My New Favorite Thing – Stencils, Paint and Glitter

ARE TEAMING UP THE ENTIRE MONTH OF JUNE TO BRING YOU AN AMAZING CREATIVE COLLABORATION MIXING DREAMWEAVER STENCILS AND ART GLITTER. COME ALONG FOR THE RIDE...WE PROMISE IT WILL BE A SPARKLING ONE!

Visit the Art Glitter blog and the Dream It Up! blog for fabulous inspiration from both talented design teams. We are encouraging all of you to play along with the challenge of creating with Dreamweaver Stencils and Art Glitter*, preferably using the Double-Glitter Technique. Just link your creation to the Mr. Linky on the Dream It Up! blog, or email pics to lynell@dreamweaverstencils.com, for an opportunity to win one of four fabulous glitter and stencil prize packages. One winner will be chosen each week. (US and Canada only, please).

For more inspiration from the Dream Team, here’s the blog list for this week:
Dream It Up! blog
Pam Hornschu
Laura Drahozal
Louise Healy
Wendy Jordan
Terrece Siddoway
Kristi Van Doren
Georgia Sommers
Lee Kellogg
Jessie Hurley
Liz Martin
Cyndi Bundy
Cherylynn Moser

Dreamweaver Stencil: LG743 Stylized Dahlia and Art Glitter Ultrafine Transparent colors.

Oh yes, I’m in love. Dreamweaver Stencils, Acrylic Paint and Art Glitter.

When I received my stencils from Dreamweaver a few weeks ago, I read the instructions describing embossing and stenciling techniques and that they worked with, among other mediums, acrylic paint. “Oh” I said to myself…”glitter sticks to acrylic paint”, my mind was off and running!

After many trials and errors I came to settle upon using a wet acrylic background as my base. But before I get too far ahead, here are the tools you need:

A thick watercolor paper
Acrylic/watercolor paintbrush
Palette, water cup, paper towels
Spray bottle filled w/ water
Acrylic Paint
Dreamweaver Stencils
Art Glitter Ultrafine: Transparent, Pearlescent, Opaque colors
Art Glitter Microfine: Transparent and Opaque colors
Spoon
Aluminum Turkey tray (optional)
Spray Lacquer

Start creating your background by cutting your paper slightly larger than your stencil. Wet your paper with a spray bottle or by dripping water onto paper with paintbrush until it is pretty saturated. You will notice I work inside a large aluminum tray. You may have a favorite way to paint without a tray, but all I can say is…it is so much easier and cleaner!

Paint on your colors till satisfied. I try not to work over this part, keep it simple, let the water and colors mix on the paper. Keep your paint wet and not too thick, but not too wet. Dab up excess water with paper towel and go back with a little more paint. If too wet, the glitter will not stick, same with ‘too dry’, your proverbial ‘just right’ Miss Goldilocks please!

Artist Credit Alert! I learned everything I love about painting from a fabulous collage artist/teacher: Jacqueline Sullivan – if you ever get the chance to take a class from her, do it! The rewards are immeasurable.

I knew I had hit ‘just right’ when I would lay down the stencil, push in the center and the paper would cling to it with just a small amount of paint squeezing up through the design.

Dreamweaver Stencil: LG613 Koi and Art Glitter Microfine Transparent #718 Glade.

Sprinkle on your glitter with a spoon. You can keep your coverage sparingly for a hit and miss look or cover the design completely. The thicker your glitter coverage, the more careful you will need to be when removing the stencil so excess doesn’t fall onto your design.

After carefully removing stencil, let dry. Clean off your stencil before paint dries on it by rubbing under hot water gently between your hands. If paint has dried, use rubbing alcohol (in a well ventilated area) or hand sanitizer (Purell seems to have the most alcohol in it) and rub gently on a flat surface with an old toothbrush. You don’t want to bend any precious parts!

You have a choice now. The first layer of glitter to hit your paint will stick well. But the top layers will shed. You can let the top layers come off or you can keep them in place by using Spray Lacquer. I suggest going ahead and using the Spray Lacquer, it gives more dimension to your design and you’ll be happier!

Then make a card or a collage or so on.

Dreamweaver Stencil: LG655 Round Doily and Art Glitter Microfine Transparent colors with Microfne Opaque accents on cardstock.

Check out my Art Glitter post for more examples, step out photos and glitter love!

Dreamweaver Stencil: LJ901 Mosaic Swirls and Art Glitter Microfine Transparent colors.

Dreamweaver Stencil: LX7001 Damask and Art Glitter Ultrafine Transparent #249 Woodberry.