Originality-Making Your Own Stencils

Originality-Making Your Own Stencils-by Deborah Babin

Last week I wrote about Originality-Making Your Own Stamps
This week I will continue and focus on: Making Your Own Stencils

STENCILS

I like to make stencils with freezer paper. This is inexpensive paper that comes on a roll in the cling wrap section of the grocery store; a roll will go a long way. One side is mat and can be drawn on while the opposite side is shiny. It can be used in many ways for making art.

Freezer paper makes an excellent stencil

1. It is easy to draw on and cut out; I use an X-acto knife.
2. The shiny side will stick to fabric when pressed with medium heat; It releases easily and with stand multiple paint applications.

In fact, the more paint applied, the stronger the stencil becomes.

Drawing a design for a stencil is easy; however, cutting it out requires that you add "bridges" to connect the open spaces and keep the design intact. This takes a bit of thinking.

The main reasons I make stencils are:

1. Originality
2. Crisp graphic qualities

I ALWAYS make original work. Stencils can bring in unique original motifs to boost (common) art to a higher level.

I like to have contrast in my work. The crisp graphic qualities of a stencil contrast great with soft effects.

The ironing set up.

I have placed a small ironing pad on the left and I use a mini iron to press with; however, a regular iron is ok too. The paint is mixed in a Styrofoam tray. The painted silk is on the right with the stencil ready. I apply the paint with a stencil brush.

A piece of parchment paper is placed over the stencil and then pressed with medium heat for a few seconds.

Here I have used a freezer paper stencil from my linked circles design. 

The design has been applied to painted silk organza with white acrylic paint. These designs are stitched to enhance them.

Free motion stitching with variegated thread.

Next post: Stencils continued