Stencil-Art

Hi Everyone,

Water colour mediums have always been a challenge for me.  I like lots of layers and permanent mediums is just so much easier to work with.  I have decided to challenge myself to use more water soluble mediums, and thus I have been "playing" with my Distress Markers.  

"Dare to be DiFfeRent" Art Journal Page with Distress Markers

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. I am working in my Strathmore Visual Journal with Bristol Smooth paper and as always protect the rest of my journal by placing a sheet of wax paper behind the page I will be working on.
2. Randomly add colour with Distress Markers and the Distress Marker Spritzer to the page.  It worked best for me when I placed the brush nib of the markers just over the edge of the Spritzer tool. Remember the ink will blow from the spritzer and not the marker.
3. As the ink in the Distress Markers are water-soluble I seal it with Liquitex Matte Medium.  I prefer to use a brayer to lightly apply the Matte Medium, a brush will move and blend the colour too much.
4. Make an absorbent ground by mixing 3 parts of Liquitex white Gesso with 1 part Liquitex Modeling Paste and apply as smooth and thinly as possible with a palette knife. 
5. After making sure that the absorbent ground is dry, lightly sand it to get rid of the uneven and rough parts. This will help to preserve the brush nibs of your makers.  You don’t need to do this if you are using pencils.
6. Use the Vases 3 stencils and draw 5 vases on the background with the fine nib of the Distress Markers. I started drawing the vases with the same colour, but changed by mind and erased it with a damp cloth.
7. Colour directly with Distress Markers on the flowers and stem stamps from the Flower Garden stamp set by Tim Holtz and stamp quickly before the ink dries.  If this happens, just spritz it lightly with water to activate the ink.
8. If you want to change the placement or colours you stamped, just erase it with a damp cloth.
9. Start adding colour to the images by dragging the outlined colours into the centre with a water brush and add more ink as necessary.
10. Try not to layer different colours over wet ink as it is water based and will always reactivate when liquid is added to it.  Also be careful not to use too much water to blend as water will make the ink run all over the page.
11. Decide from which direction the light is coming from, this will determine your shading and highlights.  This is especially important as light reflects from shiny surfaces, in this instance the glass vases. I have decided that my light source is from the right, therefore I my vases will be darker on the left side.
12. I create darker areas by colouring directly with the marker and blending it with my water brush and then picking up ink from an acrylic block with a water brush for the lighter areas.
13. Wipe the water brush on a dry paper towel to clean it when using different colours.
14. Use a dry paint brush to blend out a colour without adding water, this will only soften the colour and not lighten it as when adding water.  Sometimes is also easier to lay down a different colour by picking up the ink from an acrylic block with a dry brush.  For bold, dark strokes of colour using the marker directly.
15. If you would like to change anything in the image, like lengthening the one flower stem, use a damp foam brush to remove some of the colour and use the marker to lengthen it.
16. Add the water line to the vases.  The stems of the flowers will be distorted and enlarged by the water and the vases will look darker where it is filled with water.  Also add some of the colour of the vase over the stem to create the effect that the stem is inside the vase.
17. Add reflections of light shining through the vases and casting shadows behind it – this shadows will be coloured as the vases are transparent.
18. Start adding colour to the flowers by dragging the ink lines from the stamp with the water brush.  Be careful to not drag the water brush over the lines, otherwise it will turn into one ink blot.  You need to keep the detail of each leaf of the flowers.
19. Create depth by making sure that the flower stems are correctly placed – in front and behind certain areas of the vase.
20. Keep on adding layers of colours to the flower, and try not to add more colour over wet areas as this will just blend the colours without creating depth.  It is easier to move around the page and work on dry areas only.
21. Keep on adding colour to the vases to create dimension and depth and use the Picket Fence Distress Marker to add highlights.  This marker goes on clear and dries opaque
22. Use a light wash of Frayed Burlap to create shadows on the left side of the flowers and stems.  If you add to much colour, add water and blot it with a dry paper towel.  I changed over to a paint brush as the water brush was dispensing too much water and was starting to bleed into my images.  I just picked up some water that I spritzed on my acrylic block to blend the frayed burlap to create subtle shading.
23. Write your quote directly on the page with Black Soot and Hickory Smoke and remember if you make a mistake you can simply wipe it off and start again.  Use the fine or brush nib depending on the size of your letters. Use Picket Fence to add highlight to the letters.
24. Use the fine nib to add final details to the flowers.
25. Lastly add the date.

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