Blog: Stencil

Thoughts on Paper – Art Journal

After watching Tina Walker’s Creative JumpStart Video I was inspired to pull out my PanPastels. Her video wasn’t about using PanPastels but she had used them in a little part of her video and that made me pay extra attention. I used to use them all the time and also teach with them and then somehow I really neglected those little pans full of pigment joy! So it was time to dust the pans off and get them out.

I had covered up some of the background with black gesso which I had stamped with my Versailles Positive & Negative Foam Stamp Set and my Van Vorst Positive and Negative Foam Stamp Set.

I used gold and bronze PanPastel over black gesso using my Versailles Stencil. I always love how black gesso makes the pastels really pop.

I also stamped with the white side of RubberMoon’s new awesome Moonlight Duo Ink Pads. Each ink pad has a white pad next to the initial color for creating tints and I just love the white by itself. It dries permanent – yeahhhh!!! I used my Embroidery Stamp Rubber Stamp set. This page was really more a bit of a play but I had fun and I put some thoughts down as well – and it served a couple of really good purposes:

  • I pulled out my PanPastels again and I realized I need to use them more again!
  • I tried the white ink pad side of my RubberMoon ink pads and know this will be a staple in my mixed media art
  • I actually did something creative on a day which was filled with computer work and non creative to-do’s and that prevented grumpiness
  • I once more realized that I do not like the look of light green and metallic color next to each other – yeah – sometimes even that is a thing to discover- LOL

I hope you are part of Creative JumpStart as well – it is such a great and supporting community and looking at everyone’s project based on the daily videos is another wonderful source of inspiration. If you haven’t joined yet- you can still do it – sign up for Creative JumpStart 2018 !

Here are some of the supplies I used for this spread:


Comments (7)

  • florenceturnour

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    Lol hairspray. Does it smell perfumed? I guess workable fixative doesn’t smell all that nice. I love that you are writing white on black. I’m going to have to give that a try too!

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      LOL- all I head. Fixative is actually smelling worse and most you have to apply. That wasn’t an option with the cold here anyway- LOL

      Reply

  • cathsheard

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    Oooh, those metallic PanPastels – wow! They look fab….

    Reply

  • Catherine

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    Nathalie, I really like these journal pages! I love using Pan Pastels, but never quite know how to affix them to the page! Did you use anything so they won’t rub off? Thanks!

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      thank you Catherine. yes they def. need to be fixative either with a fixative or in this case just with hairspray.. hairspray might change the color but i can live with this in my art journal

      Reply

      • Catherine

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        Thanks, Nathalie! I think that would be the easiest! Will try it!

        Reply

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She wished she could go back ….

“She wished she could go back to her younger self and tell her “It’s ok, to be weird, you’ll be fine” ”

This was a demo page from a class and I blocked in some color here and there and stamped with my new Exchange Place ArtFoamies Stamp. I added some stenciling with translucent acrylic paints using my Versailles Stencils – love how this turned out. I added some stamping with my Embroidery stamps to add some more even mark making using different colors of Archival Ink Pads- love those.

I painted the lady with acrylic paints neopastels and used some of the neopastels also here and there on the spread and scratched some writing into it.

I like how the lines of the Exchange Place Stamp and the floral Versailles Stencil work together.

Here are the supplies I used:


Hope you enjoy this page- have a wonderful day!

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November 2017 StencilClub Designer

This exclusive Fragmented Set of three Stencils which I designed inspired by some of my Fragmented paintings I did in the past, is the content of November’s StencilClub. Check what I am telling about them and what exactly inspired me in this video

You can get this set only as a member of StencilClub – and the set comes with access to an exclusive tutorial video and pdf on what I created with those stencils. Here is a little sneak :)

Hope you like them- I am excited about them and can’t wait to see what you do with them. Hope you will share!

Comments (3)

  • Sue Clarke

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    I just love this set of stencils. You’ve undone yourself Nat!

    Reply

  • JoAnn Campisi

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    Because of your beautiful stencils I just signed up for Stencil Girl Club. I am very excited!

    Reply

  • Denise Spillane

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    Hi, I love these. Can’t wait to play. Your video was cool and I loved your older paintings too.

    Reply

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Chase Your Stars Fool!

“Chase your stars fool, life is short” – I toned down this very bright red, orange and yellow acrylicpaint-ed background with some gesso and added some stenciling in yellow on top using my Batik Stencil.

I stamped with my new Circle Drive ArtFoamie Stamp and black acrylic paint and added some stars with black archival ink using my Star Tag Cling Rubber Stamp.

I adhered a magazine image and painted over it with acrylic paints and Neopastels. I love how soft those Neopastels are and how beautifully they can be blended.

Here is a supply list with most of the materials I used to create this page:


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Game Changer- Art Journal

She remembered who she was and the game changed.

I spray painted the background in red, then spray painted orange on top and while the orange was still wet I laid down my Beacon Stencil and then lifted it right up. Love the texture and bright color.

I cut out some painted deli paper and made some marks and  circles in blue and green colors and then added the journaling.

It was a quick and easy page to make but I do love the outcome a lot.

Here are some of the supplies I used:



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Live Like It’s Spring – Marsha Valk

  

Hello from the Creative Squad! Today Marsha Valk is officially ushering in spring with a collection of gorgeous collages using a whole bunch of my stencils and the monthly theme Live Like it’s Spring – Springtime is when Mother Nature kicks it into high gear. It’s the time to wake up and approach life with renewed energy.  Let’s join Mother Nature in this reawakening and create some things in the Spirit of Spring!


When it’s Spring again I’ll bring again… Tulips from Amsterdam! They’re actually from my craft room about 50 km east of Amsterdam… but that’s near enough I think ;-).

I started with mono printing a bunch of greenish, reddish and yellow/orangey prints on copy paper with my Gelli plate and Nathalie’s Buenos Aires, Manhattan, Mesa Verde, Santiago, and Toledo stencils. Once dry I cut them up into tulip leaves and stems.

I wanted to use Nat’s ‘Amsterdam’ stencil, with the tulip pattern, for the background. To achieve a softer ‘ghost’ print, I had to pull four prints: I applied paint onto the Gelli plate, layered the stencil on top and pulled two prints to remove most of the paint.

Then I removed the stencil and pulled another print to remove even more paint. And then for the final print I applied white paint onto the Gelli plate and pulled a last ghost print. And this last print is what I used for the background.

The last step was to collage the tulip parts onto the Gelli printed backgrounds.


Thank you Marsha! I love how you combined all those different stencil patterns with those gorgeous spring colors. In addition to some white copy paper, Marsha used these supplies – some links are affiliate links:




Play along with us! I love to see how you interpret our monthly themes. Email me how you used my stencils and stamps with the theme and email me an image – I would love to share your projects in my “n*Spiration From Around the Globe“.

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Taking a deep Breath – Art Journal Spread

“I took a deep breath and listened to the old bray of my heart. I AM I AM I AM” – Sylvia Plath

I love this quote so much – it made me somehow happy and silly pink ;)

For this spread I wanted to play with visual juxtaposition a bit:

For the background I added to some areas a wash with watercolors in a grey tone and pink. I love how the watercolor has a soft look, while the later applied acrylic paint is more textured.

I used different stamps and stencils- mainly my Kassel stencil with some left over paint from a different spread on top dabbed onto the page, as well as the Manhattan Stencil through which I applied some pink paint with a cosmetic sponge.

I stamped with the Versailles Foam Stamps here and there to give it a bit of  a feminine touch – also to break with the very linear and geometric patterns of the Kassel and Manhattan stencil.

I added some marks with the Satin Doll and Running  Stamps and Archival Ink. I added also some hand made marks – I always love the play with “perfectly” repeating marks and handmade marks.

To make sure the journaling doesn’t get lost in the background I applied some Unbleached Titanium acrylic paint with my finger – big enough to write with the Fude pen on top.

I really like how this page turned out – I think I will play a bit more with this concept.

Here is a list of the supplies I used – some links are affliliate links


Have a gorgeous day !!!

Comments (6)

  • Sherry Canino

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    I love it !!! And the quote ❤❤❤

    Reply

  • sherri scott

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    Nat, nice girly, gilrly page with all that texture and pink

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      LOL- yeah isn’t it ;) Have a wonderful weekend Sherri!

      Reply

  • Torsa Saha

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    Stunning!! Can’t wait to meet you ?

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Thank you so much Torsa! Looking forward meeting you too! :)

      Reply

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Nice to Meet You! with Sherry Canino

I’m introducing a new blog post today that I’m very happy to share with you – a feature I’m calling Nice to Meet You! From time to time I learn about some amazing artists out there who are working with my stamps and stencils and are creating some pretty fun and exciting projects. It’s always inspiring to see what others do with my designs and sometimes they even introduce me to a new way of seeing the pattern or a new technique to try on my own. Today I’d like to introduce to you Sherry Canino to kick off this new series :)


Please introduce yourself to our readers:
Hi I’m Sherry Canino of Canino’s Artistic Café and I live in Upstate NY in a town called Liverpool – this is about 5 hours from NYC so I am not a city girl, where I live is very much suburbia.

How do you make time to be creative?
The evening is when I make sure that I carve out a little time for myself in my art studio – I am fortunate to have a large space in my home that is set up as a studio, which makes it easier to have that creative time. I really like to have an hour or 2 (although sometimes it’s just 20 min) in the evening to just chill out in my studio and work on something for me – it might be art cards, a journal page or just dabbling and trying out new products or techniques but this is my “me” time and I don’t force having to finish a project or even make something that I like, I just allow it to be what it is and that is my “down time”. 

  

What are some of your favorite n*Studio stamps / stencils?

Chicago
Santiago 4×4
Amsterdam 6×6
Batik

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

How do you love to use them?
I love to create fun gelli prints for collage elements with my n*Studio stencils, I also love to use them as backgrounds on art journal pages and the mini 4×4″‘ stencils I love to use as focal points in my journals. I also tend to have an eye that picks apart a stencil and I love to use just bits and pieces of a stencil especially in not the typical way and the n*Studio stencils are amazing for that.

  

What is your favorite medium to work in?
I started out working in an actual art journal and I do still sometimes but I find it more flexible to use individual sheets (especially because you can choose your substrate – mixed media, watercolor paper etc) but also you can turn the paper around and work on it at all angles a bit easier without the bulk of a book. I love my acrylic paints I probably have some of every brand out there. My newest love is watercolor crayons and lately I have to add a bit to almost everything I create.

What inspires you to be creative?
Sometimes watching others create is a huge inspiration to me but mostly it’s just something inside of me, a passion that is constantly screaming to get out (yeah I know sounds a bit odd lol) but it’s true. I really love to share my passion with others – social media has allowed for more of this. I have recently started what I call “Stencil Crush Tuesday” Videos on my YouTube channel and this has allowed me to express and share my passion for creating. I like to say, “the more I create the more I want to create”.

Do you have a favorite artist?
It is really hard to have a “favorite”- there are many who have inspired me throughout the years: Back in my scrapbook days Julie Balzer’s uninhibited approach to doing her “own” thing, also Donna Downey and her change and growth from scrapbooking to other forms of art has been amazing to watch, and about a year ago I learned of Flora Bowley who has had the greatest impact on me in teaching me to be “authentic” and finding my own style (which by the way I’m still not sure I have one lol) by studying other artists, practicing their style, and then using bits and pieces that you have learned from each one to “Create Your Own Style” and I have really heeded that message.

  

How did you get into art-making?
I have been a creative since I was a kid although I never thought someday “I am going to grow up and be an artist”. I started scrapbooking about 14yrs ago and slowly transitioned into art journaling about 10-11 years ago. Then with things in my life changing, my son grown up etc, I was allotted more time to decide “what do I want to do when I grow up?” So I started Canino’s Artistic Café in 2014 and although it’s been a ride to say the least, I have met so many amazing people and artists since I started this journey, that in itself has been “worth its weight in gold”. I also work as an Art Therapist with individuals who have eating disorders in an Out Patient Clinic here which has been a blessing for me to be able to use my art to help others. All in all I’m not where I want to be yet but I am happy where I am and I have learned to enjoy the journey.

In three words, how does your art-making make you feel?

Peaceful, happy, blessed


Thank you for sharing your story with us Sherry! It’s wonderful to hear how you’re using your art in your community and I cannot wait to see what you do with that Amsterdam stenciled fabric.

Comments (13)

  • Gill K

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    I really enjoyed the demonstration, thank you. I wondered if it would be possible in future to leave the text on the screen for longer, as in some cases I did not have time to finish reading it.

    Reply

    • Sherry Canino

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      At this time the editing program I use only allows me up to 7 seconds max but I am in the process of exploring and learning a couple new editing programs that will all for for more features ❤

      Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Gill – you might wanna let Sherry know since that was her video :) – I am sure she will appreciate the tip. Thank you for coming by :)

      Reply

  • stephanie

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    Great profile!

    Reply

    • Sherry Canino

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      Thank you Stephanie ❤

      Reply

  • Tammy Cooper

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    Yay Sherry! I love watching you progress. xoxo

    Reply

    • Sherry Canino

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      Aww thank you Tammy. Miss you ❤❤

      Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    Yeah Sherry! So nice to read this new feature and to see that you’re the first person to do it.
    Nice new feature Nat.
    Sherry is a very creative person who does wonders with canvas and flowers.
    She is also kind and friendly.

    Reply

    • Sherry Canino

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      Awww thank you so very much Sue you are so sweet ❤❤❤

      Reply

  • Deborah Smith

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    This a wonderful feature to your blog!! I enjoyed it very much. I’m new to using stencils, so following you two talented ladies I look forward to seeing what you post.

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      yeah – you will love playing with stencils- they are so versatile!

      Reply

  • Sherry Canino

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    Nathalie thank you so much for allowing me to share a bit of myself with your readers and with you. You are beyond inspiring and the more I watch you and your team with your stamps and stencils well you know how that goes I want them all haha. Thank you so very much for this opportunity it’s been a huge honor ❤❤❤

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      So wonderful to have you and cannot wait for more of your Stencil Crush Tuesday videos :)

      Reply

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Let’s Go Somewhere – Marsha Valk

 

Today is Tuesday and that means it’s time for a post by my Creative Squad! Marsha Valk is sharing a fun and creative way to use the Batik Pattern 3 Foam Stamp, as well as the Batik Stencil, the Embroidery Stamp Set, and this month’s theme: Let’s Go Somewhere. We’re in the depths of winter here in the Northern Hemisphere and looking for an escape! This month let’s reminisce about past vacations and plan future adventures to help us get through these gray days.


Let’s Go Somewhere… Somewhere exotic… somewhere where there are palm trees… cocktails… and where the women wear beautiful patterned summer dresses in vivid colours!


The assignment was to use the Batik Art Foamies and batik only means one thing to me: fabric. So I decided to create patterned designs using embossing powder instead of wax in an attempt to make my paper look like batiked fabric. I’m not sure I succeeded, but it was a fun experiment!

Here are the steps I took. There are a lot of repeat steps, to create a multilayered look!

Step 1

Use embossing ink to stamp small patterns (like these stamps from the Embroidery Stamp Set) onto sheets of white (mixed media) paper. Sprinkle clear embossing powder on top and heat emboss.

Step 2

Cover your paper with watercolor. Let it sink into the paper, wipe off any watercolour that beads up on top of the embossed areas and let the paper dry.

Step 3

Take some papertowels, place your paper on it face down and iron with a hot iron. The embossing powder will melt and absorbed into the paper towel.

Step 4

Use embossing ink and stamp the Batik Pattern 3 Foam Stamp onto your paper. Sprinkle clear embossing powder on top and heat emboss.

Step 5

Cover your paper with another coat of watercolor. Use a slightly darker shade of the same colour or choose one that mixes well with the colour that is already on there. Wipe the excess watercolour off the embossed areas and let the paper dry.

Step 6

Apply embossing ink through the Batik Stencil onto your paper. Sprinkle clear embossing powder on top and heat emboss.

Step 7

Cover your paper with a last coat of watercolor. Use an even darker shade of the same colour or now choose one that mixes well with the colour that is already on there. Again: wipe off the excess watercolour from the embossed areas and let the paper dry.

Step 8

Take some papertowels, place your paper on it face down and iron with a hot iron to remove the embossing powder.

Step 9

Use the paper as a background for art journaling, use it as collage paper or… doodle on top to really make it look like patterned fabric!

 


Wowowwwoww! Thanks Marsha! The results are awesome and I definitely want to try this. Here are the supplies Marsha used in her post- some links are affiliate links:




Play along with us! I love to see how you interpret our monthly themes. Email me how you used my stencils and stamps with the theme and email me an image – I would love to share your projects in my “n*Spiration From Around the Globe“.

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Comments (5)

  • nathalie-kalbach

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    Marsha, you amaze me ! I love the technique and the way you layered all the different tools and patterns on top of each other- and your video is super fun! Love it!!!! Thank You!

    Reply

    • marsha.

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      Well… Thank YOU for designing such wonderful Batik stencil and stamps!! This was fun!!

      Reply

  • Michelle Rydell

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    What a cool technique! I want to try this too! Thanks for sharing Marsha!

    Reply

    • Anna Friesen

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      Hi Shelley!! I agree!!! Now I wanna play!! Loved the techniques. (annarummagingthroughherout-of-cotrolartstash) ??

      Reply

    • marsha.

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      Thanks Michelle! Have fun playing!

      Reply

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