Using Stencils to Spark Your Inspiration

This is an oldie but goodie - from January 2014.  It has some good tips in it - I hope you think so too.

Often, when I don't have a lot of inspiration, I pick a pattern stencil and just start using it on a blank page or a page with leftovers from another project.  I'll pick several different colors of paint that compliment one another (close to each other on the color wheel),  and start pouncing with a cosmetic sponge.   

Here's a tip for how to remember which colors are friendly enough to be mixed when wet.  If you think of the ROY G BIV acronym for the rainbow - ROY (Red Orange Yellow) colors are friendly, and BIV (Blue Indigo and Violet) colors are friendly, G (green) is a little picky - friendly only with the colors on either side -- Yellow and Blue.

For this page, I used Michelle Ward's Marrakech Mix Stencil from Stencil Girl.  I love how there is a "mix" of large and small openings.  Once a layer is dry, I turn the stencil and use another color until there are no white spots on my page.   Then I'll go back in with white paint or gesso, and lighten it up a bit.  Here's how I ended up.








At this point, the page will sometimes suggest something to me.  What it said here was "live simply and gently."  So, I took out black paint and a skinny brush and started sketching.  (I like to sketch with paint because there's just NO WAY to be too precious about it - it's going to be messy, and that's OK!)

On the bottom, I used Pam Carriker's Zig Zag Stamp.  And I sketched in a girl surrounded by animals and a tree.  

More painting.  I'm using matte fluid acrylics, which are very translucent.  I love how the stenciled background shows through, giving lots of depth and texture.

I wanted her skirt to be made in part by feathers.  I have a cool feather stamp that I used on white tissue paper.  I then adhered it to her skirt with matte medium.

I love how the original painting and texture shows through the tissue paper, which melts into the page.  I did the same thing with a french text stamp - used it on tissue paper and adhered it to the page.


I wanted leaves on the trees, so I pulled out my "Judy's Trees" stencil from Stencil Girl, and stenciled some leaves onto tissue paper using green and brown paint.

Then I cut the leaves up and adhered them onto the page. This way, I wasn't stuck to the original arrangement, but could place the leaves the way I wanted for this particular journal page.

I also used the curly branches of one of the other trees on the stencil around the bottom of the page to suggest tree roots and grass.  Can you see them?

My daughter pointed out that the lady's legs were too short - so I lengthened them.  This caused me to add additional texture and pattern to her dress, which I really like.  I added words, and here she is!

And to think she emerged from a mostly blank journal page and Michelle Ward's stencil!

"Live Gently" is available for sale as a print, tote bag, pillow and phone cover on Society 6!





In case you didn't see it previously, I wanted to post a video of how I painted this portrait. 


I often "clean" my work table by gluing whatever is on it into my journal.  That will sometimes "suggest" to me what the page should become.

The page started out as a collage of stenciled tissue paper using my Medallions stencil from Stencil Girl.  Some of that pattern shows through her face.  I finished her off using June Pfaff Daley's starfish stencil, which became a flower in her hair. 

You can see her as a print and more here!



You can also watch Fast Forward Face Painting with Jessica Sporn on You Tube here. 

Have you found any of this helpful?  Let me know in the comments, which make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

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How to Create an Embossed Box Tutorial and Class Recap

I recently had the honor of hosting six lovely women in my home studio for a Meetup class I call "Blessings Box."  It involves repurposing a cigar box into a box to hold treasured items representing blessings.   After the class pix - there's a tutorial for how you can make a box of your own!

I am lucky enough to have a nearby cigar store that gives me empty boxes whenever they accumulate.  I have to leave them outside for a week to let aerate, but then they're just perfect!

We had so much fun play with loads of stencils from Stencil Girl.  We created embossed embellishments, tissue paper accents, and collage papers, which we used to create mosaic designs on the boxes and more. 

Look at this pile of lovingly used stencils!

Tery Favo had brought a tutorial with her for embossing a box into a very gothic, steampunk creation.  Isn't it gorgeous?

I decided to try my own take on this technique.  First, I painted my box with black gesso.  Next, I took my Hearts, Flowers and More stencil and scraped Modeling paste through it with a palette knife.  I let it dry overnight, and then painted over all of the embossed areas with black gesso.  

I pulled out some of my earthiest fluid acrylic colors.  Using my fingers, I rubbed Van Dyke Brown, Burnt Umber Light, and then Burnt Umber around the raised areas of my box.  When that was dry, I placed the stencil back over the embossed areas, and stenciled them with Iridescent Bronze and Iridescent Gold.  I painted repurposed wooden bingo balls with the iridescent gold and bronze paint, and glued them as feet and a handle.

Another holiday gift done!

This is one of my favorite pics from class - it's a Michelle Ward's Marrakech Mix stencil and my Medieval Leaf Stencil having a playdate!

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

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