Wednesday, March 3, 2021

New stencils for you to go abstract or make some cards!

New stencil alert! 

StencilGirl presents a perfectly divine stencil for greeting cards plus a series of four fantastic abstract stencils to add structure and a "light-path" to your art:

The Thinking of You Stencil by Kristin Reese Williams and Cecilia Swatton's Abstract Composition Backbone Series.

Kristin says, "Thinking of You was designed so that one can write names, prayers, hopes, wishes, or ideas in each of the seven openings emanating from the center. Great for cards, art journaling, or as a background for a focal point. I hope you spread some good vibes into the universe with this mandala-type stencil.


"After watching Mary Beth Shaw do miraculous things with watercolors and stencils, I had to give it a go. I used these two Facebook Lives as my instructional videos and couldn’t be happier with the results! (You'll need to be signed into Facebook to view Watercolors Work with Stencils and More Watercolors and Stencils.)

"Using Pixie Spray to adhere my stencil to watercolor and mixed media paper, I then played with the watercolors, loading wet upon wet. When I got to where I loved it, I picked up the stencil and was amazed it stayed where it should.

"For the cards, I used acrylic paint through the stencil. Once COMPLETELY dried (The best way to ruin a pen is to run it through wet paint.), I wrote sentiments, wishes, names, and other positive words in the openings. I love the meditative quality of making a card for someone and really thinking about them and wishing good things."




Kristin also used Thinking of You as a background stencil and adhered hearts punched out of gel plate prints to the cards.








Cecilia Swatton knows an artist who says, “I want to make abstract art, but I can’t. I stare at the white paper. Nothing happens, and I give up.”

Yearning to try abstract art? Or have you done it, but wonder what would happen if you come at it from a new direction? 

"Abstract art has a backbone, a structure that establishes visual logic … and lays guidelines to build the excitement in key areas … and creates a light-path that coaxes a viewer’s eyes through the entire artwork," Cecilia says. 

Abstract Compositions Backbones #1 S864

Acrylics & Markers

Acrylics, Markers, & Gelatos

This visual path is the reason she has blocked out connected areas in her Abstract Composition Backbones Stencil Masks series. 

Abstract Compositions Backbones #2 S865

Acrylics & "dribble pen"


Acrylics, Markers, & Watercolor Crayons

Using these masks as Step One on a white substrate, the artist can leave those blocked-out (solid) areas white, or subtly tint them to remain readable as “white.”  This gives the artist a shortcut in establishing that “path of light.”


Abstract Compositions Backbones #3 S867

Collage with Acrylics & Markers

Acrylics & Gelatos

Cecilia designed these stencil masks with flexibility in mind. She says, "Simply making one print with one mask can be a finished artwork! Or that initial print can launch imagination into the stratosphere as you explore further. My project outlined here today merely hints at what’s possible for the artist who wants to lose herself in the creation of a unique world on paper."

(1.)  Starting with Abstract Composition Backbones #3 s866, I cut off its original 6” x 6” border. (Skip this step, if customizing isn’t your cup of tea.)

Abstract Composition Backbones 3, S866

(2.)  With removable painter’s tape, secure the mask to 9” x 12” paper randomly smeared with black and copper acrylic paints. 


 (3.) Use a sponge to apply heavy-body taupe acrylic paint, covering the mask as well as the 4 pieces of painter’s tape.

(4.) Gently lift off the mask and tape.

(5.) With a copper Sharpie pen, a pastel lavender Gelato and a black marker, Cecilia embellished to her heart’s content.


This four-step artwork only hints at art adventures that await when you have Abstract Composition Backbones Masks s864–s867 in your hands. 

Cecilia used all 4 Backbones in this artwork.

Check out Cecilia's blog. Starting today (3/3/21) and continuing daily for the coming week, she has posts prepared for that will "fling doors open, blow away cobwebs of timidity, and liberate you into the amazing world of abstract art-making. Have fun!"


Discover all the recently released, 

designed by artists for artists stencils at StencilGirl.


PS from Cecilia: The artist I quoted above is a gifted watercolorist whose work has won many awards and whose list of collectors is as long as his arm. His subjects are representational – waterfronts, meadows, etc. He is brilliant at what he does. But he yearns for the freedom of abstract art-making.  He needs Abstract Composition Backbones Masks!

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