Stencil art - Stenciling basics

HOW TO STENCIL - A BEGINNERS GUIDE

What you will need:

A stencil
Repositionable Spray Mount
Paint - acrylic/emulsion/spray paint
Stencil brush - if using acrylic or emulsion
Kitchen roll

For this tutorial we are going to be using an A4 sized stencil of Bob Dylan for the Brush technique and a larger Banksy stencil for the spray paint method. We are going to be painting our stencils onto the surface of an interior wall.

First decide where you want your stencil to go then you will know what sized stencil you need for the job. Prepare the surface making sure that it is clean and dry.

If you want to use emulsion paint with a stencil brush for application then it might be a good cost effective idea to use tester pots.

Choose a stencil brush size that is going to be suitable for the stencil you will be using. You want the stencil brush to be large enough to allow good coverage within the stencil openings but not to large that you cant easily get into any detailed areas.

If using spray paint then we would recommend getting some professional artists paint such as Belton Molotow. One 400ml will easily paint 20-25 of our example stencils and it is alot quicker too.

I will cover both methods : the stencil brush method and the spray painting method.

Both yield great results you just have to decide which method you think will work best for you.

BRUSH METHOD

APPLY THE STENCIL TO THE WALL

We would recommend using repositionable 3M spray mount to adhere your stencil to the surface. Spray the back of the stencil following the instructions on the can, then allow to dry for around 30 seconds until the stencil becomes tacky.

Apply your stencil to the wall and press it firmly down onto the surface. Pay particular care to ensure that all the little pieces of stencil detail are stuck down also.You could use low tack masking tape to attach your stencil to the surface, but you will not get a close reliable contact with the wall, that will ensure a crisp final image.

PAINT THE STENCIL

Dry brush technique - Apply a small amount of paint to your stencil brush and then wipe in a swirling motion onto a piece kitchen towel - this will remove the excess paint from the brush and evenly distribute the paint into the bristles. If you over load the brush with to much paint then you will risk having the paint bleed under the surface of the stencil creating blotches.It is better to apply two thinner layers than one thick one.

Apply the paint by holding your brush at a 90% angle to the wall surface and use a stabbing up and down motion to paint through the stencil. This will ensure that your bristles don't get paint under any of the stencil bridges. This method is also referred to as dabbing, stippling or pouncing. It is a good idea to work from the edges of your stencil inwards starting your stippling motion on the actual film outside your design then working your way into the shape.

Continue until you run out of paint. Reload your brush wipe it off and continue. Don't forget to wipe the stencil brush on the paper towel after each time to reload your brush.

Continue until all parts of the stencil are painted in. Depending on the paint you use you may need to add more layers. If that's the case then keep on going until you achieve your desired finish.

REMOVE THE STENCIL

You do not need to wait until the paint is dry, simply peel off the stencil, but be careful not to smudge the paint and ruin all your hard work.

END RESULT

When you have got the hang of the stencil technique then you can use your stencil in endless ways. You can personalise anything around the house from walls and hand painted blank art canvasses, furniture, to T-shirts, table cloths and curtains. Smaller stencils can be used for face painting and cake decorations. Be imaginative and have fun.

SPRAY PAINT METHOD

What you will need:

A stencil- In this case our A2 Banksy Queen Vic stencil
Repositionable Spray Mount
Low tack masking tape
Spray Paint
Spare newspaper

Using spray paints to paint your stencil on a wall is a much quicker way to paint your stencil, especially if it is a large stencil.

Spray paint is hazardous to health if breathed in. So it is recommended that you use a suitable mask, goggles, disposable gloves and also work is a well ventilated area.

POSITION YOUR STENCIL

Apply your stencil to the wall and press it firmly down onto the surface. Pay particular care to ensure that all the little pieces of stencil detail are stuck down also. If using a very large stencil then use masking tape as well as repositionable spray mount. You could use only low tack masking tape to attach your stencil to the surface, but you will not get a close reliable contact with the wall, that will ensure a crisp final image.

If using spray paints you must tape paper, newspaper etc, around the edges of the stencil to mask off the surrounding area. If you don't do this the spray paint particles will get onto the wall surface and when you remove the stencil plate at the end, you will see shadow lines where your stencil plate has been. Also if working on an interior wall then lay down a dust sheet on the floor and over any nearby furniture to protect the area from the spray paint particles.

PAINT YOUR STENCIL.

We recommend a professional artists spray paint. We use Belton Molotow 400ml for all our work. They are fast drying and acrylic based. Shake your spray can well before use to mix up the paint pigment. If using a standard pressure cap like we are in this tutorial you want to be spraying from a distance of about 12-18" away from the stencil surface. If you spray to closely then the paint is going to be applied to thickly and unevenly and you risk the paint dribbling/ pooling or bleeding under the stencil bridges. Before you spray the stencil it is recommended that you do some test sprays on a bit of scrap cardboard to get the feel of the can and the distance required to spray from.

Spray the stencil by releasing the paint in short bursts.(I literally keep pressing the cap in and out for less than a second each time) Move your way over the stencil in a methodical manner ensuring even coverage. Build up a few layers until you have achieved a even layer of paint over the whole stencil design. You don't have to wait for each layer to dry. This method is good for small/medium stencils or where the stencil openings are not to big - for larger stencils it may be more practical to apply the paint by sweeping the can back and forth over the stencil, spraying in lines back and forth to build up the paint. This method is explained more in the next tutorial.

When you have finished using the spray paint hold the can upside down and spray until only clear gas is released, then wipe the front of the nozzle clean. This will ensure that the nozzle does not get blocked for future uses.

REMOVE THE STENCIL

Carefully remove the masking newspaper with out disturbing the stencil.

Peel of your stencil making sure not to smudge and damage your artwork. You don't have to wait for the stencil to dry unless the stencil is large or awkward with lots of floppy detailed bits, then I would recommend leaving it to dry first. If you want you can speed up the drying process using a hair dryer on a lukewarm setting.

THE END RESULT

You can now stand back and admire your work.

You can get fabric spray paint if you want to personalise T-shirts, Bags or other fabrics. Also think about creating your own piece of canvas art by using a blank canvas and stencil. See our Canvas Stenciling tutorial. Experiment with ideas, stencils are great as they can used over and over again. Why not try repeating your stencil in different colours or like our 'Canvas Stenciling' tutorial leaving the spray paint texture showing to produce an imperfect, urban look.

You can also paint your stencil using acrylics/emulsions and a foam paint roller. This is a good if you are doing a large stencil with lots of area to cover. If you want to use this method then the important thing to remember is to roll off all the excess paint from your roller onto some kitchen towel , you want your roller to be slightly damp - not wet! before you apply the paint. Build up your layers as desired.