Stenciling Made Easy
Stenciling Is A Wide Topic
Here we are at Day 64 and my topic is stenciling.
Stenciling is a very, very wide topic as it could mean just putting letters onto a black or
Can you think of some places where stenciling has shown up for you?
So why did I pick stenciling as a topic for today’s blog post?
The truth be known, I just bought a Cricut Maker (I had an air 2 before) and I wanted to experiment with what I could do with a cutting a few stencils and applying them to various surfaces. (I am working towards getting an Easy Press so I can put away my old steam iron and use something truly made for my crafting. That is another story.
A Little History
Did you know that there are traces of stenciling being used by the Neanderthals? There are caves where the same design was in many places. It is theorized that they used a stencil and blew pigment colors across the stencil to create a pattern on the cave walls.
Today we find stenciling on walls which is commonly known as graffiti – this means the art is easy to reproduce and “tags” are simple and fast. Stencils are also used in silk screening and screen printing. For artist at home, you can produce your own stencils quite easily. All you need to do is start with a template, cut out the pieces and away you go (this is the most simplified version EVER).
Creating a Stencil
The most difficult part about creating a stencil is making sure you don’t end up with big holes in your design. Have you ever seen some lettering where the o is missing the entire center when it should have one? That is someone who has not learned the techniques for producing the correct stencil for lettering.
You can download my Stenciling Cheat Sheet to learn how to do stenciling the right way, even if you draw it by hand.
Tools to Get You Started
To get started on your stenciling journey you are going to need a few things. You do not need to spend a whole lot of money to perfect this craft.
TOOLS
- Scissors or Xacto knife to cut out the stencil (or a cutting machine such as a Cricut)
- Stencil material – you can use cardstock for this project or other thin materials so that the stenciling is easy to use. Mylar sheets are best and you can get them at any dollar store.
- Paper, Card, Clothing, Glass, or other surfaces you want to apply your stencil to. I have seen wall art with some stencils and wow – they are wonderful.
- Masking or other low tack tapes (you will need to remove this when you have finished your cutting and painting).
- Markers, paint, or other coloring items to create your stencil art.
- My Stenciling Cheat Sheet to guide you the right way through the process.
Remember if you follow all the steps in my Stenciling Cheat Sheet, you will be able to create many beautiful stencils you will be able to use over and over again for many different project.
The easiest way to make a stencil is to draw an outline of an object, then cut it out.
Book Resources
I never hesitate to send people to the bookstore, library or link to the books I think will make the biggest impact on learning a new craft. Stenciling is no exception!
Book 1 – Stencil 201: 25 New Reusable Stencils with Step-by-Step Project Instructions
Book 2 – Stencil 101: Make Your Mark with 25 Reusable Stencils and Step-by-Step Instructions
Book 3 – Alphabet Stencil Book: Letters & Numbers for all Craft & Design Projects
Look at these amazing examples of what you can do with stenciling.
Last Word
Stenciling can be used with so many different processes it is absolutely one of the staples of my crafting
.
I do hope you will make some unique stencils! Please post them in the comments here or on my Facebook page: http://facebook.com.BettesMakes
Until tomorrow…
Bette
