Since I bought my new gadget, The Silhouette Portrait, I have been in the stencil-making mode. Here is my new design on fabric.
In this post I’m going to take you through my process from a photograph to my finished stenciled fabric.
A couple years ago, my friend Amy and I took a day and drove over to French Lick, Indiana to enjoy the Fall weather and to take some pictures. I just loved this stone wall.
I thought it might make an interesting stencil so the other evening I got out my sketchbook and sketched part of this wall.
The more I looked at this, the more I realized I liked this wall because it looked like African art which I love. With my Ipad next to me and using Paper, I changed the drawing a bit.
Yes, that was looking much more like I wanted it to even though it really doesn’t look like that stone wall anymore! I have to stop right now and tell you something. Years ago when I was under a different administration (marriage), I found a picture of a beautiful denim quilt with a large dog draped on top of it and took the picture to my then hubster. “This is what I’m going to make for our bed.” He thought it was beautiful – a patchwork of old jeans which we had plenty of.
Well, I started working on it and before I knew, I was at the fabric store buying some red denim and white denim with red and blue stripes. I thought I’d just add a little spice – my little (or really large) change to this project. So when I was half done with the top, I showed him. I was pretty proud of it, even though it looked nothing like the picture. He took one look at it and started laughing and said, “It looks like a d*** flag!” I left the room and threw away the top. End of me making any quilts for that bed.
Since then I’ve realized that what I did is part of the artistic process. I don’t want to replicate what I see. I want it to be mine. Anyway, on with this stencil making process.
So now to take this design into the Silhouette Studio software and clean it up, round off the corners.
Then to cut it.
On the left side is the stencil, on the right cardstock cut out. I like to cut out with cardstock first to make sure my stencil works. Now to playing with it!
I took one of those pieces I made in that soy wax class.
That was neat, but I wanted more. So I went back into the Portrait and played with the design and came up with this stencil. I wasn’t sure if I’d like it so I just cut it out of cardstock and used it. I’ll be cutting a regular stencil of it for sure.
Then I used it on fabric from my low immersion dye post.
I can see this pattern repeating. Unfortunately, I ran out of fabric to continue the design.
And a close up:
To be inspired and see what other fiber artists are creating, check out Nina Marie’s Off The Wall Friday Link up. I’m off there right now to get my dose of inspiration.
Awesome, Lynda! And I agree… we see something, become inspired, but want to make our own vision based on the original. Your Portrait seems to have been a very good purchase for you! I see many stencils in your future… 😉
Judy, Thanks!
First off – great stencil! And thanks for showing your process from inspiration to stencil.
Secondly – Oh my goodness! I’ve been to French Lick, Indiana! I grew up in the Chicago area and in high school we took a 4 day field trip to southern Indiana to go spelunking (it was a geology class). We stayed in French Lick and I remember how BEAUTIFUL the area is. I also remember clearly walking through the round building that is now a hotel. It seems like it was something else at the time. It wasn’t as grand as the photos are showing online. Maybe it was a hotel, I can’t really remember. But thanks for bringing back some memories of very fun times.
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Hi Lisa, Thanks. The hotel you are talking about is West Baden Springs. The round lobby is so beautiful. For many years it was closed and not in good repair and then it was a private school. But it again is up and running as a hotel and a great place to stay and we ate lunch when we were there. That’s neat your high school did field trips. Our only field trips were to the zoo or local attractions. Glad it brought back some memories.
Wow looks amazing!
Kathy, Thanks!
Love seeing your process…from first sight to end product.
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Halle, Thanks. It’s amazing sometimes how we get to the end.
That is beautiful Lynda! Love, love, love that design!! And so true about the creative process…we get inspired by something and just take it from there, that’s what it’s all about.
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Oh my gosh – I love it! My mother-in-law’s next door neighbor has these really old bricks that are big and square with these awesome patterns in them. Next time I am there I am going to take some pictures of them and see if one of them would make a good stencil
Kristina, Thanks! It’s funny how things turn out. Hope it’s a bit warmer there.
Annette, So glad you love it! Funny you should talk about bricks because Sunday I tore out in one of those flyers – think it was Menards – a picture of bricks!! Need more time to play with it.
I am so wild these days. I bought one and have not yet even plugged it into the computer yet!
Oh Susie, I can’t wait to see what you create!
Lynda,
These are amazing. Will you be teaching soon?
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Dolly, Thanks! I’m teaching a marbling class at East Library starting Monday which is full. What would you like to learn?