2022 Topic 06: Mainly Stencils {by Nikki Acton} with Emma Godfrey Stamps

Hi everyone, it's Nikki here today to share some ideas using mini masks designed by Emma Godfrey. If you are anything like me, masks are a little more daunting to use than stencils, but they are really quite versatile!

Just quickly for those that don't know the difference - a stencil is where the image / shape / word is what appears when you add paint or ink through the stencil. A mask is the opposite - the mask is made of the image / shape / word - so the paint or ink creates the negative space around the image. 

I decided to explore some different ideas / techniques -  mostly quite simple - but I will run through how I made the cards below in a little more detail.

I started with some simple inking with the masks - onto some card and some sponged paint onto to some scrap paper. I put together the A6 card below. The 4x4inch card is just 2 layers of distress ink / oxide, one on top of the other with a little water spritzed. I have used PaperArtsy Mini Masks PM007 and PM008 here.

I then started building layers. If you have a base layer of colour and then apply the mask and add paint, ink - the base layer will form the shape. You can do this with ink, but it is easier to layer paint. 

For the top card below, I added embossing ink to the mask itself - placed this inked side down on card and ran through my embossing machine before heat embossing with gold. So effectively the mask has been stamped. I then went a little mad with some pen work and rather ruined this one!! The large flower is PaperArtsy Mini Mask PM002.

 

 

The use of the mask with layers is ideal for gel plates. You can see on the left hand side (slightly hidden card above) I have used the flower mask on a gel plate.

Some more examples below - second prints off the gel plate, inking and spritzing the masks to transfer the image to card.

 

     

The main project above was started with loosely adding paint to card in patches - it does not need to be pretty! I used PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics - Midnight, Captain Peacock, Bougainvillea and Snowflake.

I then took PaperArtsy Mini Mask PM009 - the grid and sponged with Snowflake in three places on my card - you can still see this clearly for the bottom two.

Captain Peacock and/or Bougainvillea were sponged using the large flower mask - PM002 - over the already sponged grid. Hopefully you can see this at the top. You can still see the grid in part, the flower in part and areas of the original base layer.

I found the secret here is to be quick and not worry about forming the whole image, it is just about getting the impression of it.

I made two of these backgrounds - things never look exactly the same! You can see below I added some stamping for the next stage. The mini circles are a border stamp on Eclectica Mini 18 (by Emma Godfrey). You may also be able to make out the script stamp - which I may have added before the paint sponging! This is Ink and the Dog Mini stamp 62.

 

 

Finally I added one more sponged layer - adding some more Snowflake using Mini Mask PM007 (mini circles) and also a little more of the grid in places.

 

My two samples have little differences - one is more blue, the other more pink - just how it worked out! I love how the splashes of the original base colour pop through the lighter sponged areas.

I added more light stamping in a few places and on one card lots of paint splatters. For one I also took a oil based pencil and loosely scribbled around the flower shape - however I think this was a mistake!

 

 

Finally I added the Happy Birthday greeting from Eclectica Mini 18 (by Emma Godfrey) and some stamped and fussy cut butterflies from Scrapcosy stamp set 23 (ESC23).

 

Don't be afraid of masks - If you have a few hidden in the cupboard, get them out and have a play! Maybe not everything will work, it didn't for me, but it's great fun exploring the possibilities. 

Nikki

Blog: Addicted to Art

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