Playing with Stencils: Exploring
Repetition, Pattern, and Personal Designs by Amy Rice features variety
in design of others while teaching readers how to go about creating their own personal
touches in various projects. Along with plenty of information there are a number
of photographs depicting the various ideas covered in the book.
Broken into three main
sections along with several resource sections the book opens with the basics
after a brief introduction. Section One titled “Getting Started: Designing,
Enlarging, Transferring, Cutting, and Burning” begins on page 10. The section
opens with an explanation of what a stencil is as well as what it isn't before
moving on to how to manipulate a stencil by various means. Along with the detailed
instructions and photographs there is a small section titled “tips” that
contains helpful hints.
Section 2 titled “Projects
to Play With: Inspiring Stencil Ideas” features 20 projects. This section is
the heart of the book and references the stencil templates located later in the
book as well as other possibilities. The first project is for “Scherenschnitte-Inspired
Floor Tiles” on pages 25-27. A brief introduction to the history behind the
project followed by a list of materials and possible variations begins the
project. On the facing page is a photograph of a completed floor tile project
at close range showing more than eight tile squares with design. The following
two pages of this project feature the detailed instruction as well as several
photographs from start to finish.
This same format is followed
through the remaining 19 projects. They include “Stencils Love Decoupage: Old Wood
and Antique Letters” (pages 32-35) on an old wooden trunk with wheels, “A Simple
Stencil for a Prettier Cake” (pages 36-39), “Paper Dolls Please” (page 48-51),
“Reverse Stencil Planters” (pages 68-71), and “Custom Wallpaper” (pages
100-103) among others. Unlike many crafting or project books, this book does
not feature a degree of difficulty scale making it impossible to judge whether
the projects would be difficult for those new to stenciling or beneath very
experienced stencilists.
Section 3 titled “Gallery:
Influential Contemporary Artists Who Us Stencils” begins on page 104. This
section features ten artists working in the medium in various ways. Artists
such as the duo working as “Broken Crow” as well as solitary artists such as Matt
Dixon, Megan Hunter, Liz Miller, Susan Rodriquez, and the author herself among
others are featured. Not only are the works depicted here beautiful to look at,
but they serve as inspiration to others.
Starting on page 126 there
are the templates. There are 13 actual designs located here. The page titled
“Templates” that heads off the section is blank.
That is followed by a one
page “Artist Directory” that provides online contact info for the ten artists
in the gallery. Also included in these remaining few pages is a one page “Resources”
list providing six websites for various materials and a brief author bio. Also
present is a one page ad featuring other stenciling and stamping books
available from the publisher.
Featuring projects that go
from floor to table to drapes to food and everything in between Playing
with Stencils: Exploring Repetition, Pattern, and Personal Designs by
Amy Rice features a lot of colorful and varied projects. While skill level is
not addressed in this 145 page book it is clear that like any other art form
patience and practice will be needed to perfect the image you are trying to
create. This is a good resource to help you get started while also providing
plenty of inspiration.
Playing
with Stencils: Exploring Repetition, Pattern, and Personal Designs
Amy
Rice
Quarry
Books (Quayside Publishing Group)
May
2013
ISBN#
978-1-59253-829-4
Paperback
$24.99
144
Pages
Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano
Texas Public Library System.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2014
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