In this process and production lesson we started off experimenting with stencilling as a design tool.
At random we were allocated an object/ thing to stencil, as well as a phrase which too was random and to be stencilled over the top.
The word I was stencilling was a sheep. So below shows some of the quick sketches at how this could be represented. Each shows a different illustrative style to how this could be created.
As this was going to be stencilled with one colour however, this narrowed down which designs would look best once outputted. The two which I thought would look most effective in just one primary colour were the upper and lower sketches on the left hand side. It was challenging trying to work out which areas had to be cut, or had to be left in order for the design to remain clear and as desired.
Here shows the sheep face on sketched on to a larger sheet of A3. Along with the templates cut out below this. In doing this I learnt that the tabs which would connect all the templates of the ares which would remain white, had to be larger than just a thin connection. This was due to them easily tearing in transition, and when the paint roller moved over them.
After this the text was added. The phrase I was given was "choke me smoke the air. Below shows a few experimentations at what typeface and sizing to use. I wasnt sure here if the text should work with the sheep stencil, and work around the main bodies of colour, or if to purposefully graffiti over it in a rough style.
The text sketched on the above right photograph was the one I chose. The kerning, positioning and leading makes use of the stencil-able area, but also both covers and exposes different parts of the red stencil behind it. I think the blue acrylic works well over the red as it is a deeper shade so remains solid and vivid when layered on top. To add a unique style to this type, I chose to blend the E with the previous letter it was next too. It makes the type different but still legible, and has an aesthetic which looks more like a typical stencil.
On a trip to the Whitworth Gallery in Manchester there was an exhibition of Andy Warhol's work. A collection of these made use of stencilling too. A range of different camouflage prints in various colour combinations all had a similar texture to the stencils we were creating in class. The slightly rough edges give character and a hand made appearance to the piece. While still looking refined when seen from a difference.
Below shows both of the poster examples I have created.
With another sketched idea outputted as a stencil with random lyric type on top off. Inspired by the colours I'd previously used as well as those seen left in Andy Warhol's work, I stuck to using rich red and blue for the stencilling.
Below the photographs show the progression of this piece.
Overall I think I prefer this minimalistic aesthetic. Making use of the white space between the sheets head and legs works well, as the sheep wool would be a paler white tone in reality. Also this was much easier to stencil as there wasn't intricate details to try to keep.
This was the same for the type, as inspired by the last stencilled text I wanted to block out the letters which contain gaps, as a typical stencil font would too.
Below shows both of these outputs as mock up posters.
As another development for this technique I hope to create canvas' which have a similar look. A family member has requested for art to be created for their bathroom which would be a minimalistic animal design too.
Below shows this creative process. The template was printed and then cut with a craft knife.
Acrylic coloured paint was used, and was stencilled on with a sponge as the design was quite small to use a paint roller. Orange and grey were used.
Below shows the main hedgehog body cut out as the stencil and then placed on black card. The geometric shapes provide a hard contrast between the black background and the white foreground.
I then edited these canvases. As is the nature with stencilling, a few of the edges of the design weren't crisp, and as seen in the photograph above the grey hedgehog had a small smudge of paint near it's nose. However using photoshop these could be rectified, and these look effective displayed with a backdrop as like with a mock up.
