Friday, November 6, 2015

Guest Designer Martice Smith II: Getting Creative with Cases!

Hi StencilGirl friends! Martice here, sharing a really cool way
to combine stencils and paint to create a reverse stenciling effect.

Have you ever purchased a plain protective case for your cell phone or iPad
with the intention of decorating it yourself, only to realize months have flown by
and you're still carrying around that plain ol' tablet case...in public?! ::gasp::

You're an ARTIST! Use this "blank canvas" as an opportunity to let your gift of creativity shine!

Yes, the color is in your favorite shade of violet but wouldn't you LOVE it even more if yours was customized, making you wanna break dance every time you took it out of your bag to check your email?

I will show you how to transform a solid-colored tablet case
into a wildly colorful one you won't wanna put down!

Let's play!

STEP 1: Gather materials

Store bought Tablet case (solid colored)
jar of water
paper towels
acrylic paints (matte and glossy finishes)
Paint Adhesion Medium (DecoArt)
Variety of stencils (I'll be using 3 in this tutorial: Scribble Scratch Handwriting by Carolyn Dube,
Deconstructed Floral Bouquet by Traci Bautista, Rose Window and Border by Lizzie Mayne L269)
clear gesso
sheet of scrap paper
variety of paint brushes
low-tack scotch tape, optional

Before we dive in, let's start with a clean tablet case. Wipe the surface with a baby wipe and a dab of alcohol to remove grease stains from fingerprints and dirt. Set aside to dry.

STEP 2: Mix acrylic paints with Paint Adhesion Medium
Paint Adhesion Medium keeps paint layers from rubbing off while you're painting and after the paint has dried. All you do is mix 50-50 with every color of acrylic paint you'll be using. 

(FYI: This stuff also works on slick surfaces like plastics, metal, wax, soap, glass, porcelain, and glazed ceramics.)

STEP 3: Apply layer of paint
The fan brush is one of my go-to brushes if I want my brushstrokes to have lots of energy and feathered edges. 

Here, I'm applying my first layer of paint in the color Banana Yellow.

When this layer is almost dry, a second color is introduced (Peach Silk). 

Allow the two colors to blend for a smooth transition of color.

STEP 4: Rub through stencils
While holding the stencil in place with your non-dominant hand, use a baby wipe to remove some of the paint from the surface. (This creates your reverse stenciling!)

Vary your pressure - the harder you wipe, more of the paint is removed.
Light pressure from your dominant hand will spread the paint around but won't remove all of it.

Continue designing your case with paint. Don't hold back, go for the rainbow!

TIP: You don't have to use every part of your stencil.
Try using certain parts of it and combine or layer parts from another stencil to create a unique design.

Catch those spills!
Oops! I was so anxious to start painting that I forgot to insert a scrap piece of paper in between the back and front part of the tablet case. (This paper will catch any overpainting that will happen when I get too happy slingin' paint around!)

Apply scotch tape to areas you don't want to get paint on.
(Around the plastic edge of the case and the camera hole.)

Repeat Steps 3 & 4 

Alternate between a fan brush, round brush and a liner brush for adding small details.

When your design is complete, allow the entire surface to dry for a few minutes.

STEP 5: Embellish!
~Add some beautiful hand-lettering with a white Sharpie
~Use the handle end of your paintbrush to add small dots of paint 
~Dry brush over painted areas with a complementary color. I love the visual contrast of this because both colors fight for your attention!

STEP 6: Varnish
    Finally, with a mixture of watered down clear gesso, apply 1 - 2 layers over the surface of the tablet case.
    Let dry at least an hour before handling.


    What's your favorite thing to customize?

    Thank you for visiting us today! Happy creating :)

    Martice Smith II is an internationally published artist + creative director of
    Martice Smith II – Illustration & Design Studio, based in Missouri and owner of Uneek Art Boutique.
    Martice combines traditional mixed-media + digital techniques with her love for fashion, typography and wildlife, infusing her illustrations with her bold, urban style.
    Follow Martice as she mentors you on how to create with an expressive, free-style spirit while developing the artistic lifestyle + biz you envision for yourself. Discover more tutorials on her blog!

    18 comments:

    1. Awesome tutorial. Thanks Martice!

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      Replies
      1. Hi Jessica! You're welcome. Thank you so much for your comment!

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    2. Replies
      1. LOL! Yes, I agree, Cecilia! I was nervous at first because I didn't want to "ruin" it...I got over that feeling real quick and so glad I did. You should try it, too :)

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    3. I love how your case turned out - such a great idea!

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    4. Hi Martice, Love this idea! So now, I'm picking out SG stencils for my iPad cover. hehehehe

      Take care and STAY POSITIVE!

      ReplyDelete
    5. Yay Martice! Love seeing you here! What a fun way to give color to an otherwise plain piece! hugs ")

      ReplyDelete
    6. Salivating over your Tablet Case! Pretty, pretty! Also love your pretty necklace & rings that you're wearing.
      Grandma Nancy

      ReplyDelete
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      ReplyDelete
    8. Loved your step by step Maurice. What a fun and lovely project!! j.

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    9. What a treasure you created--amazing!

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    10. Fantastic case! Thanks for the great information about products to make the work hold up to use. Excuse me, I have to go embellish something, anything!

      ReplyDelete
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    12. DIY is the thing that I always liked. Thanks for sharing this DIY. It looks great. I am defiantly going to try it.

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