so this morning, let’s take it more slowly…
I’m going to ask Nige to join me for a little 
Questions and Answers Session… 

Nigel: So what are we going to be using?

The Woodland Stencil
and a couple of characters from 
the Woodland Animals Stamp Set
Moon mask set
Gelli Card
Denim Adirondack 
Pesto Adirondack
Brayer
 Stencil Brushes 

Attach the Woodland Stencil to the white square Gelli Card, 
using Low-tack masking tape

Nigel: Why this card?


Just because it’s the right size and the right kind of card.
And let’s add a large moody moon, from the mask set, too.

Nigel: I suppose you could punch the moon out of a Post-It too?

Absolutely.

Tear a hill out of a sheet of copy paper,

And attach it at the sides, like so. 

Now load the Brayer with Denim Adirondack 
and roll it over the sky area.

This is where you need a stencil brush to get in the cracks.

Nigel: Oooerrr!

And a make-up sponge.

Nigel: I say old girl! Steady on!

Use a black ink pad now, 
and work around the edge of the stencil with a make-up sponge.
use a stencil brush with a little black too, to darken the blue.

Lift the moon mask, 
and lightly swish across the moon for a moon shadow.

Now let’s do the land.
Move the torn copy paper, and add a couple of hillocks with Pesto Adirondack. Great colour combo: Denim and Pesto.

Nigel: Did you say Hillocks?!

Unload the rest of the black on your stencil brush around the base.

Nigel: Can you wash these brushes?

Oh yes. 
Warm soapy water and let them dry in the window sun.

Now we need to remove the masking tape.
Can you help me out Nigel?

Nigel: Oh yes, my pleasure…

To really sharpen the edges and increase a sense of depth to the aperture illusion here, run a dark blue pen around the edge of the stencil – especially along the lower edges of the branches.

Nigel: Any particular pen?

A Promarker with the special fine nib is peach. 
But you could use a dark colouring pencil, too

Time to  add the animals on the outside 
with a black Archival Ink Pad.

Nigel: Why have you used an Archival ink pad this time?

Because we want a really solid black image, 
and the Archivals are brilliant for crisp black images.

Nigel: A squirrel or a fox on one of the branches 
would look great too, right?

That’d be some branch….

Nigel: Or some fox!

Using the torn paper, let’s anchor the fawn and the stag by adding a little shadow under their feet with a make-up sponge.

Swish the rest of the Blue from your Stencil Brush 
around the edges
.

All done. 

Nigel: And then you just mount your art?


A thin black edge with a Sharpie pen around the white card first really adds.

Nigel: Mmm. Big boy!

Thanks for keeping me company, Nige! You are brilliant.