Creating More Stenciled Grungy Papers!

Hello Friends! Nicole back with another grungy paper tutorial, this one a bit bittersweet.

After three incredible years with the Creative Team, this is my final post. It has been a true honor to do what I love for StencilGirl®! I have met so many of YOU creatives who also love stencils, and there is nothing better than inspiring you to create and use those stencils!

This is not a forever goodbye. I'm looking forward to focussing my time on designing more stencils for StencilGirl® and sharing my creations, as always, over on Instagram and my YouTube channel. And, you never know when I might make a surprise appearance here! 

With that, I wanted to leave you with one more grungy paper tutorial! I gathered a handful of 9x12 stencils that I haven't had a chance to play with along with my favorite Payne's gray and just played.

And, oh how I needed to play!

To begin, I always lightly gesso my papers. This helps add some integrity to older papers and allows the paint and water to move more easily on the page.

The process is quick, and it doesn't matter if entire page is perfectly covered. My process varies each time, but this session I was using up some gesso that I had turned over like ketchup to get the last bits out! I sprayed my papers with water and added gesso with my brush.

 

I’m using papers from an old ledger, but any papers will work! Old book pages are fun, too. Just make sure they aren't too thin and brittle. Ledgers aren’t always easy to find, so if you want to add that fun handwriting layer, you could always stamp or scribble all over paper before stenciling.

Creating the Papers 

Once all the gessoed pages were dry, I started making my papers. The general process is the same each time, but I find that often I get a little more creative and adventurous as the playtime goes on. Oftentimes, I don't want to stop!

I simply use an applicator with paint through the stencil. Then, I add water + watered down paint and scruff up the stenciled image to distress it. 

One thing I always keep in mind, is that I'm creating moments. It's not important to me that the entire paper is a work of art! I like to have variations on each page that I can use in different ways as needed for collage, backgrounds, journals, and more.

My first couple papers were simple, and then I changed it up a bit.

Urban Rhythm Matrix

After adding the Payne's gray through the stencil, I traced around all the circle shapes with my stabilo all in graphite and black and then activated it with water. I put the paper aside and moved on, but when I was flipping through the papers at the end, I thought it needed something else. So, I added a bunch of walnut ink. 

Here's what it looked like before the walnut ink:

Fade Horizontal Stencil

For this one, I tried to create an ombre effect, keeping the paint darker to the left and fading it to the right. When I was done stenciling, I added quite a bit of watered down paint to the left side and tilted the paper for drips.

Single Cross Mini

Sometimes, I like to play with the stencil more than one way. For the first one I stenciled here and there with Payne's gray and then added raw umber to fill in the gaps. On the second paper, I used mostly raw umber and watered down Payne's gray for contrast.

Shape Collection

My ledger papers are just a little more narrow than the stencils, which really isn't a problem most of the time. However, for this fun stencil with all the different shapes, it cut some of them off. I didn't let that bother me! Any image, even if partially stenciled, can find its way into collage!

I stenciled the first paper "as is" through the stencil. I used both Payne's gray and raw umber.

For the second one, I repeated some of my favorite shapes. In doing this, I fell in love with the image (and how I distressed it) of the 3 leaf-like shapes cut out from the rectangles. So, I played with that image on its own. I cannot wait to play with this more and add it to future artwork. Such a great discovery through my playtime!

If you've never played with Payne's gray + raw umber, I highly recommend you do! They create the most wonderful charcoal-black color when they mingle together.

Boro on Steroids I

Since this stencil has so many wonderful images, I decided to play with each one separately. In sticking with my purpose of playing with stencils I had not yet, I didn't use the chevron part as I had used that one previously on a journal page.

For the jelly-bean like shapes, I originally only stenciled them in Payne's gray on one side with the intention of using raw umber on the other...but then I ended up just layering both for more interest! 

After the circle shapes were dry, I traced around them loosing with the stabilo all in graphite.

I just used Payne's gray in the cross-like shapes and added watered-down raw umber with it. I liked stenciling it in two different directions for completely different looks.

Soulful Scribbles Dots Dash

At this point, my water and sponges were getting a bit dingy, so I changed out the water and sponges to start fresh. I often change them out a couple times during my play sessions.

Since this stencil is so detailed, I kept the grungy play pretty simple, except instead of raw umber, I added walnut ink.

I cleaned off some of the extra puddles with a blank ledger sheet that I used for the next stencil.

Stitch ATC

For my final stencil, I played much like I did with the other patterned stencils above. I enjoyed making larger patterns with a couple of my favorites.

I also used walnut ink on this one, which creates a similar charcoal-black color like the raw umber when mingled with the Payne's gray.

Phew! That was a lot of amazing playtime, and I did not want to stop! I had so much fun making these papers and discovering amazing shapes and patterns in these stencils.

You can watch the grungy paper play in action in the video below:

Links to my other grungy paper/technique tutorials:

• Waking up Creativity with Stenciled Papers
• Simple Fall Inspired Cards
• Creative Play and Collage with Stencils
• More Grungy Stenciled Papers
• Creative Play in a Folded Journal
• Creating Grungy Backgrounds with Stencils: a Stencil School Video featuring me

Thank You!

As I close out this blog and season, I just wanted to take a quick moment to thank you for all your kindness. I also want to thank the team at StencilGirl® for this amazing opportunity. It has been such a fun few years playing with these stencils.

I hope you create some grungy papers soon!

-Nicole

Connect with me on

• Instagram
• YouTube
• My website

Stencils

Urban Rhythm Matrix

Fade Horizontal Stencil

Single Cross Mini

Shape Collection

Boro on Steroids I

Soulful Scribbles Dots Dash

Stitch ATC

Supplies:

• Gesso
• Vintage book and ledger papers, ephemera
• Matte medium
• Acrylic Paint (I used Golden SoFlat Payne's gray & raw umber)
• Round applicator
• Walnut Ink
• Stabilo all in graphite & black

Creative Playtime in a One-Page Folded Journal

Hello stencil friends! Nicole here with an invitation to join me and make a one-page folded journal. Then, use it for creative play with your stencils. It's the perfect way to spend a few hours getting lost in paint, splatters, drips, and layers.

front and back cover

 

I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I've not been very creative lately. The last couple of months were filled with vacation, several holidays and a cold that just would not end. With everything going on, my “just because” creative time was pretty much non-existent which matched my energy, too.

 

This of course, left me with no idea of what to create but at the same time overwhelmed with ideas. 

page 2 & 3

 

If you’re like me, you probably have a list somewhere, or in my case many lists in many places, of ideas and things you want to try. One idea on my list is playing with the one-page folded journal. I’ve seen it here and there, but never tried it myself.

I love the concept of this journal because no stitching or glue are needed.

page 4 & 5

Most of the one-sheet journals that I’ve seen use plain copy paper. However, I knew I wanted a bigger and stronger surface. So, after looking at several tutorials of how to fold the paper, I set out on my own to try it.

page 6 & 7

Making the Journal

For my journal, I used a piece of watercolor paper that measured 12x18 inches and gessoed both sides. I had no idea if this was going to work! I opted to gesso both sides to add integrity to the paper, even though both sides aren’t created on. With all the water and drips and mess, I thought it would be best to add that layer of protection!

 

Then, it was time to make the journal. A step-by-step with photos is below, however you can also watch the folds in action in the video tutorial.

Step one: Fold the paper in half on the long side

Step two: Open and fold the paper in half on the short side

Step three: Fold each end up to meet the middle. 

This creates a W or M with the paper.

Step four: Cut the center of the M/W shape starting at the centerfold until you get to the next fold line

Step five: Squish this center back together and fold the flaps down in the opposite directions.

Step six: Fold the center again to create the book! 

I used a bone folder to help crisp up my folds.

When finished, there are several pages that have pockets. You can choose to tape them together, or keep the openings for places to tuck things into. I taped most of mine and left 2 openings. Use a strong tape, like the acid-free masking tape I'm using.

Then, either use matte medium or gesso to ensure the tape stays put.

Voila! You made a journal! Congrats!

Now coms the fun part.

Creative Play with Stencils

I grabbed my bin of all the bits of papers that I can't throw away. They are just too good to end up in the trash can, and are perfect for this small journal! I stuck them down randomly on all the pages. 

I didn't really think about where this was going to go, as my intention is pure play and creative time.

All these random bits now need to come together, so I used gesso to embed them into my journal pages and add back in some white space.

Once the gesso dried, it was time to add stencils! Each time I stenciled, I made it my own by adding drips, splatters, or removing some of the paint in a process I call "scruffing up" the stencil. You can watch me do this in the YouTube video. However, here's a walk through of all the stencils I used in the order I created with them.

I had no plan in place. I simply let the stencils lead the way! I chose a variety of stencil types from industrial to floral to marks and patterns plus a few faces, too!

Ruins with Payne's gray on page 7

Night Sky with Payne's gray on page 3 (plus I traced around the stenciled areas with the stabilo-all pencils)

Nosegay with burnt umber and some Payne's gray on page 5

Tri-Textured Sheet Metal with titan green pale on page 2

Abstract Marks with transparent black spray paint on page 6

Added more Nosegay with burnt umber on page 4

Nosegay with burnt umber on page 1 + some dirty paint water (front & back cover)

Create Face with Payne's gray on page 4

Tri-Textured Sheet Metal with titan green pale on page 1 (I used the baby wipe technique here)

Abstract Marks (just the rectangle like shapes) with transparent black spray paint on page 1, and I traced around the shapes with the stabilo all.

I stamped the excess off on page 8

Ruins with Payne's gray on page 8 (back cover)

Romance Face with Payne's gray on page 8 (back cover)

123 with Payne's gray on page 1 (front cover)

Alpha Drips with Payne's gray on page 1 (front cover)

Nosegay with burnt umber on page 8

Laugh Face with Payne's gray on page 2

Final Touches 

To finish the journal, I added a couple photos, some additional ephemera bits and a phrase on the front cover. I even tucked a couple surprises into the pockets that I didn't seal with the masking tape and closed those up with a mini stapler. 

My final step was to finish the journal off with some Dorland's wax medium. This will add a wonderful finish (it's not waxy at all!) and ensure that the pages do not stick together.

Lessons Learned

Phew! I had so much fun not only making this small journal, but creating inside it! This was the perfect exercise to wake up my creativity, and now I can't wait to make some more of these journals. 

I loved letting the stencils take me places on each page with no plan in place.

The larger watercolor paper and gesso worked great. However, when I do this again, I think I will also enforce the page centers with some tape. In the end, a small part of one of my pages started to rip. It's very minor and most likely won't continue. But, I'd recommend maybe adding some tape to the page creases.

Watch how the journal came together in the video below. (Warning, it's a bit long, because I was having so much fun!)

I hope this inspires and encourages you to not only try making a one-page journal, but also to simply create and allow the stencils to lead the way!

If you make one, I'd love to see it!

-Nicole

Connect with me on

• Instagram
• YouTube
• My website

Stencils

123 

Abstract Marks 

Alpha Drips

Create Face 

Laugh Face

Night Sky

Nosegay 

Romance Face

Ruins

Tri-Textured Sheet Metal

Supplies:

• Gesso
• Vintage book and ledger papers, ephemera, old photos
• Matte medium
• Acrylic Paint (I used Golden SoFlat Payne's gray, burnt umber, titan green pale + titan green pale in the heavy body)
• Scissors
• Round applicator
• 12x18 piece of watercolor paper
• Liquitex transparent black spray paint
• Tape (I used acid-free masking tape)
• Bone folder
• Dorland's Wax Medium
• Stabilo-all (black & graphite)
• Mini-stapler