A Neat Idea...

Julie Snidle is one of my fellow designers at STENCILGIRL(TM)Products; and from a recent post on her blog --

http://juliesnidle.blogspot.com/2014/02/my-little-travel-stencils.html

-- I've learned about a new trick:  Stenciling onto blank label sheets (such as those made by Avery) and then peeling off the labels to use in journals, greeting card covers, etc.  Can't wait to try it!

In Living Color!

Just finished ...

Click on the above artwork to enlarge it.



... and titled In Living Color, this artwork on a 9"X12" canvas, was built up around a homemade stencil and matching masks --

For the homemade part, I used strips of clear packaging tape to laminate an ad showing a row of three young models; after burnishing the tape to make sure the stencil and masks would survive lots of use with acrylic paints and inks, I cut out the row of young women to create the mask.  The resulting borders around the models were way too thin to be used as the three separate stencils that I would need, so I created my own stencils using cardstock and tracing around the three figures in the 1-piece mask:

Above Top:  The 3-part mask, already darkened with multiple paint applications. Bottom:  One of the matching stencils that I made from cardstock.

I started by placing the 3-figure mask over a sheet of newsprint that had been previously sealed with assorted acrylic paints.  I secured the mask with masking tape.

I colored in the background with a layer of acrylic paint, using a sponge brayer.

Above:  Clicking on this image to enlarge it, you can see narrow strips of masking tape that I used to secure the 3-part mask to the substrate (pre-painted sheet of newsprint.)  These strips were eventually removed during the multiple background re-paintings done later in this multi-step process.  The next background painting was in dark blue, as seen below.  It was to be the first of several times that the background received a new coat of paint!

After lifting off the 3-part mask, I used an assortment of STENCILGIRL(TM) 6"X6" stencils, with a variety of acrylic paint colors, to create overlapping imagery across the entire surface of the paper.

This process continued for a long time, adding new stencils and colors, one by one, with dry-time between.  Using acrylic paints shortens drying time, as long as they are not "open" acrylics.

I repeated all of these steps numerous times, allowing dry-time between each, until I was satisfied that the three figures had the look I wanted, against a background that satisfied me.  This repetition included multiple re-paintings of background (so many that they are not all shown in this post.)  The original three-figure mask, and its matching three stencils, were used over and over.

Next I used matte gel medium with a Princeton paint spreader to adhere the paper to the canvas.  I made sure to apply hand pressure to the center of the paper, as I was pressing it to the canvas, and to then work outward from that center.  This allowed the paper to gently stretch with the moisture of the gel so as to avoid wrinkles.  As a further step in preventing wrinkles, I covered the paper with a sheet of resist paper and rolled over its surface firmly with a rubber brayer. 

(Because I was working on a pre-stretched canvas -- which has a "hollow" area in the back, within the wooden support frame -- it was also necessary to brace the bottom of the canvas with some paperback books, placed within the frame.  This gave the pressure of the rubber brayer a firm supporting surface, necessary for forming a good seal between the canvas and the sheet of paper being adhered to it.)

After the matte gel had an overnight wait to dry and cure, I went to the next step, of painting the rest of the canvas with Titan Buff.  Oh yes, I should have thought to do this first -- but I didn't.  So I just plowed ahead with doing it out-of-order, and that worked fine.  Fortunately!

Over the Titan Buff, I placed the 9"X12" stencil Tangled Tribal Hand Large by Lizzie Mayne.  I used a variety of acrylic paints with this beautiful stencil, masking off one section at a time with masking tape, so keep the colors separated.  I allowed drying time between each paint application.

Above:  close-up detail of the decorated hand area of this artwork.

The last stage of the process was to use a variety of other 9"X12" stencils, along with the same decorative hand stencil, to fill in the area along the bottom left two-thirds of the canvas.  Again allowing dry-time between applications, I used one stencil after another and one color after another.

Above:  close-up detail of the 3 figures in the final version of this artwork.

Above:  close-up detail of part of the bottom area of the artwork.

 

The 6"X6" stencils that I used:

Stitch a Doily by Maria McQuire

Seaweed and Mimosa 6 by myself (Cecilia Swatton)

Fibonacci by Lizzie Mayne


The 9"X12" stencils that I used:

Tangled Tribal Hand Large by Lizzie Mayne

 

Wrought Iron Gate by myself (Cecilia Swatton)

 

Feathers and Lattice by Daniella Woolf 

 

and a soon-to-be-released 9X12 stencil of mine entitled Twinship:

The above stencil will be available soon at www.STENCILGIRL(TM)Products.com.

 

Join Jessica Sporn for a Week-Long Scavenger Hunt -- for Chances to Win Free Stencils!

Follow the link below to read the introduction (with full explanation) to Jessica's fun plans for the coming week --

 http://www.facebook.com/l/sAQESar5XAQH7KI9L5nW_kVGm3T6plz20A8tn8SYBof718A/jessicasporn.blogspot.com/search/label/stencil%2520scavenger%2520hunt

-- and while there, subscribe to her blog, so you can have convenient reminders of each day's new challenge! 

This is the kind of activity I enjoy -- it means sharpening the skills of observation and that's good medicine for all of us, especially those of us who are ... ahem ... past a certain age.  I look forward to keeping my brain cells jumping with this fun event Jessica has created!  Many thanks to you, Jessica!

BTW, here is a link to my favorite stencil of Jessica's --

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/l203.htm

-- and if you ask how I know it's my favorite design of hers, I'll go red in the face and admit I have now ordered it twice!  Well, at least I have consistent good taste!  (Notice how this ties in with what I said earlier ... about the brain cells having passed a certain age ...?)

Make a "Sandwich," Then Sand or Scrape

Anyone who missed Mary Beth Shaw's recent stencil-using webinar can still get all it had to offer, at this link --

http://www.createmixedmedia.com/events/stencil-girl-webinar

I had known about the sanding technique but hadn't tried it, till the webinar reminded me, with one of its three embedded how-to videos, the one on dry techniques:

http://www.createmixedmedia.com/events/stencil-girl-webinar

Below is a scan that shows two separate pieces, each with a tree-related theme--

 

In the lower left corner is part of a magazine page originally printed with bare trees.  Using Mary Beth's sanding technique shown in the above video, I created a "sandwich" that had my 6"X6" stencil Gingko as the bottom layer (held in place with masking tape.)  Over that I placed the magazine page, securing it, too, with masking tape.  The top "layer" was the sanding block (available at hardware and home supply stores) ... altho a plain sheet of sanding paper could be used, I prefer the block because it saves the fingers!  One quick sanding session resulted in the over-print of gingko leaves that you see above.

 

The larger, whitish background paper started life as a calendar page, a photo that originally contained a lot of dark green.  Under it, I placed a stencil as the bottom layer -- this time, my 12"X12" Mimosa stencil -- again, securing both the stencil and the paper to the work surface with masking tape.  As a last step, I used a credit card to scrape zinc white (also called "blending white") acrylic paint across the paper, moving with the same firm strokes as needed for the sanding technique.  It's important with the scraping technique to go over each area of the paper one time only.  That second swipe is tempting, at least for me, but it never improves the looks of the piece.

 

The sanded piece will be a greeting card cover but it could just as easily become part of a large collage or part of an art journal page.  The larger, whitish paper will be cut into smaller pieces to become gift tags, greeting card backgrounds, and collage components.

 

These 2 stencils can be found on my web pages at STENCILGIRL(TM)Products.com --

 

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

 

Thanks for visiting!

 

Stencil Mania?

This as-yet-untitled artwork might end up with the title Stencil Mania --

Click the image above to enlarge it.
 

Nor am I certain it's entirely finished.  I may go back in with some opaque neutrals to create "rest areas."

In no particular order, here are the STENCILGIRL(TM)Products stencils that I used, with acrylic paints, to create this artwork:

Lizzie Mayne's Fibonacci stencil -- http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/s143.htm

Maria McGuire's Stitch A Doily stencil --
http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/Stitch-A-Doily-Stencil-p/s169.htm

Bubbles stencil by Patricia Baldwin Seggebruch --
http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/l007.htm

Michelle Ward's Optical Large --
http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/l040.htm

Broken Circles by Terri Stegmiller --
http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/l099.htm

also by Terri Stegmiller -- Unconnected Circles --
http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/s112.htm

and these stencils by Mary Beth Shaw --
Circle Tile --
http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/l015.htm

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

Unblocked --
http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/l078.htm

Curvie Lattice --
http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/l020.htm

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

Is there any stencil or STENCILGIRL(TM)Products designer I've left out?  I hope not, but if anyone spots a stencil design in the above image that is not cited here with its designer, please leave a comment to let me know.  Thanks!

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!

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!

"Trivet B" Stencil

My Trivet B stencil measures 6"X6" --

 

-- and has slid out of storage (in a looseleaf binder filled with protective clear plastic sleeves) to be used as one of the layers on art paper decorated with the use of my Gelli Plate.  (Anyone not familiar with Gelli Plate printmaking can watch any of the numerous You Tube how-to videos.)

This stencil is available only at STENCILGIRL(TM)Products, here--

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

Thanks for stopping by!
 

Follow-Up on my Jan. 13 Post

Presenting:  projects using papers created with molding paste (a.k.a. modeling paste) and my 9"X12" stencil Borders 2 --

Above:  a small greeting card cover collaged together with one key as the highlight.

Above:  a 6"X6" greeting card cover collaged together with a border of keys as the highlight, sandwiched between squiggles of glitter glue.

To both of the above greeting cards, I later added PC-generated blurbs that read  Happy Birthday to the One who Holds a Key to my Heart.

Yet another greeting card --

-- came from that same 12-inch strip of paper.

I had designed this stencil for art journaling, but ironically, these 3-dimensional keys had minds of their own!

My January 13 post, under "Older Posts" at the bottom of this page, details the creation of the paper with these keys.

My Borders 2 stencil (which contains 3 separate borders) --

-- is available only at STENCILGIRL(TM)Products --

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

Thanks for stopping by!
 

Uses (Only 2 of Many) for Papers Made with Stencil Art

My 9"X12" stencil Trivet A 9 has now loaned itself to creating a sheet of giftwrap --

-- and a matching giftcard --

-- in follow-up to my post of yesterday (January 23), which details all the steps I took in creating the paper.

To create the giftcard, all I needed to do was to use decorative Fiskars scissors, as well as fine-detail scissors, in cutting small pieces off edges of the giftwrap -- using both the red spattered section and the un-spattered section (which are pictured in entirety in the Jan. 23 post.)  I collaged them onto the cover of a small greeting card, liking the look of the white-background freehand-cut heart atop the bright and mottled background.  I also cut out a third narrow strip from the red section and added it to the giftcard's matching envelope.  Elmer's Crafter's gluestick was the adhesive I used.

This stencil --

--is available here and only here:

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/l202.htm


  

"Mimosa" in Miniature Available Only at STENCILGIRL(TM)Products...

Above:  my 6"X^" stencil Mimosa

This stencil is available here and only here:

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

Awhile ago I bought some 6"X6" blank greeting cards made from cardstock in an assortment of bright colors, including a pink so vivid it throbbed before the eyes.  My idea was to use them with my 6"X6" stencils.  Because this pink was nearly bright enough to cause physical pain, I decided to use a sponge brayer to tone it down with a coat of water-thinned light blue acrylic paint.  The sponge roller left a bubbly-looking surface that I liked. 

I placed my 6"X6" Mimosa stencil over this paint once it had dried, then pounced a cosmetic sponge across the stencil, loaded with light purple acrylic paint which I had thinned with matte gel.

Above:  The greeting card after I had applied a half-border of silver rose stickers.

9"X12" stencil "Marbles" Comes Back for Another Roll!



Above:  detail 1



Above:  detail 2

Above:  detail 3



Above:  the canvas in its entirety.
 

About 85 per cent of the markings on this small abstract, on canvas, were created in one quick easy step, with my 9"X12" stencil Marbles (a

design that's also available in a 6"X6" version.)  In earlier posts I've detailed, with step-by-step photos, the technique that I call "stencil and stain"  -- and it really is quick as well as easy.

 

My first step to create this art was to cover the original painting on this canvas with a layer of extra-heavy white gesso.  I drew three marks in the still-wet gesso and set it aside a few days to dry and cure.

 

Next came the "stencil-and-stain" process:  I placed the Marbles stencil onto the canvas and dribbled on a few green hues of Golden Fluid Acrylics.  I spritzed the surface with water; this spreads and mingles the paints under the stencil.  I blotted some areas with paper towels.

 

After the paint had "set" but not yet fully dried, I lifted off the stencil.  (Leaving it on till dry may cause a stencil to stick permanently to the substrate.)  At this point, most of the work was finished.

 

I fine-tuned the overall look with some sprayed on acrylic inks in masked-off areas.

 

I further fine-tuned some areas with white paints and oil pastel crayons in orange, yellow and magenta.

 

Having seen the close-ups above, you will recognize the markings as you see the stencil I used:

 

 

This stencil is available here:

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/l156.htm

 

Thanks for stopping by!

A Video by Jessica Sporn, one of my talented fellow designers at STENCILGIRL(TM)Products...

Gingko Leaves Box with Jessica Sporn 

and a link to a post in her blog that corresponds to the video:

http://jessicasporn.blogspot.com/2013/10/blog-hop-cecilia-swattons-stencils.html.

I would like to thank Jessica very much for having chosen one of my stencils for this video-taped art project, and for showing it off so well in creating that beautiful memento hinged-lid box.  The Gingko stencil measures 6"X6" and can be found here:

http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/s076.htm

 

Angels Have Been Visiting ...

... and leaving behind some feathers ...

... one of them over 12" long ...

No, wait, I lied.  Actually these images were created with my two Feathers series stencils:

6"X6" Feathers, available here:
http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/s178.htm

Above, the 9"X12" stencil, available here:
http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/product-p/l228.htm

The top image (white feathers on right green background) was created by spreading white modeling paste thru the 6"X6" stencil; after the paste dried, I highlighted areas of the feathers with glitter glue.

The image below that, showing the lone long feather from the 9"X12" stencil, was created with a mouth atomizer which I used to apply several layers of acrylic inks:

I have no brand loyalty when it comes to acrylic inks.  I use FM, Dr. Ph Martin, Liquitex and Daler Rowney (pearlescent) ... and I've ordered yet another brand that's new to me and worth a try.

There are probably several mouth atomizers on the market, but I bought the Pat Dews version from Cheap Joe's Art Supplies online.  I like the way it lets me regulate the flow of ink.  Light applications are best; and using one color after another (with drying time sandwiched between applications) is the better way to go.  I used to apply heavy sprays, lots of color all in one application; but this didn't bring good results, especially since I work at an easel -- a vertical surface, not a horizontal one.

At the left you can see the 9"X12" stencil taped to the substrate (a previously painted sheet of newsprint.)  This photo shows a blue stencil, which is a prototype sent to the designer of each stencil.  When you order your own stencil, it will be a translucent white and will be made from a much more sturdy sheet of acetate.  This photo shows the stencil after the first two light sprays have been applied, allowing for dry-time between applications. 

Below is the same sheet of altered newsprint, with the stencil removed, following a number of additional paint applications, including one sprayed application of pearlescent acrylic ink.  It was from the sheet below that I later cut the large feather  shown in the second-from-top photo on today's post.

Above:  A greeting card cover made with one of the smaller feathers, cut out and collaged onto a piece of Gelli Plate printed background.

 

Above:  a second collaged greeting card featuring a cut-out from these spray-prints.  Here again the background paper is a Gelli Plate print.



Above:  a third greeting card, also collaged with Gelli Plate prints and a cut-out from the above-described spray prints.

Thanks for stopping by!