Steampunk Subway Portal

Art Deco designs make me sigh with happiness. There's something so magical about Deco...so structured and mathematical, yet so curvy and fluid at the same time. The Art Deco stencils designed by Gwen Lafluer for StencilGirl capture that magic.

Like many of my art pieces, this Steampunk Portal emerged as I went along. I started with no plan other than to experiment with some of the Art Deco Stencils. I started by painting a big piece of heavy watercolor paper in one of my favorite colors--light aqua--and once it was dry, I used some molding paste through the two Art Deco Bookplate stencils. The one on the right became the piece I called "Yearn - Dare" which you can see here. The one on the left became the "Steampunk Subway Portal."

Gwen's Deco Bookplate stencil pair was printed with molding paste onto a painted aqua background.

My worktable, covered with various deco stencils and prints.

The effect of the white molding paste on the aqua background was pretty, but I knew it needed more. So, I took out my Derwent Inktense Blocks and added more color. They go on like a chalky crayon, but when you add water, the colors pop, intensify, melt, blend and get really delicious.

The first few strokes of Derwent Inktense Blocks were applied to the painted, stenciled design.

Once water was added, the Inktense colors intensified.

More color was added with the Inktense blocks until the design was ready for embellishment.

I added shades of indigo and moss green and brown until I had an effect I liked. Then I set about deciding how to embellish the background. I had a set of Tim Holtz compass coins that had been in my stash for about a year, and one was just the right size and color for the center circle of the design. I auditioned some of Gwen's Turkmen Jewelry Parts and Dresden Trim to see what would compliment the compass coin.

The chain was too long and the Dresden trim corner pieces too small on this "audition."

The big Dresden corners were gorgeous, but too bold for the background, and they overpowered the central elements.

A smaller piece of Turkmen jewelry was too short and bulky for the background.

 I liked the long chain with a dangling diamond-shaped end-piece, but it was a little too long. I also liked some Dresden corners that I had cut from a bigger piece of a Dresden Medallion, but they were too shiny. I decided to grunge up the gold corner pieces with Seth Apter's chalk paints, and once the paint was dry, added a layer of black ink.

A Dresden medallion was cut apart to make the deco corner fan shapes.

Chalk paints and black ink gave an aged effect to the Dresden corners.

 I felt that the Turkmen chain was too long and considered cutting it. But even if I cut it, dangling it from the center of the compass seemed too boring. I didn't really want to cut it, so I decided to anchor the coin with a large brass brad and then wrap the chain around the top of the coin. I used some thread to stitch it in place and a little heavy gel medium for extra holding power.

It seemed to need words, so I found a Rumi quote that I had printed on a clear Avery mailing label, carefully trimmed away the excess, and adhered it to the top and bottom. The words are: "Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray."

Once the words were on, I knew I was almost done, but still felt it needed more. I put away my art supplies for the night and slept on it.

The next day I was thinking about how to finish the piece, and realized it was looking pretty Steampunk. It also occurred to me that it looked like a magical door or portal. As I was riding the subway on my way home from work, I realized that a few months before I had taken a photo of the sign in the station of my new work stop--149th Street in the Bronx--and that the photo would go nicely with my work-in-progress. The colors in the photo were greenish and old, and the mosaic tiles, the design of the sign and the font--as on much of the old signage in the NYC subway system--are authentically early 20th century.

Subway sign over the tracks at the Bronx 149th Street station

I shrunk the photo down to the right size and printed it, then cropped it so only the number showed. My color printer was a little off and it looked dull printed on ordinary copy paper, so I covered the little sign with some of Seth Apter's Baked Texture Beeswax embossing powder, which greatly enhanced the image. I also edged the little sign with sepia archival ink and added a touch of Lumiere gold paint, then used heavy gel medium to adhere it to the stenciled background design. Last, I strategically added some little square brass brads, which echoed the mosaic of the subway sign and complimented the deco geometry.

I realized that the NYC subway system really is my daily portal. I get on the subway every weekday morning by going through the lobby, and then through the basement, of the gorgeous Art Deco Chrysler Building. So,  I have my "aaaah" moment of beauty twice a day as I am going to work and coming home. During my commute, I love looking at all variations in the designs and colors of the old deco tiles signs along the way, which makes what could be a long, boring ride a little more interesting.

Deco Dreams

One of the most therapeutic art things I do is create journal pages. Years ago I tried off and on to keep a journal. Mine never looked anything like the beautiful journals I saw in magazines and books. They were awkward and incomplete. I was intimidated by all the white pages staring back at me, and felt pressure to do a masterpiece…at least on the first page or two.

All that changed when I took a course offered by Ink Pad NYC with instructor Kelly Kilmer. Not only did I create my own handmade journal that day, I learned a step by step technique for journaling and created several good journal pages. Now I’m addicted to art journaling.

When I saw Gwen Lafleur’s Stencil Girl Art Deco stencil series, I just had to have the one with a triangular design that reminded me of the Chrysler building. I am inspired each time I see that art deco structure, and often pass through the lobby of the building on my way to take the subway to and from work. 

First, I gathered my stencil, paints and other supplies.

I tested the deco stencils on several kinds of paper, with several colors, and tried it out on my gelli plate as well. I selected the most perfect print—which was done on lightweight deli paper with a steel-gray paint—and decided it would be the centerpiece of my journal page.

Prints of the deco stencils done with acrylic paint on deli paper.

As I made the page, I was thinking about Sinatra’s song New York, New York—which has become the unofficial anthem of New York—and all the thousands of people who come to the city seeking fame, fortune, love and happiness.

Following Kelly’s formula, I rummaged through my scrap box and piles of hand-painted and commercial papers and pulled out whatever caught my eye at that moment. I also pulled out some papers that Gwen carries on her website. They were a miss-mosh of colors and styles from several different countries, but that seemed right. I also chose a strip paper from a Chinese newspaper, which added to the multicultural theme. I was aiming for a page about New York, with the many cultures and nationalities living and working side by side, so the unrelated designs made sense to me.

Blank journal pages, with assorted favorite papers and ephemera.

Final selection of papers, fabric and images for the journal collage.

I worked instinctively, tearing them to the size that, in that very moment, seemed right, and used both a glue stick and gel medium to adhere them to the page of my journal. Kelly’s method is to work quickly, without overthinking, choose 4-5 background papers, tear then to the size you want, and glue them down quickly. Then, add your focal point. Next, add a stamp or stencil somewhere on the page. Last, add some words or some handwritten marks.

For this page, the focal point was the deco stencil print. I carefully trimmed away the excess deli paper around the image, and later, used a glue stick to hold it in place.

Deco image, printed on deli paper, suggesting the top of New York City's famous Chrysler Building.

 Here is a step by step view of my base page creation process:

Liquitex matte medium was spread on the blank page with an old credit card, and first layer
(hand printed in white on blue painted deli paper with a Nathalie Kalbach art foamie set) was added.

More base layers from Gwen's paper collection were added instinctively.

Yet more layers of fabric and papers were added. Using two of my own fabrics (the green batik and dotted leaf)
seemed especially appropriate because I came to New York to fulfill my dream of becoming a textile designer.

The final base layer is finished, with the cutout deco stencil and butterfly positioned, but not glued.

 I was almost done, but felt it needed something soft to balance the deco building image, so, for an accent, I chose a butterfly from Gwen’s Beautiful Butterflies downloadable pdf. I gently tore the butterfly around the edges, and added Distress Stain and a little sepia ink to age it a bit.

A butterfly was torn from the Beautiful Butterflies sheet.

The edges of the butterfly were aged with distress stain and a sepia ink pad.

 The butterfly represents the hope that so many people have—hope that they will find success and happiness and maybe even love by coming to New York. Aging the butterfly kept it from looking too stark, and also reflects the fact that New York can be a sooty, dirty, noisy place but that doesn’t stop the butterfly or the hopeful people.

When the page was nearly done, I took an old favorite lacy stamp, and, with white printmaking paint, added some soft touches on the right side to represent clouds.

Last, I added a stamped (on deli paper) Dina Wakely quote: “Give the historians something to write about.” It seemed the perfect quote for a journal page about hopes and dreams. The page is a bit autobiographical; 39 years ago I was a bit of a starry eyed young woman, coming to New York to study textile design and hopefully find a fulfilling career. Almost four decades later, I am still inspired by New York, the Chrysler Building and other architectural wonders, and the energy of the millions of people who live and work here.

Close up of Deco Dreams journal page.

And here's some news...Gwen is going to be having a birthday / Halloween sale the 30th-31st on everything, including original artwork and jewelry! So mark your calendars and save the date. There will be a coupon code that has to be used in checkout. Click HERE to go to Gwen's website to see all her awesome merchandise and creations.

For more information about classes sponsored by Ink Pad NYC, click here.
To find out about Kelly Kilmer's technique, click here.
To see Nathalie Kalbach's art foamies, click here.