One Stencil -- Many Uses

How many different looks can you get from one stencil -- either by itself (at times, cut into pieces) or in combination with other stencils and/or masks?

It's a Jungle Out There is one of my 9" x 12" stencils that often volunteers for duty in the art-making room!

It's a Jungle Out There 

Above:  It's a Jungle Out There was the only stencil used here.  Before using it, I cut it into pieces.

Above:  It's a Jungle Out There was the only stencil used here.

Above:  It's a Jungle Out There was used here, along with Mimosa Stencil ( the one measureing 9" x 12".)

The series of close-ups below feature my having used It's a Jungle Out There with another 9" x 12" stencil of mine, Prayer Flags -- 

In the 5 close-ups above, Prayer Flags had, likewise, been cut into pieces with scissors.  Prayer Flags in its original condition looks like this ....

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!  To scroll thru the pages of my StencilGirl stencils and masks, please start here.

Trying Something New with Stencils

Encouraged by one of the videos of StencilGirl's MaryBeth Shaw, I've tried something new -- using stencils and masks with low-viscosity media.  Normally I use only high-viscosity media (usually acrylic paint) with stencils and masks, since usually I want an imprint that closely resembles the stencil or mask.  Using low-viscosity ("runny") media means taking risks!  And getting surprises!

For this series of experiments, I chose Sumi ink.  This black ink beads up when brushed across paper with glossy surfaces as well as paper previously coated with acrylic paints.  Sometimes the beads are small; other times, they stretch out into pools.  In both cases -- whatever is revealed with the lift of the stencil -- a surprise is guaranteed.  No two prints will match, nor will any of the prints be exact replicas of the stencils or masks used in their creation.

For my approach, I wasn't stingy in the amount of ink I used; instead, I brushed it in generous swipes over the stencils and masks.  This guaranteed there would be a lot of beading and pooling on the papers under the stencils.

Above:  On acrylic-painted paper, I used the 6" x 6" stencil Kaleid.

Above:  On acrylic-painted paper, I used 6" x 6" stencil Pavilion Shadows.

Above:  On acrylic-painted paper, I again used my 6" x 6" stencil Kaleid.  Besides being coated with acrylic paints, this paper was textured.  Its original source had been an outdated Braille catalog.  You can better see the Braille by clicking on the above image to enlarge it.

Above:  On acrylic-painted paper, I again used 6" x 6" stencil Pavilion Shadows.

Above:  On glossy photo paper, previously printed with a photo, I used Sumi ink with my 6" x 6" stencil Trivet C.  Trivet C is one in a series of trivet stencils I've designed for StencilGirl.

I encourage you, too, to try something new ... it's good for you!

Thanks for visiting my blog today.  To subscribe, please use that option in the upper right sidebar.

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

Scraps!

Making loose-sheet prints with stencils is so much fun, it's easy for me to get carried away, to the point that printed papers threaten to stack to the ceiling!

Today my decision is to cut some stencil-printed papers, to turn them into scraps -- 

Above are some of my scraps; they're piled atop several pieces of sturdy cardstock, ready to start a journey toward new life!

Below, I've started to randomly glue scraps to a backing of sturdy cardstock.  I use a Pioneer brand embellishment gluestick.  After gluing each piece to the background, I roll over it with a rubber brayer to make sure it's completely flattened ....

The following 4 photos show cardstock-backed collages, all ready to ignite ideas for new projects.  

Below:  a close-up detail of one of these collages of scraps:

For my first project, I decide to audition stencils and masks of a specific type -- I want silhouette-like imagery with large open areas and few small details.

Auditioned stencils and masks above:  L to R, top row:  Small Thistles (6" x 6"), Pair o' Parrots (6" x 6") and Hot Air Balloon Stencils and Masks (which come in two sizes.)  Middle right:  Osprey Wings (6" x 6") and Heron (6" x 6").  Bottom L to R:  Thistle (9" x 12") and Cats (6" x 6").

Below, I'm using a watercolor pencil to trace an outline inside the open shape of a mask from one of the two sets Hot Air Balloon Stencils and Masks.  For this first outlining, I'm using the larger of the two hot air balloon sets.

Next, I use the same watercolor pencil to trace around a mask from the same set -- but this time, I'm using the smaller of the two sizes that are available in the hot air balloon sets.

Note:  This mask has been stained with orange acrylic paint from a previous project.

Now that this shape has been traced out in two sizes, I'm ready to cut out both images with fine-detail scissors.  You can click on the photo below to enlarge it and better see detail --

Below you can see the two hot air balloon shapes, now cut out.  If a watercolor pencil leaves marks after the shape is cut out, they can be easily erased later with a water-dampened cotton swab.

Above:  A close-up shot of these two shapes glued to a giftbag (the bag has been sprayed with a metallic gold watercolor in a mister spray bottle.)  Below:  the giftbag itself.

 Now, I decide to trace another hot air balloon on the scrap-collaged paper, cut it out, and take advantage of its sturdy cardstock backing by making a three-dimensional greeting card.
  

The photo above shows my cut-out being auditioned on the front side of a greeting card blank cut from metallic bronze cardstock (from JAMPaper.com). On the upper right is a box of Glue Dots.  Upper left:  the roll of glue dots that I've taken out of the box.

Below, you can see the back of the cut-out and the glue dots I'm placing on it.  Its base of sturdy cardstock is really important in working toward a 3D finish.

Front view of the finished greeting card cover --

-- and here's a view from the side:

Above:  When cutting out the heron that I'd traced onto the scrap-collage, I used an X-acto knife and cutting board instead of fine-detail scissors, because of the small-scale details of the legs and feet.

After the heron got a ribbon around its neck -- again the cardstock backing was very helpful -- it went onto another giftbag that I'd previously sprayed with a metallic gold watercolor.

A close-up--

More giftbags and close-ups:

In the final photo above, you can see that I cut out a paper heart and added it to the cat ... couldn't help myself!

Plain paper giftbags are available here and in some brick-and-mortar art and craft supply stores.
Thanks for visiting here today!  To follow my blog by email, please use that option in the upper right sidebar.  To scroll thru the pages of my StencilGirl stencils and masks, please start here.


Since Christmas is coming, today's project-idea can be used with Christmas trees, bells, stars, etc., for giftbags and greeting cards.  One helpful stencil is here.   Another is here.  And here.  And here.  And here.  And here.

Older Stencils of Mine are Still in Action!

Recently I decided to dust off some older stencils/masks of mine, to see if using them again after a break, might prove to be fun.  It was!

My stencil Mimosa 6 -- happy to be free from its storage envelope! -- went to work in helping create today's first two prints:

Likewise, my 6" x 6" stencil Trivet B came out to see the light of day for the first time in a long time --

Below:  I brought an older print up-to-date by adding a print with my 9" x 12" stencil Facets.  (The older print had featured an image made with my 6" x 6" stencil Pair o' Parrots; but, used in small areas of that print, were prints made with two other 6" x 6" stencils -- Sassy Spray and Pavilion Shadows.)  In using Facets over the original print, I created a "cage" for my two parrots!  

Caged Pals

Below is a detail of an artwork made with my 9" x 12" stencil Blooming Where Planted --

Altho the above image is small, you can click on it for enlargement, to better see detail.

The same goes for the photo below, which shows another painting on stretched canvas.  After cutting my 9" x 12" stencil It's A Jungle Out There into pieces, I gave it heavy use in making multiple imprints, using a variety of colors with acrylic paint -- 

On the image below, it's not easy to make out the subtle imprint I made on another canvas with my 9" x 12" stencil Loopy Ladders ... but it's there.

On that same painting, I also used a 9" x 12" stencil by MaryBeth Shaw --Triangle Transitions 2.  (Can you say that stencil title fast, 3 times in a row??)  Below is a close-up showing this area on the canvas --

In still other areas of the painting, I made another subtle print, with a more recent stencil of mine, the 6" x 6" Sassy Spray --

And in one final area of the artwork, I used Loopy Ladders (dark green along the bottom edge, below) and Prayer Flags (in pink) to make 2 more subtle prints --

  

Here's the painting in entirety:

This is not the final version, but the areas of color and subtle pattern have been laid out.  It's ready for final touches/additions.


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

To follow this blog by email, please use the Follow by Email option in the right sidebar.

Thanks for visiting my blog today!