Sketching Outside ~ Watercolour Wednesday!

After a fairly mild winter around here, spring has been a bit hesitant to arrive. This week, however, has been sunny, warm and beautiful. I think sping is here at last! Along with spring have come my allergies. So while sitting outside this morning sketching these pretty Grape Hyacinths, I was fighting the wind, and watery eyes, and sneezing. But I'm not complaining. At least there weren't any mosquitos!

Grape Hyacinths

In my Garden Sketchbook

NFS

Homemade Stencils for the Gelli® Printing Plate ~ A Little Tutorial

Browsing through Pinterest the other day, I saw how a lady had made her own stencils for use on a Gelli® printing plate. I am always on the lookout for things that are fun, easy, and cheap (or free!) to use on my Gelli plate, and this fit the bill!
Here's how I made one:

I bought some of these plastic Index Dividers from the Dollar Store:

Then I drew a pattern on to a piece of computer paper. I shaded in the parts that are to be cut out, so I don't get "lost".

I taped down the paper and then taped the divider over top and traced the pattern. I filled in the places that I want to cut out with the marker.

I then placed the divider on a cutting mat and using a craft knife, started cutting away the coloured-in pieces.

I trimmed off the divider tab:

Lets try it out! Using a brayer, spread a thin even coat of acrylic paint to the Gelli® plate.

Place the stencil on top of the plate and then place a clean sheet of paper over the stencil. Using pressure from your  hands or the brayer, rub the back of the paper all over the printing plate, making sure you have pressed evenly all over. Then slowly pull off the paper to reveal your print.

In the print on the right, I used the paint that was left on the plate after pulling off the first sheet of paper and put the green paper down on the printing plate and rubbed it again to get the "ghost print".

I decided to do another print over top of the first one I did, but rotated the stencil. The print on the right is the "ghost print", 

Well, that's my little tutorial! If you have any questions, just comment below and I'll get back to you with an answer very soon.