ArtGlitterBlog: Glitter - Stencils - Paint Techinque by Emily M. Miller

ART GLITTER AND DREAMWEAVER STENCILS ARE TEAMING UP THE ENTIRE MONTH OF JUNE TO BRING YOU AN AMAZING CREATIVE COLLABORATION MIXING DREAMWEAVER STENCILS AND ART GLITTER. COME ALONG FOR THE RIDE...WE PROMISE IT WILL BE A SPARKLING ONE!

Visit the Art Glitter blog and the Dream It Up! blog for fabulous inspiration from both talented design teams. We are encouraging all of you to play along with the challenge of creating with Dreamweaver Stencils and Art Glitter*, preferably using the Double-Glitter Technique. Just link your creation to the Mr. Linky on the Dream It Up! blog, or email pics to lynell@dreamweaverstencils.com, for an opportunity to win one of four fabulous glitter and stencil prize packages. One winner will be chosen each week. (US and Canada only, please).

*For the month of June Art Glitter is selling 1 oz jars of glitter for $5.98 (regular price $7.32)! Get the details HERE!

My new love affair with Dreamweaver Stencils, Acrylic Paint and Art Glitter!

I have been creating acrylic painted backgrounds sprinkled with Art Glitter for a few years now. When I received my Dreamweaver stencils a few weeks ago I was very excited to see that they work well with acrylic paint. And my journey began…

Dreamweaver Stencil LX7007 Leaves with Acrylic Paint and Art Glitter. Left sample: Ultrafine Transparent #273 Cornsilk. Right: Microfine Transparent #744 Artic.

Things U Need

A thick watercolor paper
Acrylic/watercolor paintbrush
Palette, water cup, paper towels
Spray bottle filled w/ water
Acrylic Paint
Dreamweaver Stencils
Art Glitter Ultrafine: Transparent, Pearlescent, Opaque colors
Art Glitter Microfine: Transparent and Opaque colors
Spoon
Aluminum Turkey tray (optional)
Spray Lacquer

Start creating your background by cutting your paper slightly larger than your stencil. Wet your paper with a spray bottle or by dripping water onto paper with paintbrush until it is pretty saturated. You will notice I work inside a large aluminum tray. You may have a favorite way to paint without a tray, but all I can say is…it is so much easier and cleaner!

Paint on your colors till satisfied. I try not to work over this part, keep it simple, let the water and colors mix on the paper. Keep your paint wet and not too thick, but not too wet. Dab up excess water with paper towel and go back with a little more paint. If too wet, the glitter will not stick, same with ‘too dry’, your proverbial ‘just right’ Miss Goldilocks please!

I knew I had hit ‘just right’ when I would lay down the stencil, push in the center and the paper would cling to it with just a small amount of paint squeezing up through the design.

Sprinkle on your glitter with a spoon. You can keep your coverage sparingly for a hit and miss look or cover the design completely. The thicker your glitter coverage, the more careful you will need to be when removing the stencil so excess doesn’t fall onto your design.

After carefully removing stencil set glitter/paint design aside carefully to dry. The stencil looks so cool with the paint on it, the other side with glitter on it looks neat too. But clean your stencil right away like good little crafters.

Clean your stencil by rubbing under hot water gently between your hands. If paint has dried, use rubbing alcohol (in a well ventilated area) or hand sanitizer (Purell seems to have the most alcohol in it) and rub gently on a flat surface with an old toothbrush. You don’t want to bend any precious parts!

Dreamweaver Stencil LJ896 Large Flourish. Left Sample has Art Glitter Ultrafine Pearlescent #178 Ducktail. Right: Ultrafine Transparent #273 Cornsilk.

You have a choice now. The first layer of glitter to hit your paint will stick well. But the top layers will shed. You can let the top layers come off or you can keep them in place by using Spray Lacquer. I suggest going ahead and using the Spray Lacquer, it gives more dimension to your design and you’ll be happier!

The Large Flourish design to the left is really thick. The one on the right has the glitter applied sparingly. Both look great!

Dreamweaver Stencil LG743 Stylized Dahlia with various Art Glitter Ultrafine Transparent colors.

I had a blast making several samples. And they have come in quite handy! I needed a couple of cards this week and these little works of art worked perfectly. Check out my blogbyemm.com post for more examples, step out photos and glitter love!

I made some very interesting 'mistakes' too. I'll try to make a post soon on blogbyemm with those happy blunders.

Just a little more Dreamweaver Stencil fun.

Left: Dreamweaver Stencil LG730 Peacock with Art Glitter Microfine Transparent colors. Right: Dreamweaver Stencil LG743 Stylized Dahlia with Art Glitter Ultrafine Transparent colors.

While I was toiling over my paint-stencil-glitter technique I had a brief brain blurp. I was thinking about how the soap repels the adhesive on sticky paper and I thought it might repel some spray adhesive. And it does, fairly well. For directions and more photos check my Easy Peasy Stencil - Spray Glue - Glitter Fun post on blogbyemm.com.