Friday, October 10, 2014

StencilGirl Guest Designer Martice Smith II

Welcome to Guest Designer 

Hi everyone! Martice Smith II here to show you how this faux metal, 3D card was created and inspired by my recent experience at an African art exhibit.

The stencil I chose to work with for this project was SQUARE DANCE.

I reflected on the art event and on a few artworks that stood out the most, in my opinion. Works that were highly textured, 3D fabric sculpted, mixed-media pieces made the greatest impact on me. 

One of the artists was a teacher who curates his own collection of authentic, African artifacts (from Ghana and Kente traditional cloth, clothing, accessories, to meticulously hand-carved, wooden sculptures.) Needless to say, it was a very impressive exhibit! (An in-depth review will be featured on my blog…stay tuned!)

When I got back home, I decided to write about my experience. I needed to express my own interpretation of what resonated the most for me, so, this exercise was more of a response to what I saw.

First, I took out a piece of smooth, white cardstock, (4 by 6 inches) and scribbled my thoughts in random areas. I like to densely cover my paper because it evokes great energy! This piece was used for decorative purposes, so, my handwriting didn't have to be legible. 


Next, I splattered paint to my heart's content with DecoArt Neon fluorescent in Fiery Redand let dry.

A second piece of cardstock was used to go on top of the scribbled piece (This became the Faux metal). I painted on DecoArt's black gesso and splattered on more Fiery Red paint.

Place SQUARE DANCE stencil on top of cardstock, spray painted with metallic gold and let it dry to a tacky feel.



Next, I used a soft cloth and black gesso to gently rub INSIDE of the stencil. I just love the brushed metal effect this technique created! Some areas are darker because of me being heavy-handed with the gesso…hey, I'm OK with that! At least it provides some visual weight…

Removed stencil and let dry. (Some areas were highlighted with Sakura white, gelly roll pen.) I followed these steps to create the back of the card, plus a little bit of Crackle Glaze.


Next, I cut out the circles from the stenciled areas with a craft knife and glued the faux metal piece onto the scribbled piece using 2 foam dots.


To embellish the edges of the card, I used some handmade paper a friend recently gave to me. I dyed the paper in brown ink for an aged look. Gel medium was used to secure it around the edges of the card and lightly brushed with liquid gold leaf to complement the inside of card.

(I also used this paper to create a hinge for the front and back of the card.) 


The inside was spray painted metallic gold and white pen was used to write one of my favorite quotes by Nelson Mandela. It reads 'By ancestry, I was born to rule".


Finally, I topped it off with a rub-on crown sticker. How regal!

The finished card covers look like this:


The next time you go out to an art event/exhibit, I encourage you to "look with new eyes" and find at least one good thing about what you see. Learn to let go of what you think you already know about the subject matter. This analyzing exercise will gear you into understanding beyond your first impressions.


Please check out Designer Block Puzzle, another tutorial, where I used the same SQUARE DANCE stencil, ART NOUVEAU, plus some of my handmade ones. (You won't believe how many different design combinations you can get from them!)



Many thanks to Maria McGuire, Mary Beth Shaw and StencilGirl!I loved playing with these beautiful stencils.

BIO
Martice Smith II is an established mixed-media artist and designer whose stunning illustrations reveals her love for fashion, typography and wildlife
​.​
 Her keen eye for detail
​ combined ​
with exploding bright colors and graffiti grunge,
​ ​​makes her work instantly recognizable. Martice loves to work traditionally and digitally- often embedding inspirational phrases into her work.

Along with exhibiting in numerous juried and solo shows, Martice's work has been published in online and print magazines
​ . Currently, Martice contributes as an article writer for the Creating Mixed Media Art website and RubberMoon Art Stamps. She's also creative director of Martice Smith II - Illustration & Design Studio, based in Missouri, and the owner of Uneek Art Boutique- a new, online boutique that offers original artwork, giclées, home décor items and online workshops
​.


If you haven't already, I'd love for you to connect with me! Learn more, here:
Blog (find an assortment of mixed-media art tutorials, including her popular digital techniques)
Website
Facebook
Uneek Art Letter (inspirational newsletter; art biz tips; works in progress)





15 comments:

  1. Absolutely fabulous! Thanks for the info....I love this technique.

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  2. Matrice, your faux metal technique is fantastic -- really great results!

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  3. That faux metal technique is gorgeous! Thanks so much for the tips on recreating this look!

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    1. You're welcome, Gwen! So glad you enjoyed my tutorial. I don't use this technique often but after creating this card, I've changed my mind. More crafty ideas are starting to flourish!

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  4. This is fabulous! Love the interesting techniques and the stunning effects.

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    1. Thanks for your comment, Heather :) Yes, I couldn't believe just how simple and quick this technique was. I'm so ready to make a bunch more!

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  5. Hi, this is such a great post. Thank you for sharing your really cool technique!

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    1. Hi Denise! Thank you and you're welcome :) I'm more than happy to share these techniques! Try it out sometime...I think you'll love to incorporate it in your new work. Be sure to share some pics with us if you give it a try!

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  6. Oh my.. this is truly gorgeous work here! The pops of red on the faux metal card.. love it!! So honored to be able to follow you along your artist journey!! Indeed a talented !!

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    1. Hey there, Tamiko! Thanks for your sweet comment. You are such a great cheerleader and I'm so blessed to have you in my tribe. The DecoArt neons are amazing! You should try them. I love them because they have great coverage and they're opaque and dries to a matte finish. There is a very light sheen on a couple colors but it's not a problem for me at all!

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  7. Thanks, Cecilia! Yes, this technique is perfect for creating a quick metal effect...so simple and low maintenance.

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  8. Martice, this is a really beautiful Faux metal card, I am excited to give this a try on paper I have done a lot of faux finishes on wood and love the look, I never used the stencils with it either. I love love this. You deserve a great be bloggers hug from another blogger.

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    1. Sharon! Thank you so much for your compliments and for sharing your sweet spirit. I'd love to see your wood pieces with the faux metal effect. I have yet to try this on wood...hugs back to ya, Sharon! I appreciate you!

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  9. Fabulous Martice!! I love that faux look! And congrats on your guest spot! You rule my friend!! xo

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