Ring in the New Year with New Stencils!!!

I’m very excited to announce that my new line of stencils with Stencil Girl Products is now available! 

Gross Anatomy 6 x 6″ Stencils
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Inside My Head

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One Breath at a Time

S274-1Listen to Your Heart

These stencils reflect on personal struggles of the past year and will add powerful imagery to your art journaling and other mixed media work.

Here is a stepped out look at creating a journal spread with one of my new stencils

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This page started off on a partially stenciled background using my Acrylic Inks and a copy of a sketch adhered with Mixed Media Adhesive, to give a nice matte finish to the page. Then I traced the stencil design with a Pitt Artist Pen. Using a small sponge dauber I applied Liquid Frisket through the stencil. Let it dry. The Liquid Frisket will mask off the stencil design to preserve the colors underneath.

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I adhered more imagery using Mixed Media Adhesive and chose my color palette for the page. I’m using my Fluid Matt Sheer Acrylics in the following analogous color palette, Turquoise, Rain, Olive, Celedon and using a complementary color to Turquoise, Mustard Seed.

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Because I’ve masked off the stencil design I can freely paint over the top of it with layers of color.

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Using a Liquid Frisket removal tool, I can easily pull off the masking to reveal the page underneath.

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I love how it went slightly outside the lines of the stencil design. This gives more interest to the page.

DSC02187The completed journal page using paints to define the face and imagery.

Here are some more pages done using my new stencils

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My Favorite Paint Tools

I wanted to share with you some of my favorite tools that I use my Fluid Matt Sheer Acrylics and Acrylic Inks with.

First off, when using a new paint for the first time, I always like to do a a color wheel and or swatch test. This allows me to see the color full strength and what it looks like washed out.

Here is a color wheel and swatch test for my Acrylic Inks, using a Montana Marker.
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I love these markers! They come in a variety of marker tips and you can get them empty to refill yourself. I’ve yet to have one dry up on me using my Acrylic Inks! You do have to remember to cap them though because as with any marker it would dry up left uncapped. They also have a mixing ball in them perfect for mixing the heavy pigment load in these inks with the binders.

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These are Mini Misters by Ranger and I love them with my Acrylic Inks as well. I especially love that you can get these nifty ‘stadium seating’ type caddies for them that hold all of my colors in them. I bought an extra caddy for my Montana Markers (above) too! This keeps them on my work table with easy access.

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I’m using my Stencil Girl Color Wheel Stencil and I always have a little Pocket Color Wheel guide around to help with mixing and color combinations.

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The porcelain palette has 12 wells that can hold each of my colors of Fluid Matt Sheer Acrylics. It’s important to have a palette with wells for them as they are very fluid.

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Most of you that have taken past workshops from me or read my books know how I love to use Bingo Daubers with paint in them. I’ve been doing this since I taught pre school 20 years ago! These daubers are from Rock Art and are by far my favorite ones. They never clog up with my paints and believe me they have been put through major testing in workshops! For several years I mixed my own paints with the recipe I share in my book Creating Art at the Speed of Life, and it’s so excited to have my new paints available that were based off of that recipe and in my custom color palette. I spent several weeks mixing colors to get just the right ones to use in my line. My biggest goal was that the paint colors played well together and these really do.

DSC02138For those who’ve taken my workshops this past year and had a chance to play with these paints and inks first hand, you know that my go to color is Mustard Seed. It honestly goes with every other color on my palette! So if you’re looking to try out my line I would suggest getting one or two of your favorite colors and Mustard Seed. This will give you some gorgeous color play.

These journal page backgrounds were done on hot press watercolor paper prepped with gesso, using Stencil Girl stencils and my inks.

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From upper left to right:

Nightfall-Mustard Seed

Turquoise-Mustard Seed

Rain-Mustard Seed

Turquoise-Mustard Seed-Golden Rod

Celedon-Turquoise-Mustard Seed

Royal Purple-Mustard Seed

Nightfall-Mustard Seed

Magenta-Poppy-Mustard Seed

 

Announcing My New Stencil Line!!!

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I’m so excited to finally share my new line of stencils, a-nat-a-my  from StencilGirl with you!! These designs are right out of my sketch books and journal  pages and make a great start to Visual Journaling. Here are some pages I did with my new stencils and also a sneak peek at one more that will be added to the line shortly! 

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If you’re going to be at CHA (Craft & Hobby Association) in Anaheim,  stop by on Sunday, January 12th from 10:00-11:00 at booth #401 F&W Media or booth #1224 R&M where I’ll be giving away signed copes of my new book and this brand new stencil design!

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Creating Art at the Speed of Life-signed copies available

I’m so thrilled and honored to have my newest book on the

best books 2013

2013 Best Books of the Year: Crafts, Home & Garden

list on Amazon!

Creating Art at the Speed of Life copy

The reviews have started rolling in and are very much appreciated!

“Pam is a wonderful teacher, Artist and person. Love her techniques. Her work is fabulous. She can bring out the artist in everyone”

-Saranne Valentine

“Pam Carriker’s new book is not only pure enjoyment to look at…filled with beautiful artwork…but it offers SO much more! This book, divided into chapters around a particular art-related theme/technique, offers lessons within each chapter ALL with a clear objective for each lesson. Following along with each lesson is like having your own private art teacher guide you through exploration and discovery in art theory and implementation. Pam’s clear and concise directions, and accompanying illustrations/journal page step-outs, make this an easy to follow, and very helpful book for those who want to expand their understanding of art principles and take them into practice. Her inclusion of helpful tips and suggested materials makes the journey that much more easy to follow and leads the “student” down the road to success. At the close of each chapter, “Open Studio” presents the artwork of at least two artists who create and comment on the theme/technique presented in that chapter. There is also a contributing artist question & answer section in each chapter. Pam leads us on an inspiring journey of artful discovery and offers so much to guide us through the journey. Her writing is clear and easy to follow and one needs only to pick up this book once, to feel the inspiration to drop everything and head for the studio! The “mixed-media glossary” at the close of the book offers a great deal of helpful information and resources. My only suggestion is directed not at Pam or the book, but to the publisher. This book would have been the perfect choice to offer as SPIRAL-bound. It would be wonderful if it could lay flat on my art desk as I follow along with all of Pam’s fabulous lessons. Perhaps Pam’s third book will be offered in spiral format…how great would that be?”

-NL from NH

“From cover to cover, this book is wonderful. It is well written and full of inspiring illustrations and techniques. It’s great to see a comprehensive mixed media book which includes many other artists as well as the authors own work. This book is a must have for any art studio!”

-kareneparsens

Because many of you have requested signed copies of my book, I’m offering a limited number of signed copies that will also come with a 6″ x 6″ Stencil Girl stencil with one of the clip art image designs from my book!

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I’m sorry but the limit has been reached on signed copies of my book and it’s no longer available here. Please visit amazon.com to purchase my books, thank you!