Making Stencils

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I've found a new use for my new toy, the Silhouette Portrait:
Stencil Making!
 Here is my first totally original stencil I designed and then cut out of transparency plastic with my Silhouette.  The design is kind of hard to see with just the plain plastic on this piece of card stock but. . .
. . .a bit easier once I painted over the top with a stamp pad.  Too bad I didn't move the stencil off the page all the way.
I decided to use the stencil with my other favorite toy, the Gelli Plate.
Usually I remember to place the stencil on the plate backwards so that the print comes out forwards but mistakes will be made. . .
. . .so that I can learn and then correct the mistake.
I really like how these came out!
The second stencil I made is from this photo of fireworks I took last July 4th.  I isolated one of the fireworks in photoshop, duplicated it, cleaned it up and turned it into a png file with the intention of making a thermofax with the image but since I haven't done that yet. . . .
I made it into a stencil and used it to make monoprints with my Gelli plate.
Wow, this photo is very orange.
 Despite that, I really love the way these turned out!
The far left is a print made with the stencil still on the Gelli Plate and the rest of them were made from various combinations of prints with and without the stencil on the plate.  
I think I am in trouble.  
I absolutely LOVE stencils and I always have.  
I have stencils that are 25 years old or more and it's looking like I will be making a lot more stencils.
Have you ever made your own stencil?  
Do you like stencils? 
I'm looking for more stencil projects, so
What do you do with stencils?

Comments

Lisa K said…
Wow, great idea! I make a lot of interfacing stencils, but not much plastic. I mostly use them with a blank silkscreen.
February 14, 2013 at 3:22 AM
Jane LaFazio said…
woohoo! gelli plate, your own original stencils! you'll be busy (and happy) for years in your studio! love what you made, Lisa!
February 14, 2013 at 8:00 AM
Sylvia said…
Okay, you finally convinced me that machine is cool. :)
February 14, 2013 at 8:26 AM
Susie Monday said…
I have got to look up that machine! I've been playing with some stencil design ideas using an ipad app call Stencils that have me wanting to make some in"real" life.
February 14, 2013 at 8:48 AM
Susie Monday said…
OK I am in, I just bought myself a valentine gift. I think this might be a tool that will work most interestingly for surface design stencils -- thanks for the introduction to it!
February 14, 2013 at 9:23 AM
Unknown said…
Sigh, I've been drooling over the Silhouette for weeks...NOW you tell me about Gelli too?! Looks like sooooo much fun!
February 14, 2013 at 12:11 PM
Leslie Tucker Jenison said…
This is a great post, Lisa. I've been looking at that machine and wondering how well it works. Yay! Something to consider for the future! Thanks!
February 14, 2013 at 3:53 PM
Gisela Towner said…
How very cool!
My DH bought me a different cutter last year, but I've never used it as it only uses that company's designs and I can't cut stencils of my own art for surface design. Useless to me.
This, on the other hand, sounds just like what I wanted in the first place!
February 14, 2013 at 6:59 PM
Alison Schwabe said…
I love what you're doing. Being low-tech I tend to make stencils out of things to hand - so in the past I have vut shapes from various easy-to-cut materials with an art knife or scissors - most recent was from some heavy duty fabric - advantage LARGE and can be rolled for storage - blogged the details november 2012 at htt[://www.alisonschwabe.com/weblog/
February 15, 2013 at 3:06 AM
MB Shaw said…
So much fun! I love those fireworks.
February 15, 2013 at 7:36 AM
Lynda said…
You may have sold another Silhouette. I had no idea they could make stencils which I love too. Love your fireworks.
February 15, 2013 at 7:49 AM
Unknown said…
Love the fireworks! And now drooling over that awesome little machine!
February 15, 2013 at 8:19 AM
Deborah OHare said…
I am off to see if these are available in the U.K.!!
February 15, 2013 at 9:57 AM
Regina B Dunn said…
I love the fireworks stencil results. I'm going to have to experiment with stencils more.
February 15, 2013 at 10:04 AM
Judy Ferguson said…
Thank you for visiting my "Memory of Trees." Needlefelting is new to me. Your stencils are much nicer than anything that I have every made.
February 16, 2013 at 3:46 PM
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