Stencilling on Unglazed Ceramics

Hi everyone, 

Hope you are enjoying the year so far - I can't believe we are already four months down!!! Where has the time gone. I wish I could say it's been spending time in the studio, but unfortunately - life happens. However, I did carve out time to create these decorative plates after a recent shopping trip to our local Kmart (I live in Australia - it's still a thing here!). 

I first painted the plates with white gesso. While the plate was unglazed and receptive to paint, it had a grey tome I wanted to get rid of. Once dry, I then chose two 6 x 6 stencils with faces (create face and laugh face) to be the focal point of my decorative plates. I used a navy blue colour (night) which I loved, as the contrast between the blue and white was perfect. I used a paint brush to extend the image and fix up any places that needed a little more colour. I also used some white gesso to fix up any mistakes. 

I chose to add a copper edge to the plate, which I wish in hindsight I didn't add. But I was happier with it once I stencilled with the same blue around the rim. To do this, I used some washi tape to hold the stencil in place while I sponged the paint onto the edge (travel notes). I think this blended the edge back into the plate better. 

Finally, as I wanted these plates to be decorative, I stamped a quote on both plates. I used archival ink and white pigment ink with this. It really finished the pieces off. Now, the most important thing about these plates are that they are decorative only. I wouldn't eat off these, but they are fine to hang on the wall. There is food safe varnishes and sealers you can purchase - but I haven't gone down that route. However - if you are a potter/ceramisit like my mum, you can do the same as above on a bisque fired piece and sponge underglaze through the stencils. Just make sure you wash your stencils carefully afterwards. 

Here is a step by step video for you to follow:

Happy Creating,

Niamh

@niamhbaly IG/YouTube

Stencils Used:

https://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/stencil-Create-Face-Pam-Carriker-p/s646.htm

https://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/stencil-Laugh-Face-Pam-Carriker-p/s651.htm

https://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/stencil-travel-note-rae-missigman-p/s377.htm

Fun folding cards with StencilGirl® stencils

Hi everyone, Ann Barnes here today, sharing some fun folding cards that I created with StencilGirl® stencils and embossing. I love handmade cards. There's something about knowing that someone took the time to create a piece of art to express their wishes. I recently wanted to send an artist friend of mine a note, and as I searched my stash of handmade cards, I decided it was time to update my collection. This particular friend tends to use a lot of stencils in their art, so I thought it would be fun to create some cards with my StencilGirl® ATC Mixup Alphabet stencil designs.

Both my most, and least favorite thing about the ATC Mixup Alphabet stencils I designed for StencilGirl® is the fact that each letter has a different patterned interior. While I love that this makes each letter unique, it also can present a challenge when trying to use multiple letters to spell a word as a whole and have it look uniform in appearance.

I envision a folding card, where each of the letters unfold (think concertina) to create a word. This type of card will be perfect for mailing in an envelope with a simple stamp as its folds onto itself, ending up flat. To make this possible, I cut 4 inch tall, long (24 inch) strips of Bristol board. Ultimately, the length of each card will depend on the number of letters the word is comprised of, but since I had an extra large pad of Bristol, I figured cutting full length strips would allow the most options for word length. When I have multiple strips cut, I decide which words I would like to create. For these cards I made THANKS, HELLO, and CONGRATS.

I want each word, when unfolded to flow seamlessly, and read as a whole. While considering different ways to achieve a uniform appearance, I decide to start with coloring all the bases/backgrounds the in the same color. I select the word, choose the corresponding letter stencils and line them up along the strip. Then, using a pencil, I trace just the outside (and inside if applicable) edges. I do not trace the designs inside the letter. When the stencil is lifted, you have a general outline of each letter.

Using watercolor, I paint inside each of the letters and allow it to dry.

Next, I align the stencils back over each letter, one at a time. Using an embossing ink pad and a sponge applicator, I pounce embossing ink through the stencil onto the watercolored letter. After lifting the stencil off the paper, I cover with Distress embossing glaze and shake off any extra powder.

 

 Then using a heat tool, I set the embossing powder, I continue this process with each letter in the word until all are complete.

Once the heat embossing has cooled, I align the strip and score vertically between each of the letters. This will facilitate the next step, folding. With the score lines in place, You can fold the card forwards  and backwards, alternating. At this points you can leave the card as is, include your handwritten note and send it in an envelope; however, when I envisioned the cards, I imagined mainly letters unfolding to reveal a word. This requires an extra step.

Sketch a line around each of the letters, allowing for a white edge. Be sure that between each letter there is a section that remains joined together at the fold. Keep the spacing uniform around each letter.

Using scissors or an Exacto knife, cut away the extra sections of paper. Enclose your personal message, fold the card and place into an envelope.

This technique can be used with any type of embossing powder. I chose to use the glaze because I love that it is translucent and allows the watercolor to show through, it also allows the designs to fade more into the background without appearing too dominant. Simply adding interest to each letter.

You can easily create cards using any combination of letters, and the folded words could be used in so many different ways. I love how these cards turned out. I am now considering making a few words that I can work into my art journal pages. The possibilities are truly endless!

Thanks so much for stopping by today, 

I hope that you are inspired to pull out your stencils and get creative. By the way, my stencils are on sale for the next two weeks. Just use the code AB20 for 20% off. 

 

~Ann

Flowers in bloom tags

Happy Spring creatives!

April showers bring May flower tags and these were simply a joy to create using Vintage Thicket S976  and Travel Note M102 both designed  by Rae Missigman.

What I love about this 6x6 stencil is the assortment of floral blooms that one can incorporate in their artwork.

The Travel note mini stencil is one I tend to reach for time and time again. I find it the perfect companion for art-journal pages and tags. It’s design is perfect for backgrounds and bits of it can be used for mark making as I did here.

The Process:

Cut your paper to preferred size ( I am using watercolour paper.

Create a flowing background first by applying water to the paper and then follow with acrylic ink or watered down paint.

Add the flower of your choice.

I wanted a flower that had more petals and to achieve this I simply flipped, turned the stencil upside down and added paint with my sponge.

With the Travel Note stencil apply sections to different pints of the tag with a contrasting colour.

To add dimension and softness to the petals I am using an Aquarell pencil which is water soluble. Simply trace the area with the pencil and with a wet brush trace the pencil lines to generate movement . See picture below.

For the final steps, punch a hole in each tag, add pieces of old book pages and bits of fabric.

Take the time to enjoy your garden and it’s spring awakening.

Hope you enjoyed the tutorial.

Supplies:

Travel Note Mini

Vintage thicket

Watercolor paper

Acrylic inks

Aquarell pencil

Fine paint brush 

Water 

Hole punch 

Ribbon 

Tina

Tinahoisart

Cry Wolf Canvas - by Claudia Neubacher

Hi, servus and welcome back to some messy grunge and texture fun! 

This time I entered my studio after what feels like ages without holding a brush or palette knife - and ages it has been! So even if I knew I was up to having some creative fun, I also knew I hadn't  been in touch with my creative mojo for quite a long time. So how do you tackle this? What are good ways to make sure you'll be ending up enjoying yourself and the process?

One way that really works for me is to gather "favourites" - designs, materials, colours and objects that make me feel good by just looking at them. So I picked stencils without thinking at all about how these would go together or create a specific theme. I went for a mix of paints, pastes, brushes, palette knives I thought I might use and in my pants' pockets I found some used rough garden string in black and white, nicely weathered during the winter (as it had been outside, holding protective jute bags in place). When clearing my desk I also kept some tiny snippets of Asian text paper strips from an earlier project for a possible use. 

Also a good way to take off any pressure of having to succed in creating something "special and precious" is to use up old paints and pastes that have already started to dry out a little but can still be applied through stencils, cheap paints and media and some low price substrate to work on like a cheap canvas or some left over cardboard. 

But let's take a look at the stencils I've used:

S861 - Abstract Marks - by Jeanne Oliver

L455 - Wolf - by Roxanne Coble

L792 - ATC Mixup Missigman #1 Art Marks - by Rae Missigman

SC-10-2016 - October 2016 StencilClub Mary Beth's Private Collection 16.4 - by Mary Beth Shaw

L433 - Clustered Leaves - by Cecilia Swatton

S621 - Totally Triangular - by Wendy Aikin

There's one more stencil in the picture, but I didn't use that one in the end. It is always good though to have more stencils to choose from. 

I started without having any idea of a theme or look in mind. I only knew I wanted to go by a reduced colour scheme, having black, grey, beige and white as my main colours and adding yellow, maybe orange or rusty tones later. The bright pink somehow demanded to be used during the process. 

But let's start at the beginning! Breaking the clean white of a canvas can be an intimidating moment. Especially when you start without any concept for your piece of art. 

So what I did was use some cheap grey outdoor acrylic paint from a dollar store that needed some good stirring. For that I used the handle of a long old soft brush. When I started scraping off the excess paint afterwards, I found there was still so much of it left on the brush handle, that I decided to scrape that onto the canvas, twisting and turning the handle during the process. I actually liked the result! 

Next I masked a stripe to add some slightly transparent yellow acrylic paint to with a palette knife. 

I heat dried everything thoroughly, before I went on.

Using a second stencil on top of another is a great way to create a textured shape in one go. I used the large open oval shape from Rea Missigman's "ATC Mixup" stencil on top of the "Totally Triangular" stencil and applied carbon black acrylic paint using a stencil brush. 

So far, so good!

Honestly, one of the main goals for this project was to experiment and use the stencils in different ways.

For example, I applied thick white Gesso (that had already started to dry out a little) with a small bristle brush in random circular motions through the oval and circle shapes of my stencil. This way the added shapes looked random and loose, but still had a sharp outline. I heat dried, then  put the stencil back in place again and added some black lines, using the stencil as a mask so the lines' ends would line up with the previously added shapes. 

I also had a small pot of black modeling paste I wanted to use up (or at least save from drying out almost half full) and I decided to use that alongside the lovely "Fallen Leaves" stencil. I applied that to the left side of the canvas and as there was a lot of paste left on the stencil afterwards, I rubbed that residue off the stencil and onto the bottom right corner of my canvas using a baby wipe. 

I found this is a great way to not waste any paint residue and get a soft fading effect at the same time. 

You can see it close up in this picture, which shows me using some dry herbage (or moss?) to "stamp" with. Remember, I was in experimenting mode...

If the outcome of the project isn't of much importance, this is also a great time to practice particular techniques. I used the opportunity to get a bit better at using modeling gel for example. But first I applied some (also a bit dried out) rust paste using the geometrical design on the "Wolf" stencil. 

As you can see I had previously added part of the "Fallen Leaves" design using the baby wipe technique in this corner too. I let the rust paste dry a little (but not fully) and then sprayed on some orange acrylic paint. I created some drip lines and while these were left to dry, I applied the garden string using the modeling gel and a fine tip palette knife. Later I carefully heat dried everything, before I added some white spray paint on top. 

At that point I found my canvas needed its "star" - my beloved wolf (one of my all-time favourites...see HERE). Instead of stenciling it in place with white paint, I used the stencil to draw the outlines using a black archival ink fine tip pen and later filled in the paint using a small bristle brush. I also added some spying eyes (from the same stencil) for a bit of a mystery touch. 

Before I went to sleep and let my canvas sit for a while, I also added more white spray paint in some spots where I found I had added too much texture in black. That was followed by some tiny yellow dots (through the stencil from the October2016 StencilClub set) and more yellow (scraped on, using a palette knife). 

A new day - some new ideas!

I found my garden string looked like a cloud - so I added some falling rain here and there. Now a story started to unfold! 

Suddenly there was a mysterious hand...dangling in the wind...a sign from above? A warning? Food for my poor hungry wolf? 

I went in with an ordinary graphite pencil and traced or filled in some of the stencils' shapes by scribbling randomly and outlining. I also added some scribbling around the rain cloud. 

Finally I added some handwritten text in spots that I found still needed more interest. I adapted a quote from a very successful Neue Deutsche Welle (New German Wave) song from the Swiss band Grauzone (Grey Zone) that goes: 

Ich möchte ein Eisbär sein (I want to be a polar bear)

im kalten Polar. (in the cold polar circle)

Dann müsste ich nicht mehr schrei'n (then I wouldn't have to cry anymore)

Alles wär so klar! (Everything would be totally clear)

Of course I had to change the "Eisbär" (polar bear) into "Eiswolf" (polar wolf), but the text definitely tells the story, doesn't it? And those who know the song, know that the famous refrain says that "polar bears never need to cry!" - so there's some poetic depth in it, don't you think? ;)

I didn't like the plain white wolf body, so he got some red and white banded Angora hip warmer (at least that was my husband's interpretation, which I am happy to go by)...

All in all the canvas maybe lacks in consequence compositionwise, but I really loved where this journey took me and had a lovely time messing in my studio. Taking some close ups and editing these on my lap top made me realise, I love a lot of the detail shots and can well image these as little paintings or canvases on their own...so this canvas also is a kind of catalogue for further inspiration and directions to explore creatively. And there's loads of yummy texture and layers whereever you look! But take a look yourselves!

Thanks so much for stopping by!!!!

Hugs and happy creating!

Claudia

xxx