Give Me Some Of That Wild Salt Air : Art Journal Layout

Hi Everyone, Kate here. Summer is coming to a close but I am always in the mood to make a layout featuring sea life. 

Hubby and I are not big beach people but some of my favorite memories are from our honeymoon where we cruised the Caribbean. We spent one day on the cruise line's private island where we swam and snorkeled to our hearts content. The waters were a deep blue/green that were so clear you could see straight to the bottom. It was right out of a travel commercial along with the Native Island music playing in the background. And the underwater creatures were so beautiful. There is something very peaceful about swimming right along side schools of fish while listening to the silence of the water. 

As I look back, I wish I had taken more interest in the different kinds of sea life we encountered. But I was young and on my honeymoon and I wasn't exactly thinking about the classification of underwater life.  But those are some of the things you learn as you get older and I will be sure to be more aware of my surroundings when we take our next cruise. 

If you have seen my art you know I use a lot of bright colors, especially blues and greens. These underwater colors along with Gwen's beautiful Chinese Garden- koi stencil inspired this layout.

The background was made using grunge paste and the Medieval Cyrillic stencil.

Various colors of PaperArtsy Infusions were sprayed on the background. Don't you just love drippy paint and the way it brings out the stenciled images?

I stenciled the fish with Distress Ink, embossed them with gold and then cut them out.

I used various images from other stencils that were colored, cut and layered to add depth and interest while also working as embellishments.

I also added some fiber and embossing to the background for texture.

I am sad to see summer/vacation leave but I know that summer related themes will be showing up in my art journal throughout the next few seasons. I still have a lot of images to try out on these stencils!

Until Next Time.

Kate

Guest Designer: Cynthia Silveri

Materials Used:

StencilGirl® Products Stencils:
Labyrinth #2: Ceremonial

Labyrinth #3: Classical Maze

Labyrinth #5: A La Chartres
Optical Waves, Stay in Your Magic 6" x 6' stencil

Other Supplies:
Plain Printer Paper
Acrylic Paints, any colors (I used blues and greens)
Smudgee (or other sponge)
PencilDecoColor Paint Marker in black
Scissors
Hole Punch
Stapler (or yarn and large sewing needle)
Thin paper to stuff with, like deli paper
Mod Podge (or other thin glue)
Glitter (I used Mica D’lights, in gold)
Ribbon

Technique:

Using the plain paper, stencils, paints and sponge, apply patterns all over the entire surface. Make as many pages as you want to make into fish.

 Fold the paper in half the long way, with the color inside.

On the white outer paper, sketch in a fish shape with the pencil. Don’t worry-it doesn’t have to be perfect-keep it simple!

With the scissors, cut out the fish shapes keeping the folded side intact where you can-along the lower fins usually works. This is so that the two matching pieces stay together. If you cut it completely-never fear!  You’ll be able to staple or sew it together anyway.

Open up the fish and put the pattern on the outside. Draw eyes and nostrils on both sides. Stencil on any words or other designs as you wish.

Begin stapling (or sewing) all around the fish, keeping a portion of the top open so you can stuff it with crumpled up paper. Any will do, but thin wrapping paper or deli paper works great for these. Use your finger or pencil eraser end to push the paper into place if needed.

Once stuffed, close up the opening with more staples or the rest of your yarn.

Apply a thin coating of Mod Podge or other glue to areas where you want to apply glitter. Add other embellishments if you like!

Punch a hole in the top of each fish and string them together with ribbon. You could also create a mobile with these or hang them individually.

Happy fishing! Did you make this project? If so, I would love to see it!

Cynthia Silveri

Cynthia Silveri: The Passionate Colorist Coloring Books & Illustration

StencilGirl® Steampunk Fish Sculpture by Marge Taylor

Hello! Marge Taylor here, and I am delighted to share a recent project with you!

Like many artists, I’ve bought all sorts of supplies over the years, some of which got tucked away to languish on a shelf. I realized I had some things for years and recently made a resolution to try and use some of these supplies. I had purchased the wooden fish years ago and don’t even recall my initial plan for it. After it resurfaced, I contemplated several possibilities. I also had supplies I had picked up over time with the vague idea of doing a steampunk project someday, so I decided to do a steampunk fish.

Materials used: Unpainted wooden fish

                          Paint primer and assorted acrylic paint

                          Liquitex Flexible Modeling Paste

                          Craft foam sheet

                          Metallic seed beads

                          Assorted metal gears

                          Liquid Fusion adhesive

                          StencilGirl® stencils

I sanded any rough spots on the fish and applied a coat of primer and a coat of metallic paint.

I wanted the fins to have texture, so I applied a thin coat of flexible modeling paste to the fins.

I used a craft stick and a comb to etch out fin lines.

I decided I wanted a raised panel on the fish back to contribute to the steampunk look, so I cut a strip of craft foam and glued it to the back. I painted the entire surface in a neutral metallic color.

I washed a thin coat of green paint along the back and belly to give the fish some color.

I sponged paint on the back panel in several grey tones to give an industrial look.

I lined up the Circles Layer Me Stencil on the spine and painted a line of circles, then lined up and added the coordinating smaller circles.

I put a line of paint dots along the edges using a paint brush handle. 

I glued a metallic bead in the center of each circle.

This gave the look of bolts and rivets that steampunk requires.

I shifted to the sides of the fish and used the Connected Eyes Layer Me Stencil to give the look of scales. I added some small circles from the Circles Layer Me stencil along the belly. I decided the Border Circles Stencil could be adapted to give the look of gears. I placed them along the back spine and stenciled them in. I added hand painted circles to them.

I had a collection of gears I was able to glue to the sides. I used an adhesive called Liquid Fusion, which works on non-permeable surfaces. I used a combination of gears and a flat back bead for the eye.

I hung the fish. I was happy that I was able to achieve a steampunk look with stencils that could be used in many other ways. I was also thrilled to finally use some supplies I had on hand. This was my first time using the flexible modeling paste, and I found it easy to use with excellent results. I will definitely use it again.

Thanks for checking out my project! Come visit me!

Marge Taylor

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Make Art with Lafleur's Boho and Kerr's "Other" Creatives

We couldn't be happier about new stencils from these

two talented artists, 

Gwen Lafleur and Cat Kerr!

Cat Kerr writes: "I admire and respect Creatives such as Artists, Music Makers and Photographers....but I also admire Scientists, Archaeologists, and Astronauts. You might not immediately think of the latter as creatives, but they are. A Creative is anyone that thinks outside of the box. Someone who sees the world a little bit differently than others do. A problem solver, an investigator, a collector (of ideas, images, color, of data) and someone who above all, is innately curious.

"These stencils were inspired by the other world of creativity. The world of math and science and ideas."

Math Woman

Many brilliant, dedicated and determined women have pursued science over the years. Cat Kerr created this Math Woman Stencil in homage to their contributions. Genius with a dash of elegance make this stencil perfect to make a bold statement in your art. 

x

Pi

"Pi" No number can claim more fame than pi. Defined as the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter this equation rocks Cat Kerr’s world because it turns out to be an "irrational number," meaning its exact value is inherently unknowable. How cool is that!

Math Symbols - Small & Mini

The language of Math and Science. Mathematicians and scientists record their discoveries in a language built on symbols. Cat Kerr’s Math Symbols Stencil comes in small and mini so you can size at will, eureka moments in your art work.

Math Grid Mini

The pattern of lines and numbers in Cat Kerr’s mini Math Grid Stencil works great as a standalone or painted repeatedly as a backdrop to fearless art. No proofs, no math tests, just art making.

Math Man

The process of discovery takes time and it involves uncovering what is hidden and reconsidering what is known. Cat Kerr’s Math Man Stencil was inspired by that process. Use the equations or man in his vintage attire alone or together, quietly as a background or as a focal in the foreground of your art.

Gwen's idea for the first six stencils in her Boho Collection came as she was working one one of her Boho collaged fish.

Gwen  writes: "It suddenly struck me how cool it would be to have stencils to use as patterns for my different collaged shapes. I kept that idea percolating in the back of my head, and then after I started doing 3D Boho collages earlier this year, the idea for how I wanted to design these stencils finally emerged. The goal was to create patterns that would be versatile - you could use them as is to stencil animals or shapes into art journals or onto cards, backgrounds, tags, etc... but that they would also work as patterns for my Boho collage techniques - both flat and dimensional. The animals came from the original patterns I was already using for these techniques and I then expanded to add more variations, and the circles were inspired by some hand-carved woodblocks I found while visiting India last year."

Boho Collage Patterns & Textures

"Crossing Paths"

The Collage Patterns and Textures, Circles Stencil is the first of what I hope will be many in a new series of designs that was conceived for creating your own collage papers. I love to stencil on loose papers where I've cleaned off my paint brushes or done some monoprinting, creating great collage fodder in the process. (It's also great for adding texture, pattern, and background designs!) I thought it would be fun to have some stencils designed especially with this process in mind, and of course, circles and Xs had to come first.

Boho Stripe Circle

Boho Fish

The Boho Fish Stencil was inspired by Gwen's Boho collaged fish - in fact, the bottom fish features an enhanced version of her original hand-drawn pattern! There are two more fish and two hand-written phrases perfect for bringing the mysteries of the deep blue sea into your art!

"Gus"

Beaded Boho art journal

Boho Butterflies

The Boho Butterflies Stencil was inspired by Gwen's boho collaged animals and her love of butterflies as a symbol of change and transition (and the fact that they're just beautiful!) This stencil features three hand-drawn butterfly designs, including, of course, a peacock butterfly!

Art journal page

Boho Birds

The Boho Birds Stencil was inspired by Gwen's love of creating collaged animals to use in her artwork, and features three hand-drawn birds - some more realistic and some more stylized, as well as handwritten words and phrases.

"Rusty"

"Queen of Her Nest"

Boho Mandala Circle and Star Circle

The Boho Mandala Circle and Star Circle Stencils were inspired by the incredible hand-carved woodblocks that Gwen saw and used while visiting India. For this design, she created a modified mandala in the style of a woodblock that's perfect as a base for layering, but it can also be used as a focal point or repeated and overlapped for a background in your art.

"Ornery Ostrich" a mixed media artwork

"Stolen" a mixed media artwork

Discover all the newest stencils HERE.

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