StencilGirl Guest Designer Suzi Dennis

Welcome to StencilGirl Guest Designer Suzi Dennis

I am a paper artist who does mixed media collages. I say “paper artist” because I LOVE paper! A fetish you might say, and my favorite thing to do is experiment with all the different ways you can create wonderful collage papers. I use freezer paper a lot and this is one of my most recent experiments that I love to do!

Let's get started!

First I tear off a length of Freezer Paper (yes, the kind you buy at the store to wrap meat in) and tear that in half. I want two pieces for this experiment.

I then lay my stencil down on the SHINY SIDE (very important) of the freezer paper. I put a little piece of tape in the middle just to secure it while I hammer it with my stencil brush. Here I am using the Aztec Sun Stencil.

Next I start covering my stencil with paint using a stencil brush.

You then peel up your stencil, turn it over and lay it down on the second piece of freezer paper. Take another piece of paper and smooth it over the top of the stencil thereby transferring the negative shape to the other piece of freezer paper.

Now you have two pieces of freezer paper with image to work with.

Now it starts getting a little scary. Take another stencil and lay down on top of your image. I’m using the Wonky Eye Stencil here and spraying with DecoArt Media Mister Sprays which I love!! They are permanent and that is what I’m after since I use the papers for collage.

Pull the stencil off and let dry thoroughly.

Now it gets even scarier! Cover the whole image with a solid color. Be sure to use a contrasting color from your image.  Again, let dry thoroughly

After it has dried completely, lay down a coat of Mod Podge. I use the yellow label matte which works best with all my collage work

Next, while mod podge is wet, you will lay down the paper you want to transfer the image to. I am using Heavy Duty Wax Paper here. Some people call it Deli Paper, I call it Heavy Duty Wax Paper because that is what it says on the box. I then take a brayer and roll over it to help it lay as flat as possible.  Now let this dry completely.

When completely dry, peel your paper (Heavy duty wax paper here) away from the freezer paper.

Wha La!! Look at what we have!! See all the wonderful layers that happened in this process! I love doing this because it is like unwrapping a present on Christmas morning. 

 Close up. Look at the wonderful colors! Remember as you are doing this that what you lay down on your freezer paper first will be on top of your finished piece.

Here are both pieces. I laid a dark purple down as a background on the second one.

This is such fun and full of surprises and these stencils from Stencil Girl are perfect for this process. Now for the hard part….go tear them up for collage!! That is always the hardest part for me!

So get after it and have fun!!

Find more of Suzi's work on the following sites:

www.suzisart.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/suzimade

www.suzimadeworkshops.blogspot.com

Stencils Used:

Wonky Eyes and Aztec Sun