Friday, August 13, 2021

Stenciling ATC's (Artist Trading Cards)

Hello and thank you for joining me, I am so excited to be here!  I am Wendy Baysa and I have a really fun project for you today. 
I will show you the steps I take in creating a masterboard, than turning them into ATC's (Artist Trading Cards). If you have never done this size they are so fun and I suggest you give it a go. If you prefer a video over step out pictures scroll to the bottom because I have supplied one for you :)
                                                  Without further ado lets get started ....... 
I start by making some lines on a 8.5" x 11" piece of copy paper with a pencil or whatever you have. I then apply gesso with a silicon tool and spray Distress Stain in Salvaged Patina, mixing the stain and gesso make the stain which is normally water reactive permanent. Let dry. 

Next I spray IZink Sunflower and Distress Oxide in Salvaged Patina through Stencil Girl Stencil Evans L850 trying to stay within the same color family or analogous colors. Let dry

Next with a smaller detailed stencil~ here I have cut up Apter L860 and sprayed IZink Spring green and added more marks with a black greese pencil. Be sure to flip and clean off your stencil on the piece, too. 
The first layers were a bit light so I added a medium hue color in Distress Crackling Campfire through THSM042 by Tim Holtz. I was really in need of a grid type pattern and didn't have one from Stencil Girl even though I know there are tons of them, so be sure to check them out~ here is a example of one


I wanted to add some more blue to this layer but needed it to be opaque so I used the Distress Paint in Salvaged Patina though another part of Apter L860 with a cosmetic sponge. This paint tends to be pretty fluid and can sometimes run under the stencil but I like the look of not so perfect lines. 


Now is a great time to add some black for that wonderful contrast and to do this I like to use stamps. But keep in mind it can be with stencils too, just a small detailed stencil. I mix designers, too, these are some of my favorites from Seth Apter, Dina Wakely and Tim Holtz. I also used black Gesso through a scrap of drywall tape. Remember to be random because the sheet will be getting cut up. 


So due to the copy paper being flimsy I glue the sheet to a cut up mailing envelope that the Stencil Girl Stencils come in, so a little recycling always makes us feel good doesn't it? I will then trim with scissors along the glued down paper. 
This layer is adding more marks with whatever you have on hand. I have used a recycled tape roll, cap to my sprays and the silicone tool again. I like to use Indian Ink but what ever you have that is pretty fluid will work. If you have black acrylic paint just water it down a little. I also use my gel plate for a palette at this point because I don't want all the ink to soak into the paper. 
Cut the sheet into 2.5 x 3.5 rectangles. This is the standard size of ATCs 
Now that the sheet is cut up it's time to look at each one individually and see what is needed.... So detail work for each one. I do this with Posca Pens, Fudeball and Signo. Sometimes a card may be lacking some mix of color and this is when you would add what each one needs as far as interest. 
I decided I really wanted to add some die cuts. The butterfly was a perfect size and popped enough when double layered with white and black cardstock. What you are looking for with a die cut if you want to add one is something that will be pretty solid since the background is busy, adding a busy die cut could get lost with so much going on. I also added some tiny text from Tim Holtz.... Here are the finished ATCs .......... 
Here is the video if you prefer viewing that way ....... 

Thank you for stopping by and I do hope I have inspired you to give this a try. 
Have a blessed day,
Wendy xxx

1 comment:

  1. This was so fun and simple, yet it comes out looking like you know what you are doing! I am inspired to make this. I never would have thought to put that orange towards the beginning, but it's great! I think too much - just get in and fool around!
    Thank you for your time!

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