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Stencils and Masks
Aparna Goswami
Scrapping Deck Crewmember
I watched a video by Tim Holtz demonstrating how to use his new masks. So, of course, I had to have all six! And pay an arm and a leg for shipping all the way to Hong Kong. But I indulged myself because it has been a while since I did any art related shopping.
Before I continue, I’d like to take my hat off to the new Kokuyo adhesives that I have been using lately. I’ll admit that even before I try (or buy) an adhesive the most important consideration for me is if they are refillable. I care about my environment and believe that refills (for everything!) help reduce the amount of junk we create. Kokuyo are refillable and that already gave them an edge over some of the other brands I have used.
When I actually took the applicator out to use, I saw something else that I really liked – a little flip back cover right over the sticky bit of the applicator. It is very easy to flip it open when you want to use it. Just flip it to close it again when you are done so that the glue does not pick up dust and fluff and lose its effectiveness.
After having used the glue in all the layouts and cards below, I have to say that this brand is probably the best I have ever used. It goes on so smoothly and the control is great. I was able to apply glue to really small bits of cardstock with no mess at all! Kokuyu should give themselves a pat on the back for coming out with a superb product!
While I waited very impatiently, and I know you all can empathize with the feeling, for my masks to arrive, I just had to try some of the techniques I saw on the video. I decided to apply them to stencils – which are just backwards masks. For this layout, I decided to make the stencils myself since the style I was looking for was linear and easy. I drew the arrows (one bent and one straight) on cardstock and then cut them out with an X-acto knife. You can see that the middle three arrows are the same. I just flipped the stencil.
To colour it in, I chose a blue ink as close as possible to the cardstock. Using a foam tipped Fantastix brush by Tsukineko, I first outlined the arrows. Then I filled it in with a stippling brush. Stippling is my favorite way to use colour with stencils and masks. I then stamped over the colour using the same blue to give a tone-on-tone effect. I applied the sentiment sticker on a piece of cardstock and placed it slightly off center. The placement had to be determined before stenciling so that all the arrows appear to be originating from the same point under the sticker.
For this layout, I used a border mask on the inner quadrangle. I used a stippling brush and a blue dye ink as close to the main cardstock colour as possible. I kept the colour light because I did not want a very prominent border. The stubs / tickets with the sentiments are handmade. The border on the left hand side is a pre-cut paper frill that I coloured using the same blue ink.
I used the wavy edge of a 12X12 stencil to draw the waves that the photographs follow. Once I matted the photos onto the speckled brown cardstock, I lightly penciled onto the background cardstock exactly where I wanted the photo wave. Then I printed the title (only the word “beach”), the journaling and the sentiment. The lightly penciled wave also helped me to determine where the flourish mask would go. I had to keep the stippling extremely light so as not to overpower the printing. Also, the background cardstock has some beachy print, and I wanted that to show a bit. After I glued the photo wave, I placed the “babes” part of the title to finish the layout.
This layout has only a tiny detail done with a mask – the number “7.” I used a brown ink and a dense background stamp on the apricot paper. Then I placed the 7 mask on it and used a fantastix brush from Tsukineko to make a dark outline using the same brown. Then I cut out the 7, leaving a thin border of brown around the stamped design.
This same effect can be created with a stencil, but with the mask, the stamped part of the image is done first and you can get a crisper image because the stamp is applied directly to paper without a stencil in the middle. The result is much better with a mask than with a stencil.
The following cards were inspired by Tim Holtz’ 12 tags for Christmas. The first tag uses a mask, so I decided I had to make it. But I did not have distress inks, grungeboard, stickles glitter and all the other little doo dads that Tim loves to use. I guess the following is an example in improvisation. Making do with what one has on hand.
I lined up three pieces of cardstock and laid the mask on all three. This way I would do everything just once and get three cards. I had no distress inks so I used my dye ink pads and tried some DTP. That did not please me very much so I switched to my trusted stippling method. Then I took off the mask, and because the negative image was so sharp, I stippled in some more colour to give the masked area a more blended in look. I stamped the music background.
For the letters, I used the negative of a chipboard alphabet as a stencil and cut out the letters from regular cardstock. I did not have any red stickles glue, so I used children’s glitter glue instead. The holly leaves are done with a punch. Since I had no grungeboard, the lamp post is stamped on handmade paper, the thickest ‘cardstock’ I could find.
If you have any questions about any of the layouts featured each month please don't hesitate to email me at: agoswami@ssreflections.com
Enjoy creating!
Aparna Goswami
agoswami@ssreflections.com
Scrapping Deck Crewmember
Reflections Publishing Group
http://apemayablog.blogspot.com/
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