Layering with color and stencils

Hi there creative souls.

Tammy (aka Tambarambaa) here today to share a technique that creates depth without a lot of effort!

art journal page using sunset colors and leafy stencil

TCW provided me with some awesome goodies to play with, but the art and opinions are mine.

All the color in this one is created using the gorgeous Stencil Butters!! I wish you could see the shimmer!

art journal page using stencil butters in yellow, orange, pink, red and purple

So let’s begin……I grabbed a sheet of TCW9051 Watercolor Paper and turned it over to the smooth side. I then added a washi tape border around the edges. This does two things. Firstly it holds your page in place and secondly it creates a crisp white border that looks amazing at the end.

adhering washi tape border and selecting stencil butters

I then selected my Stencil Butter Colors. I chose to go with warm tones – Gamboge, Marigold, Crimson, but added a pop of the cool tones with Fuchsia and Orchid. These all work together beautifully, and mean that I can lose myself in the process and not have to ‘think’ as I go.

Using these colors, I applied them in horizontal sections, mixing the colors where they met, moving from the top of my page down towards the bottom. A little water allows the colors to blend and also provides a gorgeous watercolor result (but still with a bit of shimmer!

applying stencil butters with a bit of water to create a gorgeous sunset background

This looks like a glorious sunset!

Now I grab stencil TCW963 Hanging Vines, turn it upside down and apply more Stencil Butter with a dry makeup sponge through the stencil.

This part is all about layering, adding different stems from the stencil, and ensuring you use ALL of the colors that you selected for the background.

sponging stencil butter through a leafy stencil using a make up sponge

Keep building until you get something like this….

layer upon layer of vines

I just love the way the colors blend and create the illusion of depth.

Now I grab stencil TCW2309 Grass Slimline and repeat the above process to create some grass along the bottom edge.

adding some grass using the same technique as above

Now it’s time to add a title. For this I selected stencil TCW686 Julie’s Words and specifically selected the quote ‘The earth without art is just eh’. I felt this suited the page – the sunset colors, the beauty of nature around us – the beauty of the earth that inspires so much art.

I knew the washi tape would leave a crisp white border, and I wanted to keep it simple. Normally, my go to is black, but I felt pure white would honor the minimalism and not detract, so I grabbed out TCW9004 Light and Fluffy Modeling Paste. This stuff is gorgeous and dries opaque white, which is exactly what I needed, so I swiped it on in the bottom corner using a spatula.

adding a title by smearing light and fluffy modeling paste through a word stencil

When you lift up the stencil, it’s pure magic! This magic is doubled when you remove the washi tape. Glorious!!

title reads 'the earth without art is just eh'
close ups of art journal page
art journal page in pinks, yellows and reds

There you have it! I’d love to see this created in cool colors of blues and greens. Equally as awesome I reckon.

Thanks for stopping by, I wish you color and the time to enjoy our beautiful earth.

Tambarambaa (aka Tammy Klingner) – Design Team Member of TCW

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