Showing posts with label Heidi Smith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Heidi Smith. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Stenciled Paper Garland by Heidi Smith for StencilGirl® Creative Team


Hi there!

This is Heidi Smith with the StencilGirl® Creative Team sharing a stenciled paper garland for today’s blog post! 





Well, I am happy to say that I just recently moved in to a new studio space and have been super excited to decorate it and try to make it my own! 🙌 That is what has inspired me this month! The StencilGirl® Creative Team challenge to “texture it or make marks on it” made me want to create some texture on my bare walls by hanging some stenciled-paper garlands and I was excited to use some of my favorite mark-making stencils to give my new studio space some much-needed personality!  

My goal was to create something colorful and special... something that would make me smile when I looked at it. 😊 So that’s where my inspiration came from .. and I am quite pleased with how it turned out!!!!!





This is my supply list:

18”x24” 140lb cold press Strathmore watercolor paper
Found paper text ephemera
Acrylic gel medium
Flat Taklon brush
Golden fluid acrylics
6” ruler
Scissors
Golden heavy body acrylics
StencilGirl® stencils
Stencil brushes
2 1/2” circle punch
X-Acto knife with a fresh blade
Self-healing cutting mat
Baker's Twine
Heavy duty needle (mine is 3 5/8” long)


To start, I chose some cold-pressed watercolor paper so that my garland would be sturdy and last a long time. I took three large sheets of the watercolor paper to make 3 garlands. (One sheet makes about a 14-foot garland that has around 50 circles). I began by collaging some paper text ephemera onto two of the sheets. I used acrylic gel medium to apply the text papers.


After the gel medium had dried, I used Golden Fluid Acrylics to paint on some foundation color washes on both sides of my papers. I also let this dry thoroughly before moving on.


Next, I used a ruler & pencil to measure & mark 3” sections along the edge of my paper. Then I "freehand"-cut my paper into 3" wide strips. I chose to cut up my paper before stenciling because I wanted to work with smaller sections. Plus, this way the paper will feed through the circle punch a lot easier!



Finally, it’s time to break out my stencils!!! I had a wonderful time sorting through my vast collection of StencilGirl® stencils and picking out the ones that I thought would compliment (as well as contrast with) each other to make the garland dynamic! I chose stencils that had good "mark-making" qualities.

I admit, I couldn't stop at just a few... 😬




I used:



Once I'd chosen a "few" (ha!) stencils, I went ahead and used my favorite stiff stencil brushes and Golden Heavy Body Acrylics. I used a bunch of my favorite colors and applied paint to stencils in sections along my strips.

After my paint had dried, I used a 2 1/2” circle punch to cut out a TON of circles for my garland. It took a bit of muscle to punch through the thick watercolor paper, but the punch was definitely up to the task!


After I finished cutting out a total of 150(!) circles..... I played with them as if they were confetti!!!! Haha! :) I mean, how could I not?! Can you say: "giant stencil confetti?!?"




But then back to business, I needed to string up my circles, so I used an X-Acto with a fresh blade to cut out two 5-7mm (-ish) slits in each circle to allow my twine to be threaded through. (I just “eyeballed” my measurements).


Finally, it was time to string up this bad boy! I used a heavy-duty needle to thread my baker’s twine through the slits of my paper circles. I found it was helpful to tie my twine onto my needle so that it didn’t keep slipping out.


After I strung about 50 circles onto a length of about 16 feet of baker's twine, I arranged them so that there was about 1/2-3/4" between each circle (again, just "eyeballing" things) and left about a foot of twine on either end. In all, I made 3 garlands and had a blast (!) playing with them once they were finished.








I really enjoyed making this garland!!!! It was super fun! I really think I will make some more to decorate my house and also use special colors for various holidays!!! This project is super-versatile... you can try using smaller sizes of circle punches (using thinner-weight paper for smaller punches) and create any length you desire!!! There are tons-tons-TONS of StencilGirl® stencils to completely customize this project!

If you decide to make some stenciled garlands, be sure to share your pics with us! You can hashtag #stencilgirl or #stencilgirlproducts to share your creations on social media! I cant wait to see what you create!!! 😍😍😍

 Heidi

Heidi Smith is a mixed media artist and painter and a member of the 2019-2020 StencilGirl® Products Creative Team. You can find her work on Instagram and her newly-launched YouTube Channel.


https://www.instagram.com/stencilgirl_products/


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Tuesday, May 21, 2019

"Kiss" Abstract Paintings with Heidi Smith


Hi there!

 This is Heidi Smith for the StencilGirl Products® Design Team sharing some little abstract works that I am lovingly calling Abstract "Kisses". 💕😘





I recently wanted to make some wee abstract paintings to decorate a blank wall that I have in my house and created a few with something that I like to call the "kiss" technique. 💋

 You can watch my video below:


This technique uses deli paper in an even-more-non-conventional-way than we're used to. Normally, we think of deli paper as a substrate (using it with our gelli plates to print on, or to paint directly on, with an end result of likely tearing it up for collage fodder)... but there’s more you can do with it!!! 💋💋💋 Get this... You can use your deli paper as… A STAMP!!
Whaaat?!??


YES! And I'll show you how! 

I started doing this years ago with regular paper... pressing one painted paper onto another wet or dry paper to get a mottled and grungy effect. But I discovered a way to also do this through my stencils... and deli paper was the perfect partner! Deli paper has the right amount of durability, withstanding both pressure and moisture while still being thin and delicate enough to transfer the details of stencils! The look you can achieve is similar to what you’d get by using a gelli plate. You get irregularities, brush marks, and intermingling flecks of color that we associate with and love about gelli printing ...but by just using deli paper!

To start my paintings, I chose some handmade paper squares. (Regular watercolor paper would work well too). You’ll want to coat your paper with a layer of paint or gesso first, because (with most papers) it will weaken as it gets wet with paints. The moisture would cause tears and fibers to stick to the paint when we’re “kissing” them together… which we don’t typically want. But if you like a very distressed look and don’t mind tears and pulls… definitely play around with different papers! They all react differently to this technique and some are stronger than others.

Here are my squares to start, coated with a layer of random leftover acrylic and left to dry thoroughly:


Next I pull out some deli sheets that I’ve cut to a manageable size. I spread a thin layer of acrylic paint onto my deli paper with a flat brush. Brush strokes are cool ...but glops are not. I like to use my Dina Wakley Media flat brush because it creates nice brushstrokes in the paint and the texture transfers quite well.

Here is what my thin layer looks like:

I start with just a few solid areas of “kisses” around my paintings. To do this, you’ll simply flip your deli paper over (paint side down) and press firmly but gently to transfer paint. You can control how much paint contacts the paper by how much pressure you give and where. Once you get the hang of it, we’re ready to break out our stencils!!

Here’s what a deli paper “kiss” looks like:


For stencils, my suggestion is to use ones that don’t have a lot of really tiny holes or really detailed designs, because we’re going for *grunge* and super-super-fine details won’t transfer well. I have chosen the following stencils:
To “kiss” through a stencil, first position your stencil where you want it to go on your painting. Then apply a light layer of paint (just as before) to your deli paper but this time you’ll flip it over onto the stencil. You’ll want to press firmly around the design of the stencil... getting into the nooks and crannies. You can feel and see if you’ve made good contact. If your paint dries up too quickly and doesn’t transfer well, keep trying! You’ll get into a rhythm.

Pressing into the nooks and crannies:



And this is what a “kiss” through a stencil looks like:


...and with the stencil removed:

To create an abstract work, we keep painting, playing, and giving our work “kisses”. 😘 At some point, you’ll feel you’re done! Be sure to evaluate your overall composition. If you need to cover or glaze over areas to create balance or “calm” areas, you can use a plain “kiss” (without a stencil) or even just brush over with opaque or transparent paint. I like to fiddle with my work until it feels done. (Note to self: don’t underestimate the value of a simple design!!)

This is what a few of my pieces look like:




...and a few detail shots:







Thanks so much for reading and I hope you go “kiss” that box of deli paper! Be sure to tell us all about it! *muah!*


😘😘😘

Heidi Smith is a mixed media artist and painter and a member of the 2019-2020 StencilGirl Products® Design Team. You can find her work on Instagram and her newly-launched YouTube Channel.


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Monday, May 6, 2019

Announcing our Creative Team 2019-20!



Our new team has faces you'll recognize and six new ones. These artists and creators are spread around the globe, hailing from the USA, Australia, India, and Austria. 

 We are delighted to introduce the 2019-20 StencilGirl® Creative Team (from top row right), Linda Edkins Wyatt, Jennifer Gallagher, Heidi Smith, Sue Plumb, Peg Robinson & Shel C, (from bottom row left) Claudia Neubacher, Sunila & Aditi Mahajon, and Jill McDowell.

 We invite you to get to know them now and over the coming year:


­­­

 Heidi Smith is a mixed media painter who enjoys creating work that incorporates texture and touches that are unexpected. She has been artistic since childhood, although it has taken many years for her to feel comfortable sharing her artwork with others. For Heidi, art is a way to escape as well as to open up. She enjoys everything from art journaling to oil painting and is fond of subjects that symbolize friendship, family, and emotion.

Heidi served in the Air Force for seven years and later studied Fine Art with a concentration in painting. Originally from Upstate NY, she now lives in Leesburg, Virginia just outside of Washington, DC with her fiancé Phil, cat LuLu, and Goose the dog.



Jennifer Gallagher is an artist and art instructor currently living in West Virginia with her husband and two sons. She has been involved in the arts her entire life in one way or another. After studying fashion in college, Jennifer found herself drawn to new art forms and techniques. She now enjoys painting, collage, art journaling, and mixed media. Geometric shapes and patterns are her greatest source of inspiration and joy. 

Jennifer's artwork:
Paper Geometry Blog
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Instagram




Linda Edkins Wyatt, a mixed media artist living in the heart of New York City, has been making art since childhood. Whenever she was bored, her mother or older sisters would teach her a new skill such as mending, hand and machine stitching, embroidery, crochet, needlepoint or knitting. Her first creative memory was making a doll dress fashioned from an old white sock and trimmed with thick turquoise yarn. 

Linda started her professional art career as a textile designer and print stylist, and later transitioned to layout and graphic design. She enjoys using bits of paper, original fabric scraps, and recycled materials in her journals, collages and paper dolls, and loves creating digital designs, collages, and patterns in Photoshop.

By day, Linda works for NYC Health + Hospitals. Evenings, weekends and holidays she spends painting, journaling, sewing or making unique paper dolls. She also teaches monthly mixed media classes at The Ink Pad NYC in Greenwich Village.

Linda has had artwork and articles published in the books Mixed Media Self Portraits, 1000 Artist Journal Pages, and Quilts and Health. Her mixed media work and art quilts have appeared in the magazines Cloth Paper Scissors, Quilting Arts, and Scott Publications’ Just Mixed Media, Just Swap Art, and Just Steampunk.

Linda's artwork:
Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
Blog




Sue Plumb comes from the beautiful Glasshouse Mountains in Queensland, Australia where she lives with my hubby Shannon; their three kids - daughter Brielle aged 11, and twin sons Hunter and Kaden aged 6; and our cat, Genghis.

Sue began scrapbooking approximately 10 years ago, shortly after the birth of her daughter. Since that time, her work has evolved from a very simplistic paper-based style, to where it is now - far more artistic and often incorporates bright color, mixed media, and eclectic elements. Besides scrapbook pages, she also enjoys creating artworks on canvas; art journal and traveler's notebooks spreads, and sometimes off the page items and cards. Put simply, Sue just loves to create!  

She is currently on several design teams including Australian manufacturers Cocoa Vanilla Studio and Colour Blast; and US manufacturer Viva Las VegaStamps. I am also a design team member for the Scrap the Girls challenge blog.
She says, "I am a huge fan of StencilGirl® designs and am thrilled to be joining the team. I am SO looking forward to creating and sharing with you this coming year!"



We think it is super that we have teams within teams. Shel C and Peg Robinson are friends who live across the country from one another yet sometimes make art together. Sunila and Aditi are a mother and daughter working together as Dots2Lines.


Shel C and Peg Robinson

Shel C is a self-taught mixed media artist with a love of all things paper. 
The focus of her paper obsession shows itself in lots of collage artwork as well as art journaling, card making, bookmaking, and the occasional dimensional art piece.

She is inspired by the shapes and colors surrounding her in the beautiful Sonoran Desert of Arizona. She also is inspired by the many nature scapes she has seen and photographed while traveling.

When not in the studio gluing paper to stuff, Shel spends her time caring for a multigenerational family of six.


Peg Robinson has pursued multiple creative avenues for many years. She makes things from stuff others throw away and enjoys collage, assemblage, and journaling along with other arts and crafts. Her friends labeled her the craft encyclopedia because when they need to know something about arts/crafts and supplies, they ask her first. 

After retiring from full-time employment Peg has focused on creative pursuits for about five years and settled into an artistic life. As a Helping Hand Artist with DecoArt, she finds great satisfaction in helping others find their own artistic voice. I find art is a true healer and can easily share the spirit of joy that comes from creating.

Peg's artwork:
https://linktr.ee/pegarobinson

 Shel C and Peg Robinson's YouTube collaboration: ART Joy of Sharing




Mother-Daughter team, Sunila Mahajan and Aditi Mahajan are entrepreneurs. As part of Dots to Line, their home decor business, they handcraft home-decor products using techniques of mixed media and decoupage. 

Sunia and Aditi are into paper-crafting, layouts, journaling, album making and scrapbooking. Their style of arts and crafts is a fusion of techniques and use of vibrant colors as they keep learning and try to incorporate variety into their creation.

They aim to spread joy. Documenting memories, especially through scrapbooking, album making. and paper crafting makes them happy.



Sunila & Aditi's artwork:





Jill McDowell is a college administrator whose creativity was reawakened in 2015. 

 Since then she’s developed a passion for learning, exploring different art genres, experimenting with new techniques, and transforming what she’s learned into her own style. Most evenings and weekends you’ll find her stowed away in her studio creating mixed media projects and playing in her art journal.  

 Jill lives in Connecticut with her husband, Jim, and their two lovable mutts, Tobiwan Kenobi and Penny Lane. 

Jill's artwork:


Claudia Neubacher lives in Vienna, Austria with her husband, their son, and their much-loved dog girlie, Bluna. She was an art teacher before she became a stay at home mom. Now, she happily paints and crafts away in her studio. 

Claudia has been creating ever since she could first hold a pencil. "Plumps" were the first creatures that filled her drawing sheets and gave me that wonderful feeling of being an almighty "creator." 

She says, "They were nothing more than clumsily drawn circles with added strokes all around that resembled their legs, but to me, they were the first creations that I had breathed life into. And that made me proud and very happy. I still have moments when I feel like that today...they are more seldom, of course...and therefore even more precious to me. Isn't this what being creative really is all about?" 



Claudia's artwork:

We are happy and lucky these wonderful artists are part of the StencilGirl Team and thanks to YOU for loving stencils like we love stencils! It's going to be a fabulous year!
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