Road Trippin' - Summer Art with Jennifer Gallagher

Hello, friend!

This is Jennifer Gallagher for StencilGirl Products® Creative Team sharing my take on some Summertime artwork. Nothing says Summer to me like a fun road trip. I really enjoy loading the family up in the mini-van and heading out either for a long vacation or even just a day trip geocaching. So, I’ve created this acrylic piece featuring a multi-layered background and highlighting a fantastic stencil, Coming and Going, by Carolyn Dube. This piece screams Summertime and family fun.

I’ve been doing this technique for many years and it couldn’t be easier. You could even bring your kids in on the project this time. I started with a 9x12 sheet of watercolor paper. With a large flat bristle brush, I haphazardly laid down a layer of yellow acrylic paint. Spritz with water to create movement if you wish.

Next, I moved to a slightly darker yellow and applied it with a cosmetic sponge through this mini 4-inch stencil from StencilClub October 2018. 

I continued to apply a new color each time through a different stencil, moving from yellow to orange to red, then green and blue and purple. I saturated my background with color and pattern. My motto is, “More is more!”  

Stay in Your Magic Mini Stencil

Additional small 6-inch stencils used:
Screw Heads Small Stencil,S428, SC-01-2019,
and the He Loves Me Stencil, S315.

Once these layers were dry, using a blending tool, I applied black acrylic paint around the edges and spritzed it with water to get the paint to run and drip. I let the paper sit for a few minutes and then softened the black with a dry paper towel. We want to add interest without overwhelming our piece with too much black paint.

Next, I applied black acrylic paint through my featured stencil, Coming and Going by Carolyn Dube, all across the paper. Designer Tip: You could stop here and have some fabulous backgrounds for Artist Trading Cards and Coins or for card-making.

Then, to knock back some of the print we created, I applied white acrylic paint with a small flat bristled brush around the outsides of the vehicles.

Lastly, I took a black posca pen and fixed any lines I missed or may have inadvertently covered with the white paint.

I cut my painting into smaller pieces and framed them in chunky black frames. They will make the perfect addition to a family room or child’s bedroom.

Thanks so much for joining me and I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. You can visit me online at www.papergeometry.wordpress.com.

check me out in Instagram @jennifergallagherart.

-Jennifer Gallagher

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