The Crafter's Workshop BlogTake Time to Linger

Hello everyone!

Robyn here sharing a technique for repurposing an old vinyl record using stencilling.

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The Crafter’s Workshop provided me with some product to create this project. The opinions I share are solely my own.

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The Crafter's Workshop Blog Time to Linger by Robyn Wood

Have you ever looked at an old vinyl record in a second-hand shop and wondered how you could give it another life? I found some recently and decided to give one a makeover as an inspirational piece. I’ve never worked on this type of surface before so the project was a bit of a learning curve – I am probably lucky it turned out first go!

I started by adding layers of colour and stencilling and finished it off with a final stencilled pattern and a hand lettered quote. Let me show you how the project came together.

Applying paint layers and stencilling using Gel Press plate

Did you know gesso is the perfect surface remodeller? It tends to stick to almost any surface and gives the right under layer for further layers of paint to stick to. In this case, it worked well to give the record a coat of gesso before starting to add colour. I decided my large Gel Press plate would be the best way to add colour and stencilling to the record, so first a coat of gesso and then a coat of my first colour.

I brayered over the Gel Press plate with TCW9001 White Gesso and pressed the record into it to give a full layer of gesso, then set it aside to dry. I then repeated the process with pink acrylic paint. Don’t worry too much if the surface of the record doesn’t cover totally in each step, it will resolve itself in future layers.

I like layering together warm colours then painting over parts of the area with cool colours so my initial stencilling was done in warm shades of pinks, yellow, orange and red.

Tip: Unless you are intending to blend layers, allow each stencilling step to dry slightly between different colours.

I began to build up layers of stencilling with different colours using the Gel Press plate and various The Crafter’s Workshop stencils. I have listed all the ones I have used below and the one from the photo above is the divine TCW865 Asian Floral stencil. Use whichever ones you have until you get to the last step with the TCW873 Orb Mandala stencil.

Try stencilling directly by brayering paint onto the Gel Press, layering over with a stencil and then carefully pressing the record into the open spaces. The paint will transfer a stencilled pattern to the record just like it will onto paper or your art journal. You can also apply the record to your plate once you lift the stencil to get a different effect.

Continue building different layers of stencilling and colour until the surface is covered to your liking – there is really no wrong way to do this so long as you don’t mix in cool shades and create mud! Allow record to fully dry before the next step.

For this step, you will need your intended stencil and a baby wipe handy before starting. Consider where this stencilling will go before beginning then work quickly.

Paint approx. three quarters of the surface of the record over with a light coat of gesso. Lay the TCW873 Orb Mandala stencil over the record and gently remove the gesso from the open areas of the stencil. Remove stencil and allow to dry.

This will leave a white reverse-stencilled area on the record – perfect for a quote!

I painted out the coloured area of the record using blue. Lime green or purple might also look good, depending on your initial colour choices. Then I added some random splotches of black paint to add some interest to the open space. I also painted around the edge black to bring some cohesion.

Add black splotches and a hand lettered quote

A hand lettered quote finished my project!

Supplies:

Thanks so much for joining me today, I hope I have inspired you to use this technique. Don’t forget to tag me on social media if you do!

We would love to see what you create with The Crafters Workshop Stencils and Mediums. You can share it with us on our Facebook Page, Instagram and Pinterest using hashtag #stencillove

Robyn Wood
The Crafter’s Workshop Design Team Member