Making Masks using Silhouette-style Stencils

Let's start with two photos that hint where I'm going with today's post....

Above:  My 9" x 12" stencil Buds L334 is a silhouette-style stencil.  To make a mask from it, I start with a mindset that I'll trace the contours of its openings with a pencil. But when I start to cut (using fine-detail scissors), I will ignore the bridge lines that, holding together, hold together the designs of the original stencil. Since I will be making a mask, these lines won't be needed anymore.

Quick backstory -- 

I've had the pleasure of designing a number of stencils for StencilGirlProducts.com; and for some of those stencils, I have designed masks that are direct inversions/opposites of those original stencils.  

The terms "mask" and "stencil" are often used interchangeably -- and this can understandably cause confusion.  

For both of these art-making tools, what shows as black indicates open areas where paint (or pastels) will pass thru openings in the sheet of Mylar. What appears as white will be areas on the Mylar sheet that will prevent application of paint (or pastels.)  

But a picture speaks a thousand words.  So, to better show what I mean by "mask" versus "stencil" ... here's a 2-part example:

Above:  Dangled Pods L490 -- an example of a STENCIL

Above:  Tangled Pods L344 -- an example of a MASK

However!  You can make your own masks using silhouette-style stencils.  And that's what this post is all about.

Below:  Having used masking tape to secure two of my 6" x 6" silhouette-style stencils to black sturdy cardstock, I reached for permanent markers (but upon realizing my mistake, I soon traded those for a white pencil.)

 6"x 6" Heron s175 and 6"x 6" Cats s183 stencils. 

I used a white pencil to trace around the shapes that I wanted to cut out to be used as masks.

With fine-detail scissors, I've cut out the brand-new masks..  



The brand-new mask has been used with spray paint to make the print shown in the next photo.



On the above left rests the newly made mask the mask, now lifted off the paper.  On the right, the print that's been made.

Just to take today's illustration one step further, I've secured the original stencil to the print made with the newly created mask.  I placed it off-register so as to end with the double image below....



Coming up:  another example of a mask that I've made from heavy cardstock.

But this time I've combined two stencils of the same design --  

 my 9" x 12" Thistle L594 and my 6" x 6" Small Thistles s583.  I used the 9" x 12" size for tracing one of the thistle stems.  And, with the 6" x 6" size, I chose one of the flowers for tracing its contours.

9" x 12" Thistle L594

6" x 6" Small Thistles s583

I combined those two sizes because I wanted a flower large enough to dominate its area on a collage that I'm developing....

This time around, I used the newly made mask itself as a collage element.  Before gluing it to its crazy-quilt background, I covered its pencil tracings in several successive layers of opaque white acrylic paint.  

On this collage, the white-painted mask is in buddy-buddy position with a paint-stained mask that I've used as another element in this assemblage.  That paint-stained mask is my 6" x 6" Silhouette of a Wildflower Bouquet s236. (Its stains were created with Brusho pigment watercolors.) 

Thanks for checking out my blog today! To scroll thru the pages of my stencils and masks at StencilGirlProducts.com, please start here.

Bling to the Rescue

What can you do with an acrylic spatter brush? Instead of hair or synthetic hair-like bristles, this brush holds a cluster of stiff "sticks" of solid acrylic.  

Well, have you ever found yourself a little too heavy-handed when applying acylic paint through a stencil or mask -- leaving some "run-under" blobs?  They could be just the ticket when you want a "painterly look," but what if you were after crisp edges, and feel disappointed when that didn't happen?

Or what if you liked your results but something whispered in your ear that adding some extra zing would ramp up a festive look?

Sometimes a little careful "doctoring" can bring back crisp edges.  I've done some "doctoring" at times.  But it's more my style to cover errant, willful blobs.

And I sometimes find myself with a "ho-hum" print.  To go beyond that, I want to add bling.

Altho difficult to photograph, metallic acrylic paints introduce bling -- especially when paired with an acrylic spatter brush.

Above:  This brand of metallic acrylic paint is pricey.  Metallic acrylic paints are also available in more budget-friendly craft paints.  For spattering and related effects, craft paints suffice.

Above:  The tip of a spatter brush is shown here, lying next to its paint supply that rests on white palette paper.

This kind of brush lets me create a spattered look very fast, compared with the other approaches to spattering.  Besides its speed, it provides me with more control and more variety.  

Holding the paint-loaded brush at an angle, I can thump it lightly against paper to get streaks --

If I hold the brush vertically, I can create a look of spatter as shown on the green-yellow paper below....

On the black paper above:  The technique of "dry brushing" on a textured surface is very easy and quick with a spatter brush.  One swipe and I'm done.

Above: I made this print using 6" x 6" Ginkgo Stencil S076 with copper metallic acrylic paint.  I "doctored" the lines of the ginkgo stems with a copper metallic inked Sharpie pen.  Afterward, I wanted more bling, so ...

 

While working with copper metallic acrylic paint on back paper, I made another print, this time using 9" x 12" Longwood Florals Mask L675....

I decided against using the spatter brush on this print.  Or at least, I haven't used it so far!

Thanks for checking out my blog today! To scroll thru the pages of my stencils and masks at StencilGirlProducts.com, please start here.