The clean and simple style doesn't sound like it goes with either a vintage feel or stenciling, but I am not one to stick to the obvious. One of the things that has always drawn me to vintage illustrations is their great lines and sense of form. These are the same things that have caught my eye with stenciled pieces. After an ah-ha moment, I decided to combine the two. The process is very simple and involves one of my favorite techniques, albeit only briefly, masking which is basically a kissing cousin to stenciling.
I find my stencils in a variety of places, even making some on my own. I actually really like working with painting stencils such as those that you might find in a craft store.
To start, I decide which stamp I would like as my focal image. To make this work, it is best to chose a simple image with a distinct closed image. Before I stamp the image on the actual card, I start off by making a mask by stamping the image onto a repositionable note and cutting it out. Be sure to cut on or slightly inside the outline of the image; this will prevent your image being haunted by a "ghost" of an outline.
I then choose placement. I start with my card base and use my mask in conjunction with my stencil to find a good placement for both. I want to highlight my image but I also want it to overlap the stencil a little. Move your mask and your stencil around until you are happy with the positioning.
Once the positioning is worked out, stamp your chosen image in the positioning you selected and cover with your mask. You may want to attach your cardbase to your work surface with art tape. It's good not to have things moving around too much while you are working with stencils. I also secure my stencil as well, also with art tape.
I like to pounce in the color with either daubers, sponges or cotton
balls. You can select several colors or just one. The stencil design
will help guide your imaginative forces. If you use several colors, you
may wish to use Distress Inks to create a nice blended tone.
Once you have finished applying ink to your stencil, remove both stencil and mask. Voila! Quick and easy look!
Once I had removed the stencil, I pounced on some green ink for a soft grass look under the cat to complete this simple and soft scene.
You can do a scene like the one above or avail yourself of some of the beautiful ornamental stencils. I blended my inks to achieve the following look.
You can also go whimsical with a simple pattern such as these fun flowers! For both the above cards, I added my brightest ink last to fill in any white spots and to brighten up the deep shades.
The variations are endless! You'll get addicted to these fun and fabulous one-layer cards.
