Abstract Painted Papers With Stencils

Hi!!  Kim Hamburg here, sharing a short video that shows a technique you might want to try with the SPHERES stencil shown in the photo.  If you follow me on IG you know I love circles!  So this particular stencil was begging to be used.

                                                  Stencil:  L238 SPHERES by Michelle Ward

There’s something very satisfying about building a page from the ground up—tracing a stencil design, adding tone, texture, and line, and letting it evolve into a surface that begs to be used. In today’s video, I’m sharing one of my go-to ways to create mixed media “starter pages,” perfect for collage, journals, scrapbooks, and any paper-based mixed media you enjoy.

This piece begins with a stencil designed by Michelle Ward, inspired by the luminous geometry of stained-glass windows. I love that the openings are generous; they invite color, invite pattern, and give you permission to personalize. It really becomes a framework where your creative instincts take over.

You’ll see me working with patterned and found papers—textbook pages, typewritten sheets, grid paper—layering acrylic paint as a base to unify the surface. From there I tape the stencil into place, trace the lines, and begin the color–work using an assortment of markers. Every addition of color becomes an interpretation of the stencil, making it truly your own.

My hope is that it gives you ideas, not just inspiration. I challenge you to create your own stenciled mixed-media papers. Make them bold or subtle, neat or wild. Use them in your journals, your collages, or tuck them aside for a future spark. Art starts with simply making marks on paper—but using a stencil as a base with which to add color and design is a lot of fun and gives you a great jump-start.

Materials/Tools:

Acrylic Paint or Ink

Various acrylic paint pens (I use Posca)

Other markers to use for color

Spatula for applying paint

Fine line black marker

Paper -- Plain, textbook, vintage pages, etc

Optional:  painters tape, spray bottle for paint, 

Optional:  Kabuki Brush (I accidently call it a Shabuki brush in the video)

I would love for you to share what you make!

Please give me feedback and comments  -- I love hearing from you.

Follow me on Instagram:  @gluepaperscissors_

Follow me on Facebook:  @KimHamburg

Lucy in the Sky Collaboration/Challenge

Hi all!  Tina Walker here with my latest collaboration challenge! I challenged artist to use the song lyrics of the 1967 song 'Lucy in the sky with diamonds', by the famous Beatles. I often am inspired both creativity and personally by song lyrics and will use the words as quotes on an art journal page or by the overall feeling of a song.  I think what initially drew me into to this particular song is the hidden, and broadly interpreted words.  They are psychedelic and wild, which I really love. 

Artist could create any type of project, art journal pages, assemblage, weavings, multi media, textiles, and more, just as long as they use the lyrics as inspiration, and (of course) show innovative ways to use StencilGirl® stencils.  You will LOVE what they created.  Let's get to it!

TRACY KRUEGER

"When i read the lyrics to the song, i knew I needed to incorporate as many of the pieces of the song as possible. I sketched up about 4 different versions of my project and had help from the family on final ideas. I love the final piece!" 

Now this is a acid trip assemblage piece, jammed full of fun little bits.  :)

Stencils Used:

Aztec Sun

Delicate Face

Wildflowers and Grasses 

LINDA WYATT

"My painting is about capturing the mood of the song Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds. Of the many vivid images mentioned in the lyrics, I chose kaleidoscope eyes, sky, and diamonds. I painted a purple-haired hippie-type girl and gave her round stenciled shapes for eyes, hinting at both glasses and a kaleidoscope and giving her a dreamy feel. There is a subtle stenciled diamond in the background, and surrounding her head are tiny gold-embossed stenciled stars and words about reaching for the stars." 

She is quite beautiful and unique.  I can DEF see the inspiration.

Stencils Used:

Maltese Mix

Crown Chakra

Scribble X mask

KERRY MOLINA

"What a fun challenge!  Not only do I love trying to illustrate song lyrics, I love the Beatles and I love SG.  I challenged myself to use as many SG stencils as I could and not much else.  I used a Beatles album as my substrate.  Funky song, wonderful challenge!" 

STUNNING!  The composition on this is so so stunning!

Stencils Used:

Alchemy

Sketchy women with class

Coming and Going

ANN BARNES

"Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds is such a nostalgic song, reminding me of carefree days. When I listened to the song it evoked images in my mind which I then transformed into art in my journal- a boat on a river, cellophane flowers of yellow and green towering over your head, and newspaper taxis to name a few." 

Ann always has so much attention to detail.  I can hear the lyrics now.

Stencils Used:

Botanical Wildflowers

Ancient Mariners Map 

HEATHER BALEY

"A recent interest in encaustic work inspired me to create this collage on a vintage book cover.  I knew that the Jeanne Oliver stencil would be a perfect focal point to top off layers if book pages, wax, resin, oil paints,  and stenciled pages. " 

Oh be still my encaustic heart!  The layers are so yummy!

Stencils Used:

Circle Line

Clouds and Stars

Sweet Face Girl

And now, my project.  I went FULL ON ASSEMBLAGE and just couldn't stop.  I used a variety of products and techniques, in addition to SG stencils and am absolutely thrilled with how it turned out.

I used almost every line of the song to incorporate the smallest of details.... 

 

 

Let's start with the stenciled bits.....
her 'kaleidoscope eyes' were created with stencils Tiny Medallion and Decorative 6 petal, alcohol ink, and Shrinky Dinks. Yup, went back to my younger days and pulled out the OG of supplies.  I created an eyeglass 'rim' with wire and am OBSESSED with the final look.  

 

 

I didn't stop with my Shrinky Dink play there.... 

I knew I wanted a 'field of flowers', so I added color to a Shrinky Dink sheet (with alcohol markers), then outlines flowers from a StencilClub April 2024 set. I then shrunk the flowers and they were the perfect size.  I added some wire to create the stalk and viola!

 

 

My last area of stenciling, was the bases, as you can see here.  Using a discontinued stencil, similar to this one, I stencils both a wooden 4x4x1 based and a 4x4x4 foam base.  I covered portions of the base with alcohol ink transparency to mimic water for my scene.

 

 

I tried to handmake the majority of the bits included here, from resin pieces, to clay roads, to my very own clay marshmallow pie ('rocking horse people eat marshmallow pies'...) 

This project has jump started my return to assemblage art.  I really love combining so many different projects, mediums to make OOK pieces. Make sure to zoom in to check out all of the lil' bits and details.

That is all for today.  Be sure to check out my IG page  to stay up to date on all of my happens....you might even see an additional Lucy in the sky with diamonds project.  (MEGA HINT HINT)

See ya around...keep creating the mayhem!

Feather gift tags / Paper Ornaments

Hello creative friends, 

Tina here from Tina Hois Art and today I will show you a quick gift tag or paper ornament idea that will be perfect for your gifts and also look fantastic on a tree or a festive garland. Who said feathers are just for birds!

For this project I used Broken line columns (M255) created by  Cynthia Silveri. It’s a simple yet versatile pattern that I love and use frequently. 

The Process:

Step 1:

On watercolour paper with the colours of your choice transfer the stencil marks.

Step 2:

Fold a separate piece of paper in half and outline an oval shape as above (this can be any size you prefer)

Step4:

Trace the shape on to the stencilled watercolour paper and cut

Step 5:

Fold the feather shape in half and cut slits from the outside edge to almost the middle fold

Step 6:

Add a contrasting colour- I added gold acrylic ink ~ but white or silver would look great also.

I also punched a small circle and added silver string to finish it off. 

Enjoy creating your own festive feather tags! 

Tina 

Supplies 

Stencil Broken Line Columns

Watercolour paper

Acrylic paint 

Acrylic ink 

Hole punch

String

Scissors 

Using Stencils to Highlight Your Lettering Style & SALE!

Hello Beautiful!

Trena Brannon here, and I'm so happy to spend a little time with you today, sharing a fun and simple project to create a greeting card that will make someone smile.

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This technique puts your hand lettering in the spotlight, with the stencils playing a supporting role. We'll also explore how to use different elements to connect the layers of your artwork, making the whole piece feel cohesive and engaging. 

STEPS:

• Building the base. I started by selecting a stencil (Curve Ball Tile S989) that was airy and open, allowing most of the white card base to show through. This creates a clean, minimal background that provides a nice contrast for the detailed design to come. I gently dabbed on some gouache paint with a sponge, keeping it slightly dry to get those nice, crisp lines.

  

• TIP: Use a baby wipe to clean your stencil and transfer the paint onto a journal or scrap paper. It's a great way to start your next creative project! I learned this from my stencil sister, Carolyn Dube!

• Connecting the layers. I used the same stencil on a piece of colored cardstock, using a similar color of paint to create a subtle tone-on-tone effect. This immediately begins to connect your different layers.

To see it better, here's a shot of the piece of cardstock on a black background:

• Adding a second connection. Next, I used a different stencil (Diamonds and Kisses Tile) and applied the color I used on my white card base. Repeating a color throughout the piece is another great way to create a feeling of connection.

• Making the details sing. Now for a bit of contrast! I used a tiny detailed stencil (Couture ATC Patterns) to add little pops of white. Using the same color as the white card base helps tie everything together and adds some interest through a contrast in scale.  For more flexibility in using the ATC sections, I cut them out of the larger stencils.

• Lettering with joy. Now for the most stylized part that personalizes the card —your lettering! I did a few quick very rough sketches on scrap paper to find the style I wanted. Then, I used a black brush pen to draw the letters on my orange cardstock, leaving enough space inside each letter to see a piece of the design. It's so important to have fun with this part! As you can see, my letters aren’t perfect—and that's okay! They are drawings of letters - that's what makes them unique. Initially, I forgot my "y." 😁

• Bringing it all together. Once my letters were cut out, I played with their arrangement until I found a placement I loved. Before I glued them down, I added a few small black dots to the base layer—a final chance to connect color in the letters to the base card. I chose a bouncy, playful look that conveyed a sense of joy.

• TIPS: 

After cutting your letters out, use a black marker to darken the edges. This gives them a nice, finished look and tidies up any stray cuts. I do this from the back side of the cardstock to avoid accidentally drawing onto the design side. 

Take a photo of your final layout before you glue anything down. It's the perfect guide to keep you on track.

 

• One more detail: To make the card even more special, I added a design element to the envelope to give the receiver a hint of what's inside. 

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Here are the Supplies I used: 

Stencils: 

• substrate/surface: white and color cardstock
• stencils: Curve Ball Tile S989, Diamonds and Kisses Tile, Couture ATC Patterns, 
• color: gouache paint dried in a palette, reactivated with distilled water - the white paint was freshly squeezed
• tools: sponges, black marker pen, color pencil, scissors, craft knife, cutting mat
• adhesives: low tack tape, permanent tape runner

All my stencils are on sale for the next two weeks! Use code: TB20.

When you create a card or another type of art piece with this technique, I would love to see it! Feel free to tag me on Instagram @trenabrannon and/or Facebook at TrenaBrannon Art & Design.

Take care and stay positive! 

Trena

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Stitched Christmas Tree cards

Hello beautiful creatives, 

Tina here from Tina Hois Art today we will be making some stitched holiday cards to send to loved ones. 

Every year I create a card and this year I will be sending out these lovelies.

I am using two stencils for this project~ MB Makes Marks Marker Stencil and Broken Line Columns

I wanted a unique size so I custom made envelopes and the cards but the techniques will work on the premade blank cards as well.

For the stitched edges I ran the card through my sewing machine.  Another option is to hand stitch or simply leave the edges as they are.

Enjoy

The Process

Step 1:

On water colour paper apply your choice of colour and paint.

I used watercolour as my base but acrylic can also be used.

Step 2:

Layer stencil over the background 

Using white acrylic apply all over 

Step 3

Cut two pieces of card stock to accommodate your image (this is 4x7”).

Draw a tree shape on to the card stock  

Step 4

Using an exacto knife cut out the tree shape

Step 5

Apply glue to the perimeter of the shape

Place the stencilled paper face down over the glue ensuring that it covers the shapes opening

Step 6

Stitch the shape perimeter. Remember this can also be done by hand stitch, faux marker stitch or just left as is. 

Step 7

Glue the second piece of card stock on the back to cover the stitches.

Stitch the boarder of the card or leave as is. 

The envelope 

Step 1

Fold the bottom of an 8.5 x11” card stock 4 inches 

Fold the top down 2.5 inches and stitch the perimeter.

Enjoy making your cards! 

Tina  

Supplies 

Watercolour paper 

Watercolour paint 

Stencil M215

Stencil S301

White acrylic paint  

Gold acrylic paint 

Card stock 

Sewing machine or needle and thread 

Glue 

Exacto knife 

Ruler 

Glitter ( optional)