Stenciling ....

Stenciling in simple terms is the art of using templates to paint or draw a particular design or pattern, number or letters, shapes or symbols on walls, furniture, fabric etc., Almost all surfaces can be stenciled by using the right medium of paint. Here are a few pictures of stenciling on fabric. At the end of this post, I have given a few easy steps to stenciling.....at home....

(All pictures from Marabu home deco)

Steps to doing some stencil work at home.

1. First identify the surface that needs to be stenciled like walls, cupboard surfaces, soft furnishings, headboards, cornices, pelmets, furniture, art pieces....etc., almost everything can be stenciled.

2. Clean this surface neatly.

3. Identify the design that needs to be stenciled. eg: Some roosters, leaves or pictures of vegetables and fruits for a country theme, some floral patterns for a classic theme etc.,

4. Take a thick plastic sheet.....I normally use the Presentation transparencies which are thick and transparent. Keep this sheet on the design and trace it using a thin black permanent marker pen.

5. Now, use a scalpel (sharp surgical knife) or an X-acto knife to cut out the design. The template or stencil is now ready for use.

6. Keep this stencil firmly on the place that needs to be stenciled. Identify the right medium of paint....eg., oil based for wood, fabric paint for textiles and so on.

7. The paints can either be sprayed or painted using a brush. If you are using a brush, ensure that the design is initially stenciled on the surface using a pencil and then painted with a brush.

All these steps will soon become easy after you have attempted the first one. Please write to me for any queries.