The decision is out - I am madly in love with my Cameo Silhouette machine! Did I say this before?
I think I might have but I just can't help myself.
I love the use of scale in my work. I often talk about it in my classes. Sometimes all a piece needs to finish it off is a few more prints ( such as stencils or stamps) of an image you have already used but in a different scale. You can easily accomplish this by enlarging or reducing your image/design on your home copy machine/printer or on your computer with editing software. I use photoshop but there are so many others you can use! The Silhouette allows me to have multiple sizes of one design with little effort.
Cutting stencils by hand has become increasingly more and more difficult as the years pass on. Those middle aged finger joints just aren't happy any more griping that exacto knife and pressing hard to cut through the stencil plastic. So I always put off cutting them out.
As a result, I have had a growing pile of stencil designs for a while now. So it has been such a treat to see them come alive. Here are a few examples.
Within the silhouette software I can easily resize the image, as well as create a mirror image.
I think I might have but I just can't help myself.
I love the use of scale in my work. I often talk about it in my classes. Sometimes all a piece needs to finish it off is a few more prints ( such as stencils or stamps) of an image you have already used but in a different scale. You can easily accomplish this by enlarging or reducing your image/design on your home copy machine/printer or on your computer with editing software. I use photoshop but there are so many others you can use! The Silhouette allows me to have multiple sizes of one design with little effort.
Cutting stencils by hand has become increasingly more and more difficult as the years pass on. Those middle aged finger joints just aren't happy any more griping that exacto knife and pressing hard to cut through the stencil plastic. So I always put off cutting them out.
As a result, I have had a growing pile of stencil designs for a while now. So it has been such a treat to see them come alive. Here are a few examples.
One of the things I am thrilled about is that I can still create the designs by hand, you know, the old fashioned way by drawing on a piece of paper. I really didn't want to have to design on the computer. I want a hand drawn look to the stencils, plus I want to be able to sketch out designs while I am watching TV with my family, while I am outside and while sitting at my drawing table. And I love the feel of that pencil in my hand. Know what I mean?
Here is how it all works. Basically I sketch out the design. This is actually quite a challenge for me. My drawing style and use of line has to do with subtly and gradations. Stencils are all about black and white! No greys! Once I have the idea sketched, I put it on my little light table to trace out the outlines n a new sheet of paper. Then I fill the shapes in with a black marker. I like the brush tip of Pitt Pens best for this.
Then comes the computer. I scan in the black and white design, smooth out the edges and joints in photoshop, then load it into the silhouette for cutting. This is a good example of the progression.
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| sketch in pencil |
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| The traced outlines with a pitt pen. |
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| The shapes filled in with a Pitt pen and refined in photoshop. |
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| The cut stencils. |
That is all for now. A friend of mine has suggested I put together some tutorials of the many things I do. It is a great idea and the natural next step for me as a teacher. So stay tuned!
Don't forget to click on the images for a larger view.