Happy New Year, 2026!
I am Kim Hamburg, a mixed media collage artist who happens to love all things stencils and all things numbers.
There is something quietly reassuring about numbers. They suggest order, sequence, logic—ideas that can feel grounding inside a creative practice built on intuition and experimentation. I’ve long been drawn to typography and numeric forms for this reason. Frequently you will find a number or a series of numbers in my work.
That balance between structure and freedom is what immediately drew me to By the Numbers, a pair of stencils designed by Sarah Short for the January 2026 StencilClub. Based on the numbers three and four, these stencils feel less like numerals and more like visual rhythms—curves, dashes, and pauses that hint at typography without fully declaring it. Sarah’s love of letterforms is present, but softened and abstracted, inviting interpretation rather than instruction.
As a mixed media collage artist—and a guest designer for this month—I approached these stencils not as finished images, but as tools for building a visual language. The papers I made will remain in my stash and I plan on using them in future collage work.
Image caption:
The By the Numbers stencils by Sarah Short—abstracted interpretations of the numbers three and four, ready to move from structure into mark-making.
Supplies
-
India ink
-
Acrylic paint (any colors you enjoy)
-
Vintage book or textbook pages
-
Pre-made Gelli printed papers, or other favorite papers
-
Sponge roller
-
Sponge brush
Optional:
-
Wood panel
-
Glue stick or gel medium
-
Utility blade or scissors
-
Ephemera
-
Hole punch (any size)
.
Building a Library of Painted Papers
Painted papers are an essential part of my practice. I think of them as future ingredients—materials made without pressure, ready when a collage needs something graphic, textural, or quietly directive. Having a small stack of prepared papers nearby removes the friction of starting and allows me to stay responsive once I’m composing.
I began with India ink and a sponge roller, rolling the ink directly through both stencils onto a variety of papers. Vintage book pages are a favorite because they introduce text, diagrams, and subtle grids, but this process works just as well on Gelli prints or plain paper. The sponge roller keeps the ink layer thin and even, catching the stencil edges without flooding the surface.
I repeated this step across multiple papers, switching between the two stencil designs, then let everything dry completely.
Image caption:
India ink rolled through the stencil with a sponge roller, allowing the dash marks to read as rhythm rather than number.
Isolating Sections for Intentional Design
Once the ink layers were dry, I returned with acrylic paint and a sponge brush, this time resisting the urge to use the entire stencil. Instead, I isolated smaller sections—the curve of the number three, or the dash marks embedded in the number four stencil.
This approach transforms the stencil from a single image into a system of marks. By focusing on fragments, the numbers dissolve into shape and pattern. I also paid close attention to alignment, allowing stencil lines to echo the lines already present on the paper—text columns, margins, and subtle grids—so these papers would feel compositionally resolved when used later in a collage. I tend to use a grid system when collaging, so making sure things were lined up felt more intentional.
Image caption:
By isolating sections of the stencil, the number begins to dissolve into shape, texture, and pattern. Think of stencils not as images, but as systems—sources of marks that can be repeated, rearranged, and reimagined.
From Painted Paper to Finished Piece
After everything had dried, I selected a small wood panel and adhered one of the stenciled papers using a glue stick or gel medium. The wood immediately adds weight and presence, shifting the paper from background to surface.
I added more acrylic paint at this stage, scraping it across the panel with a playing card. This tool creates uneven, expressive marks and helps integrate the paper into the surface rather than letting it sit on top.
From another painted and stencilled page, I punched out a few circles—simple shapes that subtly reference the numeric origins of the stencils. These were layered onto the panel, followed by a flower and a bingo piece. Found elements like these bring their own histories and associations, grounding the composition and adding quiet narrative weight.
Image caption:
Painted papers move from preparation to composition as layers, shapes, and found elements come together.
Letting the Stencils Do Their Quiet Work
What I love most about the By the Numbers stencils is their flexibility. They can be bold or subtle, central or supporting. You can use the full design, isolate a single mark, or cut the resulting papers into fragments that disappear into a larger composition.
Vintage textbook pages add visual interest through typography and diagrams, while painted layers soften and unify everything. In the end, these papers are less about numbers and more about readiness—about giving yourself a library of marks, textures, and shapes that already speak the same language.
When you sit down to make a collage, the conversation has already begun.
Sometimes the most expressive work starts with something as orderly as a number—and then lets it wander.
By the Numbers is only available to StencilClub Members who join by January 15th and will ship on that day. You get lots of great benefits as a club member, including a coupon for 25% off all regular collection stencils, a project and pdf from the artist and an additional project by me that is for members only. So don't delay! Get more information about StencilClub here!
I would love to see your work. Please tag me on Instagram Check out my IG
Facebook Kim Hamburg Facebook
