Tag Archives: stencils

Tool Tip Tuesday – Duck Duct Tape

Posted on by
2

Most of you already know there a million things you can use duct tape for.

3 reasons to use duct tape on your stencils

3 reasons to use duct tape on your stencils.

We commonly refer to it as “Duck Tape,” which is actually a popular brand name of duct tape. I’m sure you’ve seen some of things people have made, from wallets to prom dresses. Today, we’re sticking with a crafty use. I recently noticed someone had used a pretty duck tape to edge her stencils. Brilliant! Having all the edges extend beyond the existing borders of the stencils was really helpful.

  • Duct tape edges give more space to cover the project beyond the stencil.
  • A stack of stencils slide more easily across each other.
  • There is more to hold on to as you clean your stencils.

We even soaked and cleaned stencils in a tub of water and the duct tape held up great!  We were actually encouraged to use Duck brand duct tape, as it seems to actually work better for this purpose. I had envisioned using some wild prints and really jazzing up the edges, until I found out that the solid colors had TWICE as many yards as the prints, for the SAME PRICE. Yes, I started with a solid color! However, you can grab a coupon for your big box craft store and get started with some wild prints more economically. If you have some doubts, just do a few to get started.

A final tip, if there is info on the stencil you want to keep, just grab a permanent marker and write it on the tape.

Write any info about the stencil right on the tape with a permanent marker

Write any info about the stencil right on the tape with a permanent marker.

Cheers to YOUR Artful Adventures!

KS

Basic Masking Techniques for Art Journaling, Scrapbooking, Card-making

Posted on by
1

Please welcome my friend, Alice Boll! She is graciously doing a guest post for me, and you are going to enjoy the information on masking which she is sharing with us today! You’ll see in coming episodes, that her information on masks will tie in so well as we learn about all the things you can do with Gelatos and many other things!  So, here’s Alice!

Alice Boll from Scrapbook Wonderland

Hi! I’m Alice Boll from Scrapbook Wonderland. Thank you, Kristie for inviting me to share my passion for scrapbooking with you.

Scrapbooking is a wonderful hobby! I’m always surprised at the creative ways I can play with art supplies on my layouts. One technique I find myself using over and over again is the use of masks. I hope I’ll inspire you to use the wonder of masks for your next artful adventure!

Masks have two main purposes.

The 2 purposes of a mask:

1. To apply an art medium TO a specific area.

2. To prevent an art medium FROM being applied to a specific area.

What is an art medium? This sounds so technical! It’s simply the kind of material you are using or playing with. Examples of art mediums are:

  • ink
  • paint
  • spray or mist
  • modeling paste
  • glue (to add mica flakes, pearl beads, micro beads, confetti, glitter, etc!)
  • gesso

*This is not an exhaustive list… get creative and use your imagination!

Art medium ideas to get you started using masks.

The 2 Kinds of masks:

  1. Masks you buy. You can purchase pre-made masks or templates. Some of my favourites are from Julie Fei-Fan Balzer. A great thing about a mask you purchase is that it is easy to wash it up and use it over and over again.

Here I used spray ink with a Balzer Designs template as a mask.

Here I used modeling paste with a Donna Downey template as a mask.

Close up of the modeling paste texture.

2. Masks you make or find. Create your own mask. Use a die-cut machine or punch to cut shapes out of paper or plastic. You can also use a ‘found object’ like a bottle cap or jar lid as a mask.

Here I cut scraps of chipboard with a punch before misting a background.

If I cut a custom mask out of lightweight plastic I mark the size and save both parts… now I have 2 masks to play with!

Once you start experimenting with masks you will find many more creative ideas!

Fun Idea! Use a mask to create a shape when clustering embellishments.

The large scalloped circle in the background was made, and stamped, with a mask!

Want to see a creative use of masks? Watch Chris Sebo, a spray paint artist in Hawaii. I was amazed when I saw him perform his spray paint magic on Waikiki beach in Hawaii.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcsogbWzd1c

I hope you have fun exploring the artistic wonders of masks! I welcome you to visit me at Scrapbook Wonderland for more great tips and tricks!

Happy Scrappin’

Freedom of Mixed Media

Posted on by
Reply

As I was creating this piece, I realized how liberating it feels to use items I have on hand, and not worry about what specific medium I am using!  Mixed media has really allowed me to feel free to create!  Grab some supplies and see what you can create.

This red, white, and blue stripes on this piece are all made from torn paper, adhered to an 8×8 canvas.   The letters U S A, as well as the large star, were cut and used as a mask.  The image transfer is of the famous painting of Francis Scott Key, the author of the song, “Star Spangle Banner,” of which there are lyrics from a very old piece of music.  There are numerous layers of stamped images using both ink and paint.

For some reason, this is one of my favorite pieces!