Nasif Chowdhury
Stencil is a sort of template where you color/paint over a cut out area to create that certain pattern you cut out. They are fun stuff to work with, especially if you know how to use them properly. Stencils are very easy to make and work with and in time you can make complex stencils too.
Things you need: Cardboard paper, White Paper (Or any surface you want to use the stencil on), Scissors, Pencil, Eraser, Ruler, NT Cutter/Cutter knife, Scotch tape or Sticky Tack (Commonly known as Blue Tack here in Bangladesh), Printer (If you plan on printing a pattern), Paints, Paint Brush, Color pencils.
How to make it
Step 1 – First take the cardboard paper then either draw your desired pattern/shape on it or paste the printed pattern on it.
Step 2 – Use the cutter knife to cut out the pattern. Be very careful when using a knife. You can cut yourself or worse, destroy the stencil. Kids, if you’re reading this, adults get do the cutting for you. Now your stencil is ready. You can keep the cut out bit intact because you can later use that as a reverse stencil too.
Step 3 – Stick the stencil on your surface but be sure to stick it securely. You don’t have to glue it to place because you will be removing it after you’re done coloring but you do have to keep it still. That’s where the scotch tape and sticky tack comes in handy. Just use enough to keep it in place. Do not put tape or tack around the inside edge of the pattern.
Step 4 – There are a lot of ways you can color over the stencil. You can color it using pencils, paint it, or spray over it. Whenever you’re using pencils carefully color around the edge of the stencil. When painting, use a tissue paper or blotting paper to remove the excess paint on the paint brush.
You want sharp edges not runny edges. Paint brushes dripping with paint will ruin your stencils. Keep the brush as dry as possible but just wet enough to do your coloring. Take an old Tooth brush and dip in paint. Then use your thumb to stroke the bristles, this will allow the paint to spray over your stencil.
When doing this, cover the parts you don’t want to get sprayed with paper.
Step 5 – After you’re done coloring, let the paint dry first then remove the stencil. And you’re finished. Yeah that’s about it. If you want to make more, just repeat all the steps.
See! Stencils aren’t so tough to make. Keep practicing and you’ll soon be able to make multi-layered stencils.
– Nasif Chowdhury. A Cartoonist and an Architect in the making. Loves scale models, origami and recycling. He likes to think he’s a cartoon himself but it’s hard to convince people. Oh and he loves paper engineering too!