Use the Stencil to add Color

In the past few years people have used their stencils to create a raised impression on paper. This technique is referred to as "dry embossing". Lately people are even using small embossing machines to create this raised effect. Embossing paste can also be spread across the stencil to create texture. But the Dream Team member I am introducing you to today, Kim Parkinson from Massachusetts, has used our new peacock stencil (LG730) as you would expect a New Englander to do. She "stenciled" the bird with rubber stamp inks. Over the years of teaching embossing and stenciling across the country I have discovered that people confuse the term stenciling with the term embossing. However, New England is where the traditional art of putting color through the holes of a stencil began, here in Colonial America anyway. The art of bronzing and theorem painting are very sophisticated forms of New England stenciling, but any beginner can stencil if you just learn a few tips from Kim. Use small stencil brushes and rubber stamp ink to stencil the color into the holes of the stencil. There are basically two different techniques...both are beautiful but give you a different look. You can apply it by either stippling, which is an up and down tapping application which almost looks like sponging or you can also "rouge" the color on like Kim did by using a circular motion against the stencil, almost like applying cosmetic rouge to your cheeks.

Major tip: If you are working with a brand new or very wet ink pad you need to "off-load" the excess paint into a paper towel. This technique is called "dry brushing". Notice how in the picture the brush has been repeatedly pushed into the paper towel until only pale color is left in the brush.

Kim teaches at more than one store in the Boston area, so go to her blog to find out more about where, when and what she teaches.