Released Today! Rex Reed-Inspired Art-Making Tools

I've discovered Mid-Century Modern art (a title that I've seen sometimes capitalized and sometimes not) and I love it!

Rex Reed's color-loaded collages are out of this world!  I wanted to create simplified, black-and-white masks that show the flavor of Rex Ray’s art, without copying any of it.  

That was a challenge!  Stripped of color, the designs by themselves sagged.  It was those colors that gave them life.  

But because of my love for his work, I accepted the challenge, and today's 2 new releases are the result.

I wonder what Rex would say if he could see my 2 newly designed masks?! --

Above left: 

Champagne s960 (6” x 6”) Above right: Carnival m340 (4” x 4”) 

 

 

Champagne s960 (6” x 6”) is the title that popped – like a cork??? -- into my head as I designed the image at the top of today's post.  Its creation was influenced by the whimsy and energy of mid-century modern artists, Rex Ray in particular.

Carnival m340 (4” x 4”) is a design that makes me happy.  It’s an image influenced by the playful and fanciful mid-century modern art, especially that of Rex Ray.

Below:  Today's featured project, made with my brand-new 6" x 6" mask Champagne s960-- 

  

My 6" x 6" mask Champagne s960 got its name after the designing was done.  Before that, I had buried myself in a book of Rex Ray collages.  His art sparked my imagination.  That man was a genius!

The above photo shows the true colors of this art sample of mine -- but without its shine, since my camera can't capture the whole effect of gleaming metallic acrylic paints.  And this piece is three-dimensional, altho the above photo appears to flatten it.

Below:  The first step I took was to get out sturdy black matboard, a spreading tool, a jar of light modeling paste, and my paint-stained 6" x 6" mask Champagne s960 ....

Note 1:  A flexible dollar-store spatula is shown above, but I later changed to a different spreading tool since this project called for a tool more rigid.  Note 2:  The background needs to be sturdy and for me this matboard was perfect since it was both sturdy and black (that color was needed for the metallic paints to appear at their best, in contrast to black.)

Above:  I've used a plastic artist's spatula to spread light modeling paste across the entire mask.  I tried to create an even layer, but ended up with an uneven layer that proved harder to paint.

I carefully lifted off the mask and immediately placed it into a basin of water to prevent the modeling paste from hardening.  If it were to harden, some of the mask's openings would be altered in shape or entirely blocked.  (Scraping off hardened modeling paste would probably require using a knife; that could possibly warp or bend the mask, despite its being made from sturdy Mylar.)

Above:  While the modeling paste was still wet, I used pointed cotton swabs to clean up a few areas of stray modeling paste.

Below:  After the modeling paste had thoroughly dried, I started applying metallic acrylic paint....

.... and the photo below has zeroed in on the two small brushes I used, along with the pointed cotton swabs that continued to be helpful when paint strayed beyond the areas where I wanted it.

Note:  The metallic acrylic paint is resting on my tablet of pallet paper.

Above:  After I'd covered all areas of the modeling paste with gold and blue metallic acrylic paints, I allowed for drying time, then cut out the finished piece. 

The result is a sturdy piece of art that could become the cover for an art journal, but I decided to mount it onto the front of a greeting card (which was cut from sturdy cardstock -- not the flimsy cardstock that bends easily.)

Because of its three-dimensional thickness, this card won't be mailed. It'll be handed over in person.

The bright colors that I chose for today's art sample are "cousins" to what are called "MCM" colors -- in the 1950's, Mid-Century Modern art was often done in gold, aqua and mixtures of the two colors.  These two colors were often blended, creating hues that were muted with tints of gray.  Rather than mute my colors for today's art, I used the pure colors, without mixing them.  (Because aqua and gold are near-opposites on the color wheel, mixing them creates shades that are grayed down; they are muted colors, rather than bright.)

Above:  The colors labeled "orange" and "blue-green" are nearly opposite one another on the color wheel.  "Orange" in this case is gold and "blue-green" is of course aqua.

Thanks for joining me today as I introduce my newest designs at StencilGirlProducts.com!  To scroll thru the pages of my masks and stencils, please start here.

Daily posts will continue here, for a week or so, as I trot out the ways I have been using these just-released art-making tools.  I hope the art-making experiments will inspire you as much as the book of Rex Ray collages inspired me!

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Tomorrow's the Day...

 Tomorrow, StencilGirlProducts.com will release two brand-new masks I've designed -- Champagne s960 (6" x 6") and Carnival m340 (4" x 4") -- both inspired by the wildly exciting artist Rex Ray, one of the artists associated with the art movement called Mid-Century Modern.  The best-known examples of this art style are represented by architecture and furniture. However, Mid-Century Modern art was also used for record album covers (Rex Reed did a number of those) as well as posters, book jackets and other forms of paper arts.

For a week or so, starting tomorrow, I'll post here daily to trot out techniques I've worked with in making art samples using these two new releases.  Step-by-step photos and directions will accompany most of the techniques; a few of the techniques will be self-explanatory. All have the same goal; they're basic ideas designed to excite imaginations for playing with these masks in ways that I have never even thought of.

Two of my art samples are --

Printed with Champagne s960 (6" x 6")

 

Printed with Carnival m340 (4" x 4") (Do you see the background heart?)

Tomorrow will bring the launch!

Coming on June 13...

 June 13 launches my two newest masks, 4" x 4" Carnival m340 and 6" x 6" Champagne s960, at StencilGirlProducts.com.

These designs spring from my recent discovery of midcentury modern art, especially that of Rex Ray, best known for his colorful collages.

June 13 and for more than a week afterward, I'll provide daily posts showing ways I've used these new masks.  I'll include step-by-step instructions, with photos, to walk readers thru each of the multi-step techniques.

Here are a couple of those upcoming art samples; they're results of projects that I had fun with....

Above: a 3-dimensional art sample created using 6" x 6" Champagne s960.

Below:  An art sample made with 4" x 4" Carnival m340 after I had scissor-customized it, removing only the top of the mask....

Looking forward to sharing my ideas here!  It all starts June 13.

One Week from Today...

 Two of my brand-new masks will be released one week from today -- June 13 -- at StencilGirlProducts.com.

Both were inspired by the collages of Rex Reed, an artist of the  artworld era that's labeled as the introduction of Mid-Century Modern.  Altho many associate this label with furniture and architecture, Mid-Century Modern art was also used for record album covers (Rex Reed did a number of those) as well as posters, book jackets and other forms of paper arts.

Above:    6" x 6" mask CHAMPAGNE s960

Above:  4" x 4" mask CARNIVAL m340

For a week or so I'll make daily posts starting June 13, giving step-by-step photos and corresponding directions for a number of art projects I've explored while using these new masks.  As always, I hope that the techniques to be presented here will stir up in readers new ideas that branch off -- and improve upon -- the ones that I come up with.

made with 6" x 6" mask CHAMPAGNE s960

Far right image above was printed with 4" x 4" mask CARNIVAL m340

In the upper left of the art sample above, I've also used Hot Air Balloon m185.  Altho Rex Ray's beautiful collages are my inspiration, I have come to see Carnival m340 as an image from a festive event, the kind of event that would include hot air balloons!

I look forward to June 13, to begin sharing my ideas on using these two new masks!

A Leap from Simplicity to Complexity

Artist Claudia Holland has an eye for color combinations!  I need to look at her art more often, for this very reason.  (Artists do well to develop a habit of regularly looking at others' art and asking themselves "What makes this work?")  Today's post starts with a new print that Claudia has made using 9" x 12" Twinship L268.....

Here is Claudia's print --

Above:  Notice the way Claudia has placed the warm color of brown in key areas that beautifully accent the areas of cool blue and aqua.   Beauty happens when you choose colors across the color wheel, or nearly across the color wheel, from each other; these are complementary colors, or near-complementary.  

 

Now I'll shift gears to trot out a recent collage of mine that uses paint-stained masks as collage elements --

Here's the same collage without any labeling --

I like to think that pieces of paint-stained stencils or masks  lend a unique look to collages.

And something needs to provide that unique look, because despite my ongoing efforts, I find myself continuing to build cruciform compositions.  Other compositions continue to appear awkward in my eyes.  Maybe that's only because they're different.  

As my favorite TV show tells us,  "Get used to different!"

Thanks for stopping by today!  To scroll thru my pages of stencils and masks at StencilGirlProducts.com, please start here.

Kelp-Inspired Masks in a Variety of Roles

 How to finish my daily posts about my kelp-inspired masks?  With what used to be called a "variety show."  (Do those exist any longer?)

Above:  This multi-layered print was made using "liberated" pieces of 9" x 12" L963 Kelp Forest. (The "liberated" pieces had been cut free from the original rectangular frame.)  The background had been watercolor paper coated with blue and orange acrylics. In adding top layers with sponges, I used acrylics in zinc white (lower far left), Titanium White (upper far right), and yellow faintly tinted with orange (across the central area.) 

Above:  A paper towel used for cleaning 6" x 6" s955 Bulbs and Banners; good enough for a future collage???

Above:  Foreign newsprint had first been painted with 9" x 12" Fantasia L450 (the heavy black lines); next, with 9" x 12" Tangled Pods L344 (white and green); and a top layer had been added with L963 Kelp Forest using pale, translucent green acrylic paint. 

Above:  A painting with orange dot collage elements.  Printed at the top using 6" x 6" s955 Bulbs and Banners and at the bottom using 4" x 4" m339 Seabed Greens.  Both masks have been cut free from their outer square frames.

Above:  At the top rests the mask itself of 6" x 6" s955 Bulbs and Banners and at the bottom rests 4" x 4" m339 Seabed Greens, likewise the mask itself.  Both masks have been cut free from their outer square frames, and both are stained with white and yellow paints.  The background is watercolor paper splashed with assorted acrylic paints. This is a work in progress with the idea of adding the two faintly stained masks as collage elements.

Above:  This started with a print made using 9" x 12" Winter Berries L678 with red acrylic paint.  Over that, with pale purple translucent acrylic paint, I made a print using L963 Kelp Forest. The background is gold foil giftwrap.

9" x 12" Fantasia L450 

9" x 12" Winter Berries L678 

9" x 12" Tangled Pods L344

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

6" x 6" Bulbs and Banners s955

 My new 6" x 6" kelp-inspired mask, Bulbs and Banners s955, served as my art-making tool of choice when I used it to make similar prints to be cut into interesting shapes for collage.  In most of today's art samples, this mask has been cut free from its original square frame.

Background papers make for variety.  Today's background papers range from old picture calendars to previous prints with stencils or masks.  Most of today's samples were created with a sponge brayer loaded with high-viscosity (heavy body) acrylic paints.  One exception:  Today's topmost art sample was made on a sheet of stained Yupo, using Brusho watercolor crystals and Golden High Flow Acrylics.

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

Similar Yet Different

 Making a series of prints with stencils and masks is always fun, especially for those who like to use Gelli Plates.  I feel the same way about the prints I make using a sponge brayer loaded with heavy-body acrylic paint.

To my eye, multiple prints that are similar would be mostly pointless by themselves, if it weren't for my next step (not yet shown here) -- whacking away with scissors, creating interesting shapes to be used in collage someday.

Below are some multiple, similar prints that are waiting for the scissors.  Altho similar to one another -- since all were made with 9" x 12" Kelp Forest L963 -- each of them leans toward individuality because I have varied the  backgrounds.

My next post, tomorrow, will continue this theme, but with another of my three new kelp-inspired masks.  To scroll thru the pages of my stencils and masks at StencilGirlProducts.com, please start here.