Showing posts with label decoart. Show all posts
Showing posts with label decoart. Show all posts

Monday, April 4, 2016

[Tutorial] Watercolor Art Journaling with Stencils


Watercolor art journaling has been a real stress reliever lately.  There's just something soothing about letting the color flow around the page.  These pages are pretty simple and take no time at all.  In this tutorial, I want to share with you how to use stencils in your art journaling process.


Note: Using a pen to outline the stencil gives it a hand drawn look.  Outlining can also help you draw attention to your focal point.


Here's the step-by-step:
  1. Tape the stencil down to your work surface.  You can see in the photo I only covered the very edges of the watercolor paper.
  2. Wet the open areas with clean water first.  Then add in your colors of choice.
  3. Next, walk away.  The trick is to let the stencil sit in place while the paint dries for a while. About two mins is long enough then remove the stencil.
  4. Once dry - add more layers and outline if you want.


Here is a list of the stencils I used by DecoArt (affiliate links): Branching Out, Indian Ikat, Mandala, Feathered Friends.  I love the feathered friends stencil so much - I used it three times in three different ways.  

My paint palette is Art Minds from Michael's.  If you have any questions or try this out please tag me on social media I'd love to see it!  (Facebook)  (Instagram)

Do you struggle with drawing faces?  If so...  Click Here.



Friday, September 4, 2015

Mixed Media Decor in 10 Steps with DecoArt

Hey Friends,
We made it though another week!  Today I'm exited to share a mixed media project I created with DecoArt acrylic paints.  I decorated a wooden table sign I picked up from Hobby Lobby.  I hope you are inspired and are able to use these techniques in your own projects.


I pretty much broke my process down into 10 steps.  Most steps are self explanatory but I wanted to give you a reason behind why I do what I do!  

1. Gesso - I like to prime whatever I'm working on the accept paint.  
2. Stamp - This step instantly adds texture to the background.  Larger stamps cover more surface.
3. Collage -  Tissue paper with text is my go-to mixed media staple.  I adhere with matte medium.
4. Paint - I mixed a lot of the colors to create different values.  
5. Drip - I like to use a bright or bold color when dripping paint to help break up the background.
6. Stencil - Find a light area and stencil dark colors then find a dark area and stencil light colors.  
7. Paint Some More - At this step I was making space for my focal point by adding white. 
8. Add Focal Point -  Your focal point can be subtle or strong.  I went bold for this project.
9. Splatter - After I splatter I like to dab some areas with a paper towel to create a faded look.
10. Finishing Touches - At this point do whatever you feel the project needs.  I added a bit more color to the background and painted the base.


Colors used: Americana Antique White
Americana Jack O Lantern Orange
Americana Banana Cream
Americana Black Plum
Americans Bright Yellow
Americana Lamp Black
Americana Bahama Blue
Americana Forest Green
Americana Berry Red

Please enjoy my process video!  Grab some some supplies and paint with me.




To learn more about DecoArt products please visit DecorArt.com.  

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