The Group of Seven Cardmakers are playing with the stencil monoprint technique this month. I tried it with two different mediums - ink pads and mica sprays.
First up using Distress ink pads:
I patted various shades of blue and purple mini Distress ink pads on my star stencil, spritzed with water, and laid it down on watercolour paper, pressing lightly with a rag. I removed the stencil and patted up any excess watery ink. I had some areas around the edges without any colour so I sponged the same inks around all the blank edges.
I die cut the Santa and reindeer twice from black cs and glued them together, then added them to the stencil monoprint, along with a sentiment banner.
I wasn't 100% happy with the monoprint as there were some blotchy sections, especially around where the reindeer are - the result of not enough water when I spritzed. So I decided to try doing one using TH mica sprays, thinking I'd get better coverage on the stencil:
I still got some blotchy sections over on the right but I trimmed the panel down and got rid of most of them. I used three different colours of mica sprays and got a nice blend of colours. I added a snow bank and sentiment (die cut from white glitter cs) and two reindeer (die cut from copper shimmer cs and from scrap cs and glued together for more substance). The card base is the same copper cs as the reindeer.
There are two good videos on the technique here:
Supplies for card 1:
Stamps - unknown sentiment
Ink - TH Distress inks (Chipped Sapphire, Faded Jeans, Stormy Sky)
Paper - watercolour paper, white cs
Size - 6x4.25"
Accessories - star stencil, Santa die,
Supplies for card 2:
Paper - watercolour paper, copper shimmer cs, white glitter cs
Size - A2
Accessories - TH mica sprays (Winter Frost, Fresh Balsam, Frosted Juniper), TCW tree stencil, SSS stitched slopes die, TH reindeer and joy die
I wish I would have thought to use Christmas stencils, Susan, so thank you for the reminder and the inspiration! Your monoprint designs are beautiful! (I'm going to try using the mica sprays, too!) Hugs, Darnell
ReplyDeleteTwo lovely backgounds Susan! Your starry night is so pretty with silhouette Santa and his sleigh and the birch trees are a perfect color in the snowy woods with your deer finding shelter and safety around them! (don't sweat the blotches - I don't think these backgrounds are supposed to be perfect!) Julia xx
ReplyDeleteSusan, the areas you've called 'splotchy' represent the starry sky on Santa's journey to me! It only adds to the artsy feeling of this technique! Both cards are wonderful! Hey, I think I have that birch tree forest!
ReplyDelete=] Michele
I love both, the blotchy speckles of the sky just add to the interest and your woodland scene is amazing. I need to pull out that stencil and make a few cards :)
ReplyDeleteI LOVE your starry, night sky to show off the silhouette of Santa and his reindeer. I think the uninked spaces add to the night sky and the idea of more stars shining brightly. Your Christmas card is so pretty. Love the colours you've used. Great work! xx
ReplyDeleteBoth of these are fabulous, Susan! I don't see a thing wrong with the inking on either! Love the starry sky with Santa and his reindeer! And the woods scene is beautiful! Love the colors of the background with the copper of the deer! So peaceful and serene.
ReplyDeleteTwo beautiful background for your Santa and sleigh with the pretty star filled sky, and then the trees make a wonderful backdrop to your two deer. I think the softer more misty look to parts of them adds to the charm of both scenes Susan. x
ReplyDeleteBoth your monoprints turned out beautifully. I’m especially impressed with the second one using mica sprays… fabulous blend.
ReplyDelete