Dina Wakley is back by popular demand! You’ve heard her recently discuss how to find courage with color, and how to experiment with different ways to see, as an artist, patterns and shapes. Today Dina tells us about using stencils and masks, which are an inexpensive and easy way to make your pages pop.
Three Ways to Use a Mask on One Piece of Art by Dina Wakley
• Regular masking. Start by laying the mask on your work and painting around it. Use several colors and make sure your shapes overlap. If you don’t overlap your shapes, they’ll look like they’re floating and won’t relate to each other in the composition.
• Reverse masking. Rub some paint on your piece and place your mask over the paint. Then use a baby wipe to rub away any paint that’s extending beyond the mask. This is reverse masking, and it’ll give you an interesting positive shape from your mask.
• Mask prints. Coat the mask with a thin layer of paint (my heavy body paint works really well for this and won’t bead up on the plastic). Add a spray of water, and then press the mask onto your work. This gives you a print of the mask.
Dina adds: “I think it’s smart to repeat a mask or stencil shape in your art. This creates repetition, which in turn creates unity and makes your piece look interesting and dynamic.” This is so helpful, as we’re all looking for ways to unify our designs. In Dina’s new DVD, Art Journal Stencils and Masks, you’ll learn in-depth techniques for creating unique layers and more for your art journal pages. Watch a preview here, and be inspired.
Yours in art,
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