Carol Ponsford: Let's have some fun in our journal!

Hello creatives, Carol Ponsford on the blog today to share a journal page I created using 

Pam Carriker's "Create Face" #S646 and an alphabet section of #L60 stencil.

 I used several other stencils for the background which I will have listed at the bottom of this post.

To start I spread a layer of Dina Wakley Media White Gesso on the journal page with 

an old gift card. After the gesso is completely dry, I used my fingers to loosely 

spread and blend a variety of PaperArtsy Fresco acrylic paint colors all over the page except 

where I planned to put my focal point on the page. (for this page it was in the bottom left)

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Next (while the paint is still damp), I laid a stencil on top of the paint and using a baby wipe,

I rubbed through the stencil to remove the paint and leave the stencil pattern on the page.

I then started layering some paint on top of the page by dabbing paint through a 

different stencil. I repeat this process using several paint colors with an assortment 

of stencils. Once I had the look I wanted I set this aside to dry. 

Then I went back into areas with some white gesso and lightly covered some of the areas

 (as shown below), I added an additional layer of color in some areas. This process of 

layering creates a great deal of depth that I like because I feel it gives more interest to the page.

I also used the edge of the gift card to add some vertical lines by dipping the 

edge in some paint and lightly placing it on the page and swiping it downward. I let 

this dry before going back to do some stenciling as a top layer as shown below.

To add the face I first lightly outlined where I wanted her hair to go since I 

wanted it to go beyond the edge of the stencil. I laid the stencil 

down and sponged the reddish paint for the hair and lips of the girl.

I then took the black paint and sponged the eyes, nose, and neck areas. I wasn't sure if

I wanted to have the diamond on both eyes or just one so on a separate piece of scrap paper

I sponged on the eyes and took a black Posca marker and drew the diamonds 

around them as shown in the picture below. I auditioned one, then both on the face to see how 

I wanted to finish the face then proceeded to add the diamond on the left eye only.

I also added some additional width to the neckline because it looked a little wonky, 

so I just continued the black lines as far to the left as needed to be in proportion.

I used a Micron pen to trace the letters from the alphabet stencil to say 

"Send in the clowns" and then filled them in with a black Posca marker. I 

ended up using a fine white pen to add highlights to the lettering.

To finish off the page I took an empty tape roll and dipped it into black 

paint and added some rings around the page. I also took a black Posca marker to 

outline the hair and face and sketched some lines around the edge of the page.

Here is a list of all of the stencils and PaperArtsy colors I used on this page:

Stencils                                                                     PaperArtsy Paint

S646 - Create Face                                              Snowflake                         Blueberry

S003 - Repeating Fleur de Lys                            Little Black Dress             Blew

M160 - Organic Roots #1                                    Zesty Zing                        Wisteria

M031 - Journal Texture #6                                  Slimed                               Electric Violet

L651 - ATC Mixup                                              Green Patina                     Cerise

L601 - Alphabet                                                   Smurf                                Scottish Salmon 

Jan 2022 StencilClub Pattern Party                      Peach Nectar                     Cherry Red

Thank you so much for joining me today on the blog. I hope you 

will find some of the techniques I shared helpful to jump start work 

in your journal or artwork. Until next time, happy creating!

To see more of my work please visit my Instagram page.

 

New stencils for you to go abstract or make some cards!

New stencil alert! 

StencilGirl presents a perfectly divine stencil for greeting cards plus a series of four fantastic abstract stencils to add structure and a "light-path" to your art:

The Thinking of You Stencil by Kristin Reese Williams and Cecilia Swatton's Abstract Composition Backbone Series.

Thinking of You Stencil, S857

Kristin says, "Thinking of You was designed so that one can write names, prayers, hopes, wishes, or ideas in each of the seven openings emanating from the center. Great for cards, art journaling, or as a background for a focal point. I hope you spread some good vibes into the universe with this mandala-type stencil.

"After watching Mary Beth Shaw do miraculous things with watercolors and stencils, I had to give it a go. I used these two Facebook Lives as my instructional videos and couldn’t be happier with the results! (You'll need to be signed into Facebook to view Watercolors Work with Stencils and More Watercolors and Stencils.)

"Using Pixie Spray to adhere my stencil to watercolor and mixed media paper, I then played with the watercolors, loading wet upon wet. When I got to where I loved it, I picked up the stencil and was amazed it stayed where it should.

"For the cards, I used acrylic paint through the stencil. Once COMPLETELY dried (The best way to ruin a pen is to run it through wet paint.), I wrote sentiments, wishes, names, and other positive words in the openings. I love the meditative quality of making a card for someone and really thinking about them and wishing good things."

Kristin also used Thinking of You as a background stencil and adhered hearts punched out of gel plate prints to the cards.

Cecilia Swatton knows an artist who says, “I want to make abstract art, but I can’t. I stare at the white paper. Nothing happens, and I give up.”

Yearning to try abstract art? Or have you done it, but wonder what would happen if you come at it from a new direction? 

"Abstract art has a backbone, a structure that establishes visual logic … and lays guidelines to build the excitement in key areas … and creates a light-path that coaxes a viewer’s eyes through the entire artwork," Cecilia says. 

Abstract Compositions Backbones #1 S864

Acrylics & Markers

Acrylics, Markers, & Gelatos

This visual path is the reason she has blocked out connected areas in her Abstract Composition Backbones Stencil Masks series. 

Abstract Compositions Backbones #2 S865

Acrylics & "dribble pen"

Acrylics, Markers, & Watercolor Crayons

Using these masks as Step One on a white substrate, the artist can leave those blocked-out (solid) areas white, or subtly tint them to remain readable as “white.”  This gives the artist a shortcut in establishing that “path of light.”

Abstract Compositions Backbones #3 S867

Collage with Acrylics & Markers

Acrylics & Gelatos

Cecilia designed these stencil masks with flexibility in mind. She says, "Simply making one print with one mask can be a finished artwork! Or that initial print can launch imagination into the stratosphere as you explore further. My project outlined here today merely hints at what’s possible for the artist who wants to lose herself in the creation of a unique world on paper."

(1.)  Starting with Abstract Composition Backbones #3 s866, I cut off its original 6” x 6” border. (Skip this step, if customizing isn’t your cup of tea.)

Abstract Composition Backbones 3, S866

(2.)  With removable painter’s tape, secure the mask to 9” x 12” paper randomly smeared with black and copper acrylic paints. 

 (3.) Use a sponge to apply heavy-body taupe acrylic paint, covering the mask as well as the 4 pieces of painter’s tape.

(4.) Gently lift off the mask and tape.

(5.) With a copper Sharpie pen, a pastel lavender Gelato and a black marker, Cecilia embellished to her heart’s content.

This four-step artwork only hints at art adventures that await when you have Abstract Composition Backbones Masks s864–s867 in your hands. 

Cecilia used all 4 Backbones in this artwork.

Check out Cecilia's blog. Starting today (3/3/21) and continuing daily for the coming week, she has posts prepared for that will "fling doors open, blow away cobwebs of timidity, and liberate you into the amazing world of abstract art-making. Have fun!"

Discover all the recently released, 

designed by artists for artists stencils at StencilGirl.

PS from Cecilia: The artist I quoted above is a gifted watercolorist whose work has won many awards and whose list of collectors is as long as his arm. His subjects are representational – waterfronts, meadows, etc. He is brilliant at what he does. But he yearns for the freedom of abstract art-making.  He needs Abstract Composition Backbones Masks!