Creating a Modern Abstract Landscape Card with Stencils and Inks

by Agnieszka Malyszek - 3 minute read

Last Updated: November 18, 2025

Hi everyone, Aga here!

Are you ready to dive into the beautiful world of abstract card making? Today, I’m thrilled to share a project that marries the dreamy quality of watercolor with the sharp precision of stencils. We'll be creating a simple, yet striking modern abstract landscape card using layers of vibrant inks. This technique is perfect for giving your abstract scenes a contemporary, fresh feel using unexpected color combinations.

Create Modern Abstract Landscape Card with Stencils and Inks

The key to a stunning abstract design is choosing the right tools and having fun with color blending!

Step 1: Prepping the Panel for the Abstract Design

I started with a crisp white cardstock panel, which serves as the perfect canvas to make those fresh ink colors truly pop. The star of the show for achieving this multi-layered abstract landscape is the Rolling Hills Stencil Set. This set is absolutely perfect for creating picturesque, yet effortless, layered landscapes.

Instead of traditional, muted landscape colors, I wanted to inject a modern, fresh color combination. My goal was to create a playful blend of colors that feels both contemporary and wonderfully dreamy—a true abstract representation of nature.

Step 2: Layering the Hills

This is where the magic happens and the quality of the design comes to life! We are going to blend several different shades in each section to create smooth, flowing color transitions, emphasizing the movement of the hills.

Layer 1 (The Base): I began by stenciling the first layer of hills using lighter, refreshing greens: Minty Mint, Just Green, and a touch of Hunter Green from the Green Meadows Fresh Dye Ink Set. Blending these gently establishes a beautiful, soft foundation for our abstract scene.
Layer 2 (Mid-Ground Depth): Next, I introduced bolder, richer tones to add depth to the abstract landscape. I used Parrot, Olive, and Moss from the Tropical Forest Fresh Dye Ink Set.
Layer 3 (The Accents): For a truly modern twist on the abstract look, I incorporated non-traditional shades like Emerald for a vibrant pop, a soft hint of Rose Quartz for warmth, and grounding the scene with Rocky Shore in the lower sections.

By overlapping and blending these nine different shades, you achieve a complex, rich, and truly abstract appearance that mimics the soft, atmospheric blending often seen in watercolor paintings.

Step 3: Completing the Scene

To finalize the design, I introduced a few elements to define the scene without taking away from its blended beauty.

Adding Trees: I added some trees using Mocha and Espresso from the Coffee Break Fresh Dye Ink Bundle. The deep brown offers a beautiful contrast against the light, colorful abstract hills.
Trimming and Sentiment: Once the stenciled landscape panel was complete, I trimmed it down slightly to create a clean border on my card base. Finally, I added a simple, elegant sentiment. I used the Essential Sentiments Hot Foil Bundle with a Brass Hot Foil Roll—the shine of the brass adds a luxurious, contemporary finish to the overall composition.

And that’s it! I love how the colors come together to create a soft, dreamy scene with a contemporary and abstract feel. I hope this inspires you to experiment with stencils, inks, and fresh color combinations in your own projects.

Thank you so much for stopping by today!