Stencils Are a Must-Have

You have to have Stencils

If you enjoy arts and crafts, you will certainly have heard about or know all about stencils. They’re simple to use, practical, and add a whole new dimension of precision and fun to anything that you’re creating. Whether you’re looking to use them for home decor, a craft session with kids, or just to add some precision to whatever you’re creating, stencils have a way of making themselves helpful.

What Kind of Stencils are there?

Stencils have any possible use you could imagine. They are popularly used for painting arts and crafts. Otherwise, there are official wall stencils for intricate detailing and decorative aspects. You can find stencils in just about every category from animal stencils to flower stencils to architectural aspects.

Stencilling Properly

You may want to watch this YouTube Video on “How to Stencil Properly” for a few tips which may be helpful.

How Do you Use Stencils?

One of the best things about stencils is that how one decides to use them is pretty much up to the user. They can be used on everything from furniture to fabric to paper. Here’s what you’ll want to know about stencil use, though, to help you get the best results possible out of your adventure:

• Tape the stencil down firmly with “low-tack masking tape”: Make sure to position the stencil where you want the design on your fabric, wall, or paper. Remember to use low-tack masking tape so as not to cause damage to your fabric, walls, paper, etc. when you remove the tape. The tape will stop the stencil from shifting when you’re painting or your kids are painting. The rolls of green painting tape you can buy at the hardware store are perfect.

• Don’t go for intricate designs right away: If you’re new to stencilling, start with a simple design. Don’t be afraid to try out stencilling. It isn’t difficult and if you make a mistake you can always fix it. Practise on paper or something else that’s disposable. Then you can begin stencilling whatever you choose. Don’t forget to use proper stencil paint brushes which can be found in a craft store

  • if you happen to make a mistake or go out of the lines or if you’re stencilling and painting on a t shirt and the paint seeps under the stencil because the paintbrush was too wet, don’t fret. Once the paint is dry, use a thin fabric marker to outline the design and with a dry paintbrush, cover the smudges. Otherwise use 3D paint to outline the design. A 3D glitter paint always does the trick.

  • stencilling should be fun and not stressful.

• Think outside the box for use: Many people connect stencils to paper art. It’s true that they’re great for art projects and use in kids’ spaces. But think about using it for something like furniture personalization, too, or even stencilling designs on walls or fabric curtains. Again, unless you are experienced at stencilling, remember to practice first. Everything from road signs to trellis decorations are stencilled, after all, so there are plenty of uses for them in real life.

• Dispel the stencil myth: Outside of a classroom, there is an assumption that stencils are only for “cheating” when you can’t draw or copy something authentically. However, many, many great artists use stencils religiously in order to create proper art. Just think about a tattoo artist, for instance. The best tattoo artists use stencils to create, and copy their work on their customers. Stencils are for artistic expression and professionalism, not “weakness” or “laziness”. Real is about precision blended with vision.

From kids art projects to signage in your corridor, to personalizing a set of curtains, stencils have no end of uses!

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