One of the things that I enjoy about reading an art book is that it inspires me to play.  Now, I don’t always do exactly what is in the book or do it exactly how the artist did it.  It’s a place to jump off, to start, to play.

Today, I used Mary Beth Shaw’s book, Stencil Girl.  There’s a week long blog hop going on so be sure to check it all out!

Check out the video where you see my whole process for encaustic play.  Disclaimer: I am a total novice with encaustics and am just having fun playing.

Watch Playing with Stencils and Encaustics on YouTube.

Step 1….Pick a page, technique or chapter.

I’ve been exploring encaustic, you can see my first attempt here.  So I was drawn to the chapter called Wax and Waning Encaustic.   There is beautiful carmel brown piece with 20 step-by-step photos in Mary Beth’s book.

Step 2….Pick just one little bit to try. I narrow down to just one thing, or as close to 1 thing as possible, to try.  If I try to do everything the artist did I get overwhelmed by all the pressure.

Step 3….Get what ever supplies are on hand to try it.  If I don’t have the exact items it is just fine with me…And it keeps me from having to read too many words or get caught up shopping instead of playing.  Whatever I have will work.  And by work, I mean let me play. It may not give me the exact same results as in the book but that was never my goal.  My goal was to start playing.

Step 4…Play.  Try it.  Play.  Have fun.  And allow it to be whatever it will be.  It is just play.

Supplies Used:

• Greek Border
• Greek Key
• Encaustic supplies from the Linda Robertson Kit

One lucky winner will receive Stencil Girl The Book with exclusive bookmark stencil and (3) 6″x5″ stencils designed by Mary Beth Shaw.

Giveaway closes Sunday, September 21st @ 11:59PM Central Time.  ALL comments left on the hop are entered in giveaway (but just one comment per blog please).

• StencilGirl Talk
• Carolyn Dube (you’re here)
• Gwen Lafleur
• Maria McGuire

I am confessing my sins today.   My studio sins that is as I join in Seth Apter’s Studio Table .  The real studio table, not the cleaned up ready for company kind of studio table.  Be sure to check out all the wonderful real, in use, studio tables that are being shared!

What happens in my studio?  I leave my brushes in water all the time.  For days sometimes.  Hence my love of cheap brushes.

I have wonderful counter space to work on and it is usually piled high with supplies I’ve pulled out to use. No matter how big or small my space, this is what it looks like most days.   Apparently, I love digging things out from the bottom of the pile because that is where what I need always seems to be.  Does that happen to you too?

My sink is not clean and I don’t care.  I have cleaned it before but it just gets so dirty so quickly, I have given up on the white sink.  And I am much happier for it!

There’s paint and spray ink all over the floor because my studio is a splash zone.  And the walls.  None on the ceiling…yet.

I feel so much better now that I have come clean that I am a studio slob.  I know you all thought I kept the studio pristine and ready for a white glove inspection…

If you’re looking for the 21 Secrets giveaway, you can find it here.