Monday, January 25, 2016

StencilGirl and Art Squares (from inchie arts) Blog Hop



A long long time ago in a galaxy far away, I participated in an Inchie Swap. 
Remember when those were 'the thing?' At that time, we were using card stock that we handcut into squares.  
I about lost my mind because the squares were so little, as in one inch by one inch (duh) and I had an awful time decorating them, it was as if my brain simply wouldn't work that small. I famously (or infamously?) declared inchies were not my thing. 
Flash forward and my team here at StencilGirl developed the idea to do a Blop Hop with inchie arts llc. I'll fess up; I agreed to participate just to be a team player and, because it is (after all) my company, right?

Imagine my delight when I found out how totally cool and fun the Art Squares are! 
I love these little substrates!!
Art Squares of various sizes 
The minute I took them out of the packages, I started to see their potential in a new way. Yes! They looked like tiny substrates to me and I imagined working on them as part of an overall piece. 
I took some tape and arranged it sticky side up so I could lay out the Art Squares in a pleasing composition. I used delicate surface tape because they are made of museum grade mat board and I didn't want to tear the surface. There is a 'right' side and 'wrong' side to the Squares which is clearly explained on the packaging.
Once I had my layout, I started painting and working on the Squares just like I would any other piece. 
Initial painting using Golden Fluid Acrylic paints and white gesso.
The Art Squares tolerate quite a bit of water which was a pleasant surprise. During the course of this project, I created several layers and the squares held up beautifully. Naturally I used stencils, my own Grid stencils seemed made for this project, right??
Mary Beth's Grid Stencils
I also used Carolyn Dube's Building Stencil which is a 'must have' for a grid obsessed girl like me.
Carolyn Dube Buildings Stencil
Painted batch of Art Squares
I ended up with a gorgeous batch of square is a variety of sizes. Not wanting to be influenced by my initial layout, I took them all off the tape and contemplated them anew. I used the larger Art Squares as the background and painted them Raw Umber to blend with the smaller squares. Then I arranged them mosaic style and created a piece of art. I did a little bit more embellishing with stencils and ink, then called it done. I even have several leftover squares to use in other pieces.

So much fun to make, I adored working with the Art Squares. 


GIVEAWAY

We'll be picking one lucky winner
to receive a $25 StencilGirl Products Gift Certificate and
1 package each of White 4", 3", ATC (2.5" X 3.5") and Swatch (2" X 4") size Art Squares!

All comments left on the hop list participants’ posts will be entered. 
One comment per blog. 
Comments close on January 30th @ 11:59PM Central.
Winner will be announced on 
StencilGirl Product’s Facebook Page
 on January 31st.


Below are the hop list order (with links embedded) and attached is the giveaway image!

Thanks to everyone for hopping!

93 comments:

  1. These are really cool. I love your colors. This will be fun to see.

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  2. i've always liked these colors together.

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  3. I was in that far away galaxy too swapping and making inchies and in fact they feature on quite a few of my quilts so this is a happy reunion with one of my favourite shapes. Love what you've done with them.

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  4. Anonymous6:19 AM

    great idea, well done

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  5. Beautiful piece! My initial thought was "what's the biggie, they are just little square pieces of paper." I have been enlightened.

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  6. Very interesting as I love to creat master boards to cut up for postcards. I will have to try it even smaller.

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  7. The grid design is awesome.

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  8. Cool piece you've created. Look forward to seeing what the others create with these little substrates.

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  9. How great minds think alike. Love this application, co-incidentally I have a similar idea with slightly larger squares/rectangles. The outcome is delightful. Thanks for the insights on the art squares and how they hold up. See you at the next blog hop stop. mrsjetjr at yahoo dot com.

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  10. Love the design and colors. I will have to try the square effect...thank you for the inspiration.

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  11. Thanks so much for introducing this new kind of substrate! I see lots of possibilities for it -- and yes, it goes perfectly with these stencils you cited. Be still, my heart...!

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  12. I love, love, love how you approached this MB and what you did, the colors, taking them apart and mixing them up after you originally painted them -looks great!!!

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  13. Wonderful! Thanks for helping me leap to inspiration. I enjoyed my introduction to mosaics and have always enjoyed jigsaw puzzles. The idea of combining the two had not occurred to me before. Thank you, Mary Beth. weaverclarke (at) gmail (dot com)

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  14. I like the idea of painting the inchies as one canvas, and then taking them apart to use in a different way.
    cnikita2(at)aol(dot com)

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  15. I really like the idea of making the picture then switching it up and creating a whole new painting. I love the finished result!

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  16. GORGEOUS!!!! It is like 100 mini paintings in one :)

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  17. Beautiful! I am going to try this out!

    elisebuskey@yahoo.com

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  18. oh wow! They would make for a beautiful wall in a home. Beautiful work.

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  19. So awesome, love the way you built the canvas! So many treasure all in one, beautiful!
    Thanks so much for sharing!~kim

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    1. Your piece it beautiful! Did you keep all of the mini substrates together while painting them? I really like the big ink looking mark.

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  21. Anonymous11:32 AM

    Love the way you work, the colors and the finished product. Thanks so much for sharing with us! I am off to my studio now. : ) pdbailey@msn.com

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  22. Anonymous11:56 AM

    Mary Beth, what a fabulous project! I loved your post, the comments about "inchies", and how you shared a renewed enthusiasm to create with the Art Squares!

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  23. I may have to play with art squares (haven't done any inchies in a while). Love!

    Marilyn

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  24. What a creative and artful mind you have MB! I just said to Mary that I love the way we can use the inchies as a part of the bigger picture. Your idea turning out so inspiring and fun! suzschultz23@aol.com

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  26. These are all great pages! Thanks for the chance to win!
    seekr8pal at yahoo dot com

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  27. Love, Love, Love this! The colors, the stencils, the art work - gotta get busy, bye! one4maus (at) gmail (dot com)

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  28. I think the hardest thing about this project is choosing which stencil to use...so many of your stencils will work on these tiles!

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  29. Mary Beth, you ALWAYS inspire with new visions of working with stencils.

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  30. Oops - now entering giveaway
    susanwarder@gmail.com

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  31. MB - stunning work! thanks for the chance to win. Stephanie sltresso (at) hotmail (dot) com

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  32. Anonymous12:31 PM

    I love your colors and how each square can stand alone and in the larger work. I'm not sure I have the patience to work with these, the blog hop will be a deciding factor. ann_choate (at) yahoo (dot com)

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  33. This is gorgeous! Love the colors and composition.

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  34. Anonymous12:35 PM

    I love the mosaic look and the different sizes of the boards...

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  35. Replies
    1. Sorry - here is my e-mail: jwaterhouse57@verizon.net
      Thanks!

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    2. Really liked this idea. Would like to see a video. krassnerjl@aol.com. Also we should be able to change the "Reply as" box. I never use my Google acct.

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  36. How fun! I love this. Such a fun look!

    mjmarmo@comcast.net

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  37. Great idea will try this. Thanks for sharing

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  38. love!
    lorquil3(at)gmail(dot)com

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  39. I adore the way you used the Inchies as tiny substrates!! Brilliant, Mary Beth!
    And such beautiful mini paintings!!

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  40. I love how you used them! How fun!

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  41. I like your colors. And, your composition...b
    Bsavellano (at) gmail (dot) com

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  42. How super cool, Mary!!! What an artistic approach to using your inchie squares and the final piece is exquisite!!! Thanks for the awesome inspiration today! :)

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  44. What fun! I love the colors you used, Mary Beth, and would love to have a chance to play with these little squares. Thanks.
    marilyn
    marimuseinpt@gmail.com

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  45. I love how you used the Inchie squares in your art piece, and fabulous colors! I've been creating Inchies, Twinchies, Thrinchies, 4x4's for years. It can be quite addicting. Thanks for playing along:)

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  47. Love the inchie squares. Fun ideas.

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  48. opps! I'll try again...
    Oh, boy, great ideas from S.G.!
    Love the inchies and the ideas!
    riverfern80 (at) gmail (dot com)

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  49. Thank you for sharing the grid design, great ideas. dellg1@comcast.net

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  50. I love blog hops and the great ideas. Thanks for the chance.

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  51. You really made this your own--and it is wonderful! Another revelation for me.
    Thank you!

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  52. How fun! Another dimension to explore! Thank you.

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  53. what a wonderful idea for inchy art. Like you I was intimidated by the scale but now it all becomes clear. Like you I will have to try again.

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  54. Love you design! Thanks for a chance to win such amazing products!
    tinasawyers77 (at) gmail (dot com)

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  55. I love the squares and the grid stencils...your work is cool and inspiring. Waiting to try some out. Thanks for sharing.

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  56. LOVE these, I've got to try!!

    Kathy H
    hennies.pennies@yahoo.com

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  57. The colors are quite sophisticated and your idea to combine the smaller squares on top of the larger squares is a great idea.

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  58. Anonymous8:22 PM

    Love what you're doing with the inchies!

    rl.black at yahoo dot com

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  59. Love all the layers of paint you used!

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  60. Oops, forgot to add my email address. kawhite100 (at) yahoo (dot com)

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  61. Mary Beth - this piece is seriously mind blowing!! I really never saw the need for all the square stencils...boy was I ever wrong!! Amazing!!
    wsquaredca at gmail dot com

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  62. I love the design.

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  63. Wow! It is an amazing art!
    live888bg(at)gmail(dot)com

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  64. I love this colorful grunge artwork!

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  65. Cool idea to use the inchies in a grid to make a bigger piece !! I have never worked on inchies but I loved your idea and the outcome too :)

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  66. Very inspiring like to try this

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  67. Inchie Art Squares rock! Thank you for showcasing them in your post! Super fun piece(s)!

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  68. What a great idea. This makes perfect sense to me.

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  69. Thanks Mary Beth I love how you used the inches!
    Alisabarott(at) gmail (dot com)

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  70. This is absolutely gorgeous! I love the idea of creating a modular painting, and yours turned out amazing!

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  71. wonderful tile look, beautiful

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  72. I LOVE this idea of using smaller substrates and treating them as one piece. I am definitely doing this!

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  73. While I love the idea, I am not sure my brain can take it in. But maybe old people can learn new tricks

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  74. Pretty! I also love Carolyn's grid stencil. It is on my wish list...
    Eva

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  75. Pretty! I also love Carolyn's grid stencil. It is on my wish list...
    Eva

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  76. Love your work, Mary Beth! linnhistory@hotmail.com

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  77. Anonymous11:59 AM

    So totally awesome, MaryBeth! You blow me away with your creations! Love the colors and everything actually! Thanks for sharing and for the chance to win some of those cool art squares. Iluv2cre84u(at)gmail(dot)com

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  78. What a great idea to make a larger piece and then separate them later. I would have just stared at the little pieces and wondered what to do.

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  79. Love this idea of being parts of an overall piece! Can't wait to give this a try.

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  80. Beautiful project!!!
    raggiodiluce82 (at) gmail (dot com)

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  81. In 2014 I started a project called Art 365 and just about managed to do an inchie a day. I still do it. And I love it.
    What I don't do is something like this. I love the layers and the colors and composition. I'm sure the idea of taping them all together allows for that cohesiveness. Maybe I'll try something like that for February. It's a great big creative world out there. Thanks for sharing yours.

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  82. This is a fabulous piece! The layers and the colors are amazing! My muse has been motivated to play with inchies in a new way. Thanks for sharing!

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  83. Very cool. Thanks for sharing your technique.

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  84. Really love this idea, and the finished piece, gorgeous.

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    Replies
    1. Ooops. Bevtextart (at) btinternet (dot com)

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  85. Very cool! Love that building stencil! Love all of the colors and splatter effect. Awesome work!! Thank you for sharing.

    Katie B. imkt (at) excite (dot) com

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  86. Wow! It's amazing! Thank you to reconcile us with inchies them...
    The association of inchies together is a great idea and the result is a true work of art

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  87. Beautiful energy in this piece, MaryBeth. Love it

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