When I begin an abstract, I usually start with mark-making. I create a series of expressive wide and rough marks made with charcoal or pastel, followed by thin and whispy pencil marks. Before the addition of paint, I stand back and look at the main shapes created by the overlapping marks. Although we recognize geometric shapes, I prefer a rougher, more organic look. These stencils are the result.
These rectangular shaped designs include spheres and curved intersecting lines. Use this stencil to block off areas by using just a portion, or the whole design. Play with negative space by adding color around the spheres. If you're working on a large substrate, continue building the abstract out from the center (like a web).
If you're working on a long vertical (or horizontal) canvas, stack these stencils on top of one another (or side by side) to continue the movement of lines. As you build your abstract, notice what you "see" -- what shapes could be combined and which should stand out? My example uses pastel and colored pencil to outline shapes for emphasis.
I love a square abstract. Especially ones that can be used on a 6"x6" canvas or on a Gelli plate. This abstract introduces triangles to the rough sphere shapes.
I love to paint cherry blossoms, both the full tree in bloom and the individual blooms. They are so vibrant and cheerful. Although this stencil could be used for any blooming branch by altering the color palette, my artwork sample is inspired by the traditional bright pink flowers.
This stencil design was inspired by yellow loosestrife from my mother's garden. It grows in a vertical spire. Yellow flowers always brighten the mood. For this design, I zeroed in on one single bloom (macro style). It's amazing what details you can see using the zoom feature on your camera phone or using a macro lens on a traditional camera.
Inspired by the point of view of looking up a single cherry blossom branch, this stencil can be repeated for a border. Use the design in typical fashion, then clean your stencil, flip it over and repeat the design at the top or bottom of your first imprint. (Refer to example for visual).
Jennifer's stencils are available now at stencilgirlproducts.com.
Your examples of your stencils are helpful to see the possibilities, thank you so much!
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