 Overview
You can buy stencils ready-made at some paint stores and decorating shops, but cutting your own will give you a more unique, personalized result. Though you can apply several colors using a series of stencils, a single color is far easier to do successfully.
Two materials are popular for making stencils: clear .0075-gauge acetate and oiled stencil board. Because acetate is transparent, it’s easier to use for aligning designs and the best choice if you’re going to try layering more than one color. Stencil board is more rugged and, because it is rigid, a little easier to hold flat against a wall. Both can be purchased at art supply stores.
Choose a paint that will dry quickly. Artists’ acrylics thinned with water or artist’s acrylic medium are a good choice, or you can use conventional acrylic latex paint.
Materials
Clear acetate (.0075-gauge) or oiled stencil board
Masking tape
Paper towels
Acrylic paint
Rags
|
Tools
Utility knife or craft knife
Fine-tip permanent marker
Short-bristled stencil brush
Straightedge
Tape measure
Stepladder
|
 1.
Cut out the stencil.
The easiest way to transfer an existing decorative design to stencil material is to photocopy the design, then use the copier to enlarge or reduce it. Be sure to plan your design so that the spacing of patterns falls evenly across the wall or ceiling and ends appropriately at the corners.
To cut the design out of stencil board, spray the back of the final photocopy with removable adhesive and press it onto the stencil board. Smooth it out and tape down the edges. Working on a flat cutting surface such as a piece of cardboard, use your utility knife or craft knife to cut through both layers, then peel off the photocopy. If you’re using acetate, just tape the acetate to the surface of your photocopy pattern to cut it out.
 Note: When you cut the stencil, you must leave "bridges"—uncut areas of stencil that hold the parts together (see Figure 1).
2.
Mount and paint the stencil.
Mark the wall lightly in pencil to identify the stencil’s positions and to keep the pattern’s alignment straight. Tape the stencil to the surface at its first position, using masking tape or, preferably, drafting tape that won't leave marks.
The most difficult part of stenciling is preventing paint from oozing under the stencil’s edges. It’s a good idea to work with a nearly dry brush or small synthetic sponge. Dip the tool in a small amount of paint, then remove excess paint by twisting the brush bristles or daubing the sponge against a paper towel.
3.
Finish the pattern.
Carefully remove the stencil and touch up any smudges at the edges—and any bridged areas that you want to fill in—with a fine brush (see Figure 3). Allow the paint to dry.
|
