by Lizzie Mayne --

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/s152.htm

--and/or Net stencil by Mary Beth Shaw --

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/s129.htm --

you can pair prints from them with this paper:

 

Or this:

 

 

Again: Prints made with any Connection stencil by Andrew Borloz --

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/category-s/1817.htm --

and/or Web stencil by Mary Beth Shaw --

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/l064.htm

and/or X & O Stencil by Andrew Borloz --

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/l108.htm

-- will coordinate beautifully with this ArtPapersOnline paper:

And one last example of great pairings--

The above ArtPapersOnline paper will coordinate nicely with all the circle stencils at STENCILGIRL(TM) Products; here are only a few examples:

Stitch a Doily by Maria McGuire--

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/Stitch-A-Doily-Stencil-p/s169.htm

Border Circles by Michelle Ward --

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/l003.htm

Random Circles by Mary Beth Shaw --

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/l071.htm

And many, many more!

As you scroll thru the ArtPapersOnline website, you will find other examples of happy pairings with prints made with stencils from STENCILGIRL(TM) Products.  Happy scrolling!



 

Did I Go Overboard?

Some of us -- you know who you are -- are thinking about Whitman's Samplers at this time of year, since they (and all their rich, high-calorie friends) will be staring you in the face every time you step into a grocery store.  Well, this is the inspiration for MY title STENCILGIRL(TM) Sampler, which I gave to this new artwork on canvas --

Okay, so maybe I got a little carried away ... but it was fun.  The bottom layer is molding paste and the top layers are acrylic paints.   In no particular order, these are the stencils I used:

Use Your Words by Carolyn Dube --

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/Use-Your-Words-Stencil-p/l207.htm

Trivet B stencil by yours truly --

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/s167.htm

Optical Large by Michelle Ward--

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/l040.htm

Blockout Overlap by Mary Beth Shaw --

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/l073.htm

my two Mimosa stencils (9"X12" and 6"X6")--

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/l141.htm

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/s126.htm

and a soon-to-be-released 9"X12" stencil that I titled Boxed Vines ...
just keep checking www.StencilGirlProducts.com.





 

Good News --

-- well, okay, it can't rival the news wrapped in the gift of Christmas, but it's a joy for me to announce the release of three new stencils of my design at STENCILGIRL(TM) Products:

Wrought Iron Gate--

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/l224.htm

Feathers 9--

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/l228.htm

Feathers 6--

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/s178.htm

And, while you're on the STENCILGIRL(TM) website, check out the new stencils by Lizzie Mayne!  After I pulled my envious eyes back into their sockets, I placed these stencils at the top of my wish list!

Below is Wrought Iron Gate stencil, which measures 9"X12"--



Above is a faint print that I created with this brand-new stencil.  Here, I used the stencil to enliven the background in a much larger painting.  I layered Wrought Iron Gate over an orange print from one of the 3 borders on my Borders 1 stencil --

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

-- and you'll be seeing more examples of my Wrought Iron Gate stencil in days to come.

Above is a "re-run" image, showing a water-and-ink marbled print created with my Feathers 6 stencil (measuring 6"X6".)  See my 11-27 post -- which appears below this post -- for the quick-and-easy steps taken to make these marbled prints.

I plan to use these two brand-new Feathers stencils in composite artworks that will include the use of my bird series of stencils:

Heron --

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

-- and Osprey Wings --

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/s176.htm