Friday, August 16, 2013

Stencils - Removing WC paint with Baby Wipes




Hey all!

I've got another stencil technique I have been playing with.  I had these Elmer's Art Crayon Sticks since I think Nolan was in Pre-school ( not doing math today - but that was forever ago ).

They work like gelatos; they are waxy,  a lipstick consistency, very blend-able, and they are water soluble.   I have no idea where you can find them to buy.  But if you have gelatos, gel sticks, or watercolor crayons, even cheap watercolors, you will get near the same effect.  See my notes below after the VIDEO :)



For the video,  I used smooth white cardstock and a stencil I digitally cut onto transparency film.  
CUTFILE:  Doily Mandala 2


For the card above, I used Ornate Butterfly Digi that I watercoloured, glittered and added gems.  Background is a Darice embossing folder.

Here are the 2 panels I made using above technique.


Things I noticed while I was playing:

- I also tried the technique with  watercolor crayons and Koi watercolors.... all work.
- Cardstock works OK.  A clay coated cardstock works better.  Watercolor paper also gives a nice effect.  Another option that I didn't try but would work is a gessoed surface.
-make sure your paint surface is dry to the touch before securing your stencil.
-use a clean part of the baby wipe each time you start on a different color of paint or you get a "halo" of the previous color on the next area.


Left - watercolor paper/crayon sticks, Middle- Koi watercolors on clay coated "stamping paper", Right-Neocolor II's on super cheapo cardstock.

In my opinion the clay coated paper and gelato-like crayon sticks "rocked":


Have a great weekend!
:)* Fred




Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Stencil Rubbings

Hey all!

That fun thing you did as a youngster with a yummy smelling pack of Crayolas and paper, where you would put coins or leaves or that weathered picnic table top in the back yard under you paper and then rub over top with  crayons?  You can be all grown up and arty farty and do it with stencils!  I have been having fun making backgrounds :)

Used crayons, white prisma pencil, Four Point Star Stencil, Doodled Floral 1, Darice embossing Folders, gold cardstock, deckle scissors, and spellbinders die.



I love the dreamy smeary look.


VIDEO TIME....




Used, Whirlpool Splash Stencil cut on transparency film, and Happy Flowers Rainbow Collection flower sheets.  Eventually, I will add a sentiment in the empty space.

Here is a close up of a stencil rubbing blended with a light coloured prisma pencil.


Have a great day!
:)*  Fred

Monday, August 12, 2013

New Doodled Floral, Stencils & a TUT

Hey all! This summer is cruising by... eek!  How have you all been? :)

 I added some new files... they are at the bottom of the post.

OK I am going to say it, I am LOVING stencils, I love drawing them, and I love tweaking and experimenting with them. Modeling paste?... oh my goodness!  I love that I can use the Cutting File Stencils in different ways and even as a printable digi image ( I have more ideas and inspiration later this week :)  ).  I noticed that there must be others that like them too as I did some math... I have had 2358 downloads of the Free Stencils  as of today .... sales on the 5 latest cutting file stencils?  .... not so much... really bad $29 ( bad enough to seriously rethink this stencil making love of mine. I have to put food on the table, you know?)  Now I admit, I am mostly to blame as I have all these ideas, and I haven't shown you any of  them!  Maybe you just don't "get" what fun they are ;) So let's try to change that now LOL!

So here is something you can do with Cutting File Stencils that you CAN'T DO with bought pre-made stencils :) ( This one needs a Digital Cutting Machine)

I made 2 card fronts with one cut of the Circles Stencil.

I did a gradient wash onto an A2 card stock panel with watercolour crayons and a waterbrush. ( a red, orange and a yellow Neocolor II )


Make sure the panel is SUPER DRY before proceeding.  I used Make the Cut! software with my digital cutting machine and visual lined up/eyeballed my A2 panel on my cutting mat in the middle of the square Circles Stencil that I saw on the mat "on screen"  and added some junk card stock on each side my panel so my blade wouldn't hit bare mat.  Then I cut.  I peeled away the panel.  Leaving the negative bits on the mat... that is important.

I secured another white A2 card stock together with the cut panel with painters tape top and bottom so the panel wouldn't slip.  Now all you do is glue down each leftover piece off the mat into the holes in the panel.  I used a UHU stick for my glue.  NOTE: Take each negative circle off the mat ONE AT A TIME ...much easier to figure out where they go that way ;)

I made these 2 cards...


I embossed the cardstock underneath the watercolored stencil cut panel... looks so cool!

The image used for both cards is the new Doodled Floral 1.  The product includes the outline DIGI and 2 pre-coloured images :) 

I also added a new digital cutting file stencil set:  Four Point Star Pattern Stencils




MTC/Silhouette Studio/SVG/GSD/DXF/V-PDF/PNG
The 3 above stencils are included in the set.
.... I'll show you what I did with this stencil set tomorrow :)
And for the digital stamp lovers out there.  I am putting my stencil happy love on hold and have some new images in the works.  ... gotta put the nose to the computer screen and get 'er done!
Have a great day!
:)*  Fred