STENCILS

Stencilling Instructions

Stencil a wall border to accent a room. Co-ordinate kitchen curtains, a tablecloth or placemats, all stencilled to match. Personalize your home, clothing, everything with stencils. Your possibilities are endless.

• Stencils
• Masking Tape
• Paper Towels
• Paint: Oil based or acrylic
• Flat round stencil brushes (use a different one for each paint family)
• Repositioning stencilling adhesive

If stencilling on cloth, wash to remove sizing if necessary. If stencilling on wood, wood should be clean, sanded or even painted to be receptive to paint being used. Spray back of stencil with adhesive spray (follow manufacturers directions on spray adhesive). Centre stencil on project, press. Using masking tape, cover areas you will not be painting with first colour. Also cover the areas of product that are outside of the stencil. This will ensure a mistake free project.

Oil Based Paint Stick:
Draw a line of paint around the stencil openings that are to be painted with that colour. Stay about ½” away from the opening. Use a circular motion to pull the paint into the openings. Continually switch the directions of the motions. To darken, draw another line of paint and brush in. When all areas are filled with the first colour, wipe stencil with paper towel to remove excess paint left in tape and stencil. Remove tape. Choose next colour and repeat process.

Paint Creams:
Lightly dab brush into paint. Blot excess on a paper towel. Do not overload brush. Brush colour into the cut out areas, using sweeping or circular strokes. Add colour from the outside edges of the design and work inwards. Lightly brush contrasting colour on edges of the cut out areas.

Acrylic Paints:
Have the right amount of paint. Only the bristle tips need paint. Wipe excess on towel. Too much paint will push under opening. Brush colour into the cut out areas by stamping or swirling. Stamping gives a soft effect, swirling gives a darker coverage.

Stamping: An up and down action that leaves a dotted effect from bristle tips. Start along edge of shape and move toward the centre to fill shape.
Swirling: Pull brush along long shapes, and toward the centre on larger shapes. Be sure to clean brush between colours.

Usually oils on cloth are to be heat set, on wood they can be sealed with clear varnish and on walls they need not be sealed. Acrylics on cloth or walls need not be sealed, seal wood with clear varnish. Always check instructions on the paint being used.

You will have much better luck correcting mistakes with oil based products as they do not dry immediately. On walls, furniture, or paper, remove wet paint with a white eraser. On fabric, try removing the fresh paint by dabbing the paint with masking tape, or if the paint is dry, spot clean with an oil soap household cleaner and stiff brush, then rinse with water (test on scrap fabric first).

Wipe stencils with thinner, wash with soap and warm water and pat dry. Store flat. Clean brushes by following the instructions on the paint used. Store brushes handles up, bristles down.

PLASTIC FOR STENCILS

If you prefer to make your own stencils then we have Plastic Sheet (also called Mylar or Acetate).