StencilGirl® Art Journaling Inspired by Poetry

The poem by Ben Okri continues to be my inspiration for this final project of 2019 and as I’m lucky enough to return as a monthly Guest Designer for StencilGirl® Products in 2020 you will be seeing more illustrations of the poem in the New Year.  I’m going in sequence with the poem using consecutive lines that form a small entity in themselves. I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to tune in the Ben Okri’s words in this way.  My lines for this month are:”Thoughts or good words too we can plant, especially if they are noble and true.”

Again I’m working on 2 facing pages of the large art journal by ArtbyMarlene. Some of the stencils I use come from the StencilClub sets of months past. Remember if you join the club you can back order these. Check out the StencilGirl® Products web site for details.

Here are the full instructions:

1.      Gesso (using white) two facing pages (sized 8.1/4 x 11.3/4”) from the ArtbyMarlene large art journal or any other journal of your choice.

2.      Glue on text randomly on the pages using tissue wrap using matte medium.

3.      Add paint (I used Golden fluid acrylics) and remove it through the large stencil of the February 2019 StencilClub.

4.      Using the same stencil as in step 2, add pattern to the pages through the stencil using pink paint and a cosmetic wedge.

5.      Add text by using stencil Wall of Words with Inka Gold silver paste and a palette knife.

6.      On the right hand page and using blue acrylic spray paint (I used Brusho Acrylic Shimmer spray in Shimmer Turquoise), spray on the steps part of stencil Gaol Stairs as shown.

7.      Do the same on the left hand page but use stencil Cathedral Arch.

8.      Outline the images from step 6 and 7 with a black permanent marker using the respective stencils as a guideline.

9.      Using vintage paper (from an old book) and a collection of alphabet stamp sets with a permanent black ink pad, stamp on the lines of Ben Okri’s poem, tear out and glue onto the right hand page as shown. Black the edges with a Stabilo pencil.

10.  Using the large stencil from the StencilClub December 2017 outline the silhouette as shown on the left hand page and fill it in with a black marker (( used a Permapaque pigment marker.

11.  Outline the silhouette with a white jelly marker (I used one by Sakura).

12.  Edge the pages using the same market as in step 10.

13.  Glue on the work TIME (from a magazine) to the silhouette and outline with a white marker.

© Frieda Oxenham 2019. To see more of Frieda's work, please visit her BLOG.