Design Inspiration. Planet Stencil Library.

How to combine metallic paint and gilding powder to make a luscious gold paint

I have made a short video to show my method of combining our gilding powder with water based metallic paint to make a gorgeous rich gold colour, suitable for stencilling on fabrics as well as many other household surfaces. It has sound and captions.  So, if you don't want to hear me you'll still get the gist of what I am doing.

 

The paint that I am using is True Gold from Jacquard's Lumiere range. I mix it with Rose Gold metallic powder, they're both from The Stencil Library  find them in the paint and gilding supplies section.  The video is less than a minute long.  I made it because I'm often trying to describe this method over the phone to my customers and I just thought it might be helpful to see what a delicious looking paint it makes. Also, it gives me a little practice in trying to make a video. Lumiere paint is machine washable when stencilled onto fabrics.  You will find instructions on the jar and also on this blog.  Look in the 'How to stencil' and the 'Stencil Projects' sections.

If you want a brighter gold use a brighter base colour such as Metallic Gold, Bright Gold or Brass all from our metallic paint section on The Stencil Library website.  The rose gold powder make an interesting tint when mixed with bronze and copper paint too.  Only mix small amounts so that it is fresh when applied.  Don't store it in a jar for a few days...it won't like it.

 I like to use the raw True Gold paint for parts of my stencilling then add contrast and highlights with the glitzy powdered version.  It is worth experimenting and if you are scrolling through my posts you will see this combination on furnishings and clothing.

You can add the powder to fabric medium to make you own version of gold fabric paint.

Helen.

Hello. I'm still here.

Just a little note to apologise for not taking you on my travels at the moment. Like many of you I haven't been anywhere since the lock-downs started. I apologise for not bringing you inspiration and information from the stencil projects we've been working on or the new stencil designs created for our website The Stencil Library. We have been working constantly, we are still fine. The tours and classes remain cancelled until we are able to host again. Mail order is unaffected and we are cutting and sending stencils everywhere that is accepting mail.

 I miss writing our blog and chatting with you. I've shown some of the new work onto our @thestencillibrary Instagram please visit and say Hello. AND I will post a project, some stencil inspiration or travels from another era and I will do it by the end of this weekend. There, I have said it so it has to happen. I want to be back!

Missing you, thanks for checking in. Helen.

Celebrating wisteria in an out of the garden.

Whether you want to plant or stencil some wisteria on your walls this post might give some inspiration. Planting a Wisteria was one of the first things I did when The Stencil Library moved to Stocksfield Hall. Over the years it has filled the south wall and is spreading east. If you have no garden you might consider painting a wall of flowers instead

One of our customers showed that with imagination, paint and a stencil of wisteria you can acheive a wall of blooms that need neither sunlight or water.

Mrs B used the LTL11 Wisteria stencil and three colours of acrylic paint: acrylic paint. Alizarine Crimson, Chrome Oxide Green and Medium Magenta.  The wisteria design is offered in two sizes and she chose the small one. 

...and this is the large one! To give an idea of scale, the longest of the flower racemes measures 48" (1239mm) long. So by the tme you add the flowers and twirly bits it creates a dramatic feature wall. 

My skirt is stencilled wth the same design.  The leaves, racemes and stems are all separate stencils and you fit them together in whichever way suits your decorative project.

Stencil no 66 is a simple wisteria border that can make a pretty addition to walls

and TP29 is a good choice for stencilling furniture. I have started taking photos of the stencils when they arrive on the packing desk, I show which stencil brush I would be most likely to use. These are in preparation for a new website, I'm hoping it will help visualise the scale of the stencils.

If you fancied something 'blooming big and bold' try VN185-L it is a two layer repeating design. We've shown it used as a stencilled border and as an allover pattern, there are guide marks on the stencil to help you position it.

We have a similar wisteria tree called JA53 which as yet, I have not used. if you have stencilled it and have pictures I would love to see it. It has a crazy, jagged background pattern which reminds me of Chinese Art Deco.  I did a quick search on The Stencil Library website for wisteria stencils and we have a varied selection. The plant features in Japanese and Chinese decorative arts.  My final image is one that may surprise.

Both wisteria motifs are from our range of Japanese style stencils, they are JA133 and JA134.

I hope that you get to enjoy the sight and scent of wisteria during May. Mine is about to burst into flower and I'm sure that I'll post at least one picture on our Instagram and Facebook page when it does! 

Helen.

 

 

Some stencil projects for the garden

I expect that those of you who have a garden are spending more time than usual in it at the moment.  For the next few weeks I do not forsee me going anywhere other than the four metre commute accross the yard to cut stencils and the short walk to the post office to send them to our customers. So, I may get time to finish some decorating projects. One such project will be to stencil some more garden pots and another fabric gazebo.  I stencilled the Indian style tent in 2018 for my Mum's birthday, the sun hits this spot in late afternoon and early evening so I decorated a dining table.

I intend to create the other stencilled gazebo on the opposite side of the garden.  

I used acrylic paint on the canvas. The stencils were from our Ottoman stencil range and I adjusted some of the sizes. All our stencils are made to order which enables us to offer the same service to our customers.

The seating was made from packaging pallets and hidden under bedsheets decorated with the pheasant border stencil no JA22.

I used True Gold paint from our metallics range, they are machine washable on the material so will withstand the British rain! The stencilled table was protected with exterior varnish bought from a hardware store. 

The plant pots in my pictures were stencilled six years ago and are holding up well. I want to paint some more for the new gazebo.

They were painted with household paint; the kind that sticks to plastic. The stencil was a custom sized F6 Rope design from our stencils for furniture range. None of my garden pots are varnished and the decoration lasts very well.

I used the normal sized rope stencils from our stencils for furniture collection on the chairs.  

If you are inspired to decorate planters in your garden or balcony and would like more information from me just let me know.

Helen.

 

 

How to decorate a cushion cover with a stencil.

In my previous post I promised to try and make helpful 'How To' videos in this time of lock down.  My first one is on this link. The information is based on 30 years experience of stenciling fabric....but zero years of making my own videos. Once I have learned to zoom in and not be headless the tutorials will improve but in 15 minutes you will learn enough from it to successfully decorate a cushion cover with a stencil. The stencil is a custom version of our OTT19 border.

 If it helps to know what I look like whilst you listen to the fabric stencilling video, here's my picture....and yes, I am wearing a stencilled dress.

Helen