Armour Etch is a registered trademark ofInternational House Corp. DBA ArmourProducts. Blick is a registered trademarkof Dick Blick Holdings, Inc. Fruit of theLoom is a registered trademark of Fruitof the Loom, Inc. Hanes is a registeredtrademark of HBI Branded Apparel Ltd.Inc. Helmut Lang is a registeredtrademark of Helmut Lang New YorkLLC. Mod Podge is a registeredtrademark of Plaid Enterprises, Inc.MTV is a registered trademark ofViacom International, Inc. Mylar is aregistered trademark of Du Pont DeNemours and Co. Photoshop is aregistered trademark of Adobe Systems,Inc. Royal Coat is a registered

trademark of Plaid Enterprises, Inc.Sharpie is a registered trademark ofSanford, L.P. Shrinky Dinks is aregistered trademark of K & BInnovations, Inc. Temptu is a registeredtrademark of Temptu Marketing, Inc.Wilton is a registered trademark ofWilton Industries, Inc. X-Acto is aregistered trademark of ElmersProducts, Inc.

Please use caution when doing any craftproject. Situations and conditions mayvary, so always use your common sense.Check product labels to be sure that thematerials are safe and nontoxic and takecare to use them according to themanufacturers instructions and safety

warnings. The author and publisherdisclaim all liability from any damage orinjury that may result from the directionsor information in this book, whetherused properly or improperly. Althoughcreativity in stenciling your ownproperty is a good thing, you shouldrespect the property rights of others,including public agencies and offices.Stencil responsibly!

ContentsIntroduction

Materials

Eds Favorite Things

Techniques

How to Make Your Own Stencils

How-to Projects

1 - Lets Face It

2 - T-Shirts, Two Ways

3 - Time to Reflect

4 - Plate Tectonics

5 - Get Plastered

6 - Block Party

7 - Shrinky Dink!

8 - Rock Out

9 - Something Sweet

10 - Tattoo You

11 - Extra Layers

12 - Heart Felt

13 - Pinup Star

14 - Give Me Your Leather

15 - Make an Impression

16 - Signed, Sealed,Delivered

17 - Contain Yourself

18 - Needle & Thread

19 - A Hairy Situation

20 - Au Naturel

21 - Cut & Paste

22 - Screen Test

23 - The Royal Treatment

24 - Screen Star!

25 - Print Junkie

Resources

Acknowledgments

Photo Credits

Copyright

IntroductionDoing It Yourself, customization &Stepping It Up

I quit, I said in November 2004 whenId had enough of the cutthroat NewYork ad agency environment. Isometimes compare my experienceworking at that agency to Arthur MillersThe Crucible. Or Mean Girls. Eitherway, Id had enough of big-companypolitics, competitive coworkers,meetings about meetings, and the sheerlack of creativity afforded me there.Leaving allowed me to do my own thingand start Stencil1. I was nervous about

the leap, but I was finally free to designwithout other peoples direction orapprovala truly liberating endeavor.

I believe the DIY movement sprang fromsimilar scenarios. A collective distastefor mass-market culture has led many ofus to say, No more! Artists, designers,crafters, and the creatively curious, likeme, continue to say farewell to theeveryday by expressing ourselves innew and exciting ways.

When I was a teenager in the 80s, kidsmade their own styles. Punk, Goth, andNew Wave were in, and you couldreally make a statement by cutting upyour clothes or writing on your sneakers.

Now, these kinds of styles can be boughtlike a uniform at the mall. The handmadelook is everywhere, from raveled edgeson mass-market clothing to drippingpaint on network TV graphics. Vintage-style clothing and housewares can beattained without setting foot in a thriftstore or saving a dime. Consumerproducts Web sites allow you tocustomize sneakers and T-shirts with theclick of a mouse, but, of course, yourelimited to their designs and colors. Nowwith the resurgence of DIY, there is agrowing backlash to cookie-cutter,mass-produced culturenot to mentionthe overblown prices. I saycustomization, authenticity, anduniqueness are the new luxury.

Save your money. My books show youhow to customize shoes and shirts toyour own aesthetic. Get ready to say nomore to fake handmade! Love thevintage look? I can teach you how to getit. Plus, youll have the tactileexperience of transforming clothes,bedding, and so much more. Rejoice,control freaks! You have the power.Youre choosing the surface; yourechoosing the colors. Think youre notcreative? Youre probably just aperfectionist. My first attempt atstenciling was a smudgy mess. Practiceon cardboard first before you paint yourgrandmas antique linen napkins.

In Stencil 101, I shared some designsfrom my Stencil1 line with inspirationsthat ranged from pop culture to nature.Then in Stencil 101 Decor, I shared myinterest in pattern design and homedecor. Now with Stencil 201, I give youa little of both, while throwing in someexciting new techniques from amazingguest artists and craftspeople. They haveinspired me throughout my career and,hopefully, they will inspire you too.

While working with Jenny Hart, I wasamazed at how embroidery brought newlife to my stencil design. It was likeseeing it for the first time. Thats thecool thing about creativity: No twoartists experience the same thing in the

same way. You will do things with thesestencils I would never have imaginedand I hope youll send me pictures!

This book is chock-full of advancedstenciling techniques so you can step itup with more DIY power. You will findhow-tos for more than twelve newsurfaces, allowing you to customize evenmore of your life. Plus, you can followmy step-by-step instructions fordesigning your own stencils for fullcreative control.

By putting out my stencil line and thesebooks, I hope to perpetuate the art ofstenciling. Its an art form thattranscends social and economic barriers

stencil art decorates the world, fromthe wealthiest manors to the grittiesturban streets. I hope you enjoy and areinspired by this new book and stencils. Iknow many of you will surprise me withwhat you create. You always give megreat pleasure and build up my creativeenergythe great give and take. So withthat I say a big, fat, Thank you for yoursupport!

MATERIALSEverything You Need to Know to GetStarted

All materials recommended in thisbook can be found at your localhardware or art supply store.

STENCILS

Stencils come in all sorts of materials,but most are made of Mylar (polyester)sheets or from card stock. Mylar willlast longer, of course. Ive used some ofmy Mylar stencils more than fifty times.

If you use water-based paint, you cangently wash the Mylar stencils withsoapy water and a sponge afterward toextend their life. Although you cantwash card-stock stencils, they too arereusable, at least for several uses. Toextend the life of your card-stockstencils, wipe excess paint from thestencil after useespecially around theedges. No matter what sort of stencilsyou use, allow them to dry flat and storethem in a dry, flat place. Flip to the backof the book for 25 pages of stencils tochoose from. You can find more stencilsat www.stencil1.com, and in Stencil 101and Stencil 101 Decor. Or, design andcut your own (see How to Make YourOwn Stencils on).

http://www.stencil1.com

BRUSHES & ROLLERS

Stencil brushes

Stencil brushes are different fromstandard paintbrushes in that they have around, flat bristle head and are a littlestiffer, to allow stencil pouncing.Pouncing is basically a technique inwhich you tap the paint onto the stencilrather than brushing it on. The brushescome in a variety of diameters; Irecommend any size between 1/4 in/6mm and 11/2 in/4 cm.

Foam brushes

These affordable brushes, usually madeof gray foam with a wood handle, aregreat for small stencil projects. They canbe discarded after use. Newer designscalled pouncers (or spouncers) have adome-shaped head and are better forstenciling than the rectangular ones,especially if you want to use thepouncing technique. They cost more butare also more versatile.

Mini foam rollers

I recommend a 4-in-/10-cm-wide foamroller with a handle. This rollers high-density, tight-celled construction createssmooth-finish coats on walls and othersurfaces.

ADHESIVES

Repositionable spray adhesive

This adhesive is used to hold yourstencil securely in place while you arestenciling your design. Youll apply itlightly to the back of the stencil, allow itto dry until it is tacky, and then attach thestencil to the surface you are painting.This adhesive is great for roundedfurniture projects, but it is notrecommended for edible projects!

Blue painters tape

Use this tape for holding your stencil in

place. It wont damage your surface, andit works beautifully for stenciling walls.Any other type of tape will pull theexisting paint off your surface or leavean oily stain.

CUTTING TOOLS

Utility knife with #11 blades and/or anelectric stencil cutter/burner

You will also need a rubber or glasscutting board if attempting to cut yourown stencils.

Scissors

Any type of crafting shears will be finefor cutting the shrink plastic in Project 7.

PAINTS, INKS & OTHERPIGMENTS

Choose the paint appropriate for thesurface you are painting. See the chartbelow for suggestions or consult withyour paint supply store to choose theright paint.

SURFACE: PAINT TYPE

CANVAS: Acrylic, oil, or spray paints(Be aware that oil paints are much lessforgiving and messier than acrylics.They are better for professional usage!)

CARD STOCK: Stencil1 Sprayer,pigment ink pads, acrylic paint, or posterpaint

FABRIC FOR APPAREL, HOMELINENS: Fabric paint, Stencil1Sprayer, or acrylic paint with fabricmedium (acrylic polymer emulsion)mixed at 1:1 ratio

GLASS, MIRROR: Porcelain or glasspaint (For non-permanent applicationssuch as holiday window painting, youcan use acrylic or tempera paint.)

PORCELAIN, CHINA, POTTERY:Porcelain or glass paint

STONE, CONCRETE: Stencil1Sprayer or acrylic paint (Usepolyurethane varnish to weatherproof ifproject is for outdoor use.)

SUEDE, LEATHER: Water-basedacrylic paint designed for leather orleather paint

WALL: Acrylic, latex, or spray paint

WOOD: Acrylic or oil paint (Yourdesign must be glaze-coated afterstenciling to protect the design.)

MATERIALS (CONT.):MISCELLANEOUS

Bleach paste pen

A bleach paste pen contains a thickeasy-to-control paste, perfect forstenciling.

Cardboard boxes or sheets

Place boxes or sheets of cardboardbetween fabrics (T-shirts andpillowcases, for example) to preventpaint from seeping through to the nextlayer. Sheets or boxes should just fitinside the fabric, not stretching it toomuch, because that would distort yourdesign.

Glass etching cream

Etching cream removes a layer ofsurface or etches on glass and mirror.

Level

Made with your inner perfectionist inmind, a level will ensure a nice, leveldesign on your wall.

Paint palettes

A saucer, plate, plastic egg carton, orartists paletteany of these will do forholding and mixing your paints.

Paper towels

These are essential for cleanup.

Plaster or joint compound

This is great for embossing walls andcan be found at the hardware store.

Ruler/Straightedge

A ruler or straightedge is used forperfecting a design on your surface andis ideal for patterns on the wall witheven, consistent measurements.

Sandpaper

Sandpaper can be used to smooth walls,furniture, and other surfaces for painting.

Scrap cardboard or thick paper

Its helpful to keep scrap cardboard orpaper on hand to place around the outeredges of your stencil and surface. Thisway you wont get paint outside theedges of the stencil, especially if you arespray painting.

Shrink plastic sheets

Remember Shrinky Dinks? Well, youcan still buy shrink film at office supplyand craft stores.

T-shirts

Paint and bleach love 100 percent cottonT-shirts. You can use standard cotton T-shirts like Hanes or Fruit of the Loom, or

get an array of colors and cuts byAmerican Apparel or AlternativeApparel.

Wax paper

This will be used for embossing thecards in Project 15.

EDSFAVORITETHINGSMe Likey!

For cutting

The X-Acto #11 Classic Fine PointBlade is the way to go. X-Acto knivesare affordable and, as long as youremember to change the blades when

they dull, youll be zipping through yourdesigns in no time. I have also used anX-Acto Craft Swivel Knife, which isideal for cutting cured shapes.

If you are really serious, a stencil-cutting kit, which is an electric heatedknife, will really speed up your cutting!The knife cuts through acetate and Mylarlike butta. Always cut your acetate on aglass cutting board or a cooking sheet.

For stenciling walls

When using a larger stencil, I have twofavorite tools: a 3/4-in/2-cm dense foamroller and a 11/2-in/4-cm round stencilbrush.

The roller is great because the densefoam doesnt hold too much paint, sothere is less chance of overloading theroller and less chance of having a messyresult. Also, they are only a few incheswide, so they are easy to manage. Densefoam rollers are ideal for the largerstencils I sell, such as the patterns inStencil 101 Decor, and the oversizestencils I sell on my Web site, such asthe 6-foot/183-cm birch trees. I cantimagine doing those with a brush! Theserollers are readily available in the paintdepartment of your hardware store.The large stencil brush makes stencilingbold patterns go by so much faster thanwith a smaller stencil brush. It also

allows you more control, so you canexperiment with dry-brush techniquesthat can yield a more distressed look.Its also great for any stencil that hasmore open areas to fill in. I often seethese brushes at home decor paint stores.And hallelujah! Now you dont have tobuy a lot of paint for smaller projectswith the new sample-size jars of paintfrom Benjamin Moore. These only cost afew bucks and are perfect for one-wallstencil projects.

For stenciling T-shirts

I think the best results come from usingeither my Stencil1 Sprayers or jarredfabric paint with a 3/4-in/2-cm, round,

dense bristle stencil brush.

Stencil1 Sprayers are acid-free archivalinks. They are multi-surface, meaningyou can use them on wood, paper, and,yes, fabric. When used on T-shirts orother apparel, they must be heat sealedwith an iron for 1 to 2 minutes so theywill adhere to the fabric. On T-shirts,they are super-fast, easy-to-use, and giveyou a soft, vintage look, unlike iron-onsor thicker fabric paints. You can creategraffiti-inspired looks, such as drips andoverspray. You can also use more thanone color to create color gradients overone stencil design.If you prefer using jarred fabric paintand a brush for a cleaner appearance, I

think a 3/4-in/2-cm round, dense bristlestencil brush is a must. I prefer theseover foam brushes. Dense bristlebrushes are more predictable, meaningyou can control the amount of paint thebrush picks up, and the round shape ofthe brush seems to work better than thecheap, rectangular, foam brushes.

For stenciling paper

I have two favorites: Stencil1 Sprayersare perfect for paper projects (I stand bymy product because I have developed itto work great). Specialty pigment inkpads are terrific too.

When you use the sprayers on paper,

they dry instantly. You can make cards,posters, journal pages, scrapbook pagesyou name it. You can also pour somein a paint dish and use it with a foam orbristle brush. Cosmetic sponges workvery well with the inks for applying topaper too.Specialty pigment ink pads are not likeregular ink pads. They contain specialpigment ink and the pad tends to besofter. They are often used with rubberstamps and are great for stenciling. I liketo use a bristle brush, swipe it along thepad a bit, then stencil onto paper. Thebest thing is that it is impossible tooverload the brush with ink, which is thenumber one issue with paint stenciling.

Of course I have to mention Sharpie.Sharpies are ideal for stenciling cards orother paper projects. Theyve introduceda lot of fun new colors and their newdual-tipped marker makes stenciling finedetails a breeze.

In the coming year, you will see Stencil1release a considerable number of newproducts. Using my years of experienceand working with the best people in thefield, we are currently developing awhole line of stenciling tools to makeyour projects easier and your creativityflow!

Money-saving tips

Use plastic egg cartons as paint palettes.They are washable and reusable too!

White T-shirts can be found cheap at thethrift store. Find the nice thin ones,bleach them, and you have a greatvintage-looking T-shirt ready for yourstencil magic!

Use leaves as inverted stencils. Laythem down on the surface you arepainting and spray around them withspray paint.

TECHNIQUESBasic and Advanced Moves

Stenciling is different from traditionalways of paintingfrom the brushes andthe preparation to the motion of paintingitself. Here is a guide to the basics ofstenciling, along with advancedtechniques you can try. Remember,always clean your stencils with waterand soap when you finish a project soyou can use them again and again.

The basics

Starting with the most basic of tools, the

brush you use should be a round, flat-headed stencil brush with firm bristles.Sizes vary from 1/4 in/6 mm in diameterto 2 in/5 cm in diameter across thebristle head. Choose your brush sizebased on the size of the open areas in thestencil you are using. In other words, forsmall detailed stencils, you will want touse a small, 1/4- to 1/2-in/6- to 12-mmbrush, while for large, pattern stencils, a2-in /5-cm brush will be more efficient.

Since kindergarten, we have painted bydipping a brush into the paint jar, andthen going right to our paper (or wall orcat) with that loaded brush. Not so withstenciling, which requires a dry-brush

technique. To dry-brush, dip your brushin a small amount of paint. Now, beforepainting in the stenciled areas, dry offthe brush by dabbing some of the paintonto a plate or a paper towel. You needvery little paint to fill in the open areasof a stencil, and using too much willcause paint to seep under the edges ofyour stencil.

Now you have your appropriately sizedbrush loaded with just the right amountof paint, and youre itching to apply it.Lets talk about motion. The goal ofstenciling is crisp, clean edges. Themost effective painting method is an up-and-down, pouncing motion, dabbingthe paint until the open areas of the

design are filled in. You want to avoidthe classic, paint-brushing motion ofsweeping paint across a surface. Talkabout seepage! With large open stencilareas, you may want to use brush strokesin the center of the open areas and thenpounce around the edges. Thiscombination of techniques will speedthings along and still give you crispedges.

Ohh, thats shady!

A nice way to create some depth in yourdesign is to shade in the stencil areas.Rather than have one even amount ofcolor across your design, you can darkenthe edges of the open design areas. First,

lightly pounce in all the open areas withcolor. Then, from the outside edge of theopen area moving inward, brush in morecolor. Finally, starting on the solid areaof stencil, brush inward across all theedges of the open areas. This trickcreates depth and makes your work lookmore labor intensive.

A kind gesture

Remember, a stencil is really just aguide to help you draw or paint theimage or pattern you see. You may thinkyou should fill all the cutout shapes to doit right, but this trick will let you bemore expressive, especially with boldpattern designs such as those found in

Stencil 101 Decor. Rather than apouncing motion, use regular paintstrokes to paint in the open shapes,working in the direction they are shaped.This technique reminds me of Sumi-epainting, the Japanese art of paintingblack ink on white paper. The end resultgives a more painterly or hand-drawnlook.

Stencil within a stencil

Again, stencils dont always have to befilled in with solid fields of color. Bylayering a small, repeating stencil over alarger stencil with very bold cutouts, youget a textural, shape-within-a-shapeeffect. Imagine you want to paint on a T-

shirt a large open stencil of the number1. You lay the 1 on the shirt, and then laya stencil of hundreds of tiny stars on topof the 1 stencil. Once you paint, you willhave a 1 made up of hundreds of littlestars! And you dont have to use astencil for the top layeryou can lay apiece of lace, a window screen, mesh,etc. Be experimental.

Aged beauty

It seems like every new restaurant thatpops up in New York these days has anold-world look to it. I love it when thevintage look is done right. It gives aplace character and makes you feel it hasbeen there for one hundred years. There

are stenciling tricks that allow you toachieve this look for yourself. First, donot fill in all the areas of the design orapply the paint evenlygo heavy insome areas and light in others. If tiling apattern on a wall, you may leave outsections of the pattern, giving adissipating look to the overall print. Or,once stenciled, you can rub, drag, orsmear the paint, or even sand off areasof the design. You may choose to paintwith a crackle or faux finish paint orapply aging glazes to your stencileddesign. Consult your specialty paintstore for a variety of choices.

TIP: Do not attempt a faux marble finishyoure not fooling anyone!

Livin large

Some of the stencils on my Web site arehuge: 6-foot/183-cm birch trees and 7-foot/213-cm grizzly bears! Well, guesswhat? These stencils are easier andquicker to put on a wall if you use theright toola dense foam roller. All youdo is tape the stencil in place withpainters tape (the stencil comes in onepiece!) and whip out a 3- to 4-in-/7.5- to10-cm-wide dense foam roller.Remember, start with just a little bit ofpaintroll some paint onto a solid areaof the stencil to get excess paint offthen roll into the cutout design areas. Fillin all the open areas, and you should bedone in under twenty minutes, no brushes

necessary!

HOW TOMAKE YOUROWNSTENCILSIts All About You

There are several ways to design yourown stencils. You can draw yourdesigns on the stencil material itself, oryou can design something on thecomputer and print it out.

Hand-drawing your own stencildesignsMaterials needed: card stock or thinacetate or transparency sheets, pencil,black marker, rubber or glass cuttingboard, utility knife and #11 blades,electric stencil cutter/burner (optional)

Hand-drawing your stencil designs is agreat way to get started in stencil makingbefore jumping into more complicatedcomputer-generated designs. Stencils aremade of various cutout shapes, calledislands. The spaces between theseshapes are called bridges. When youdraw your design, you want the bridgesto be strong; otherwise, the stencil willrip easily.

Take, for example, our simple starpattern. On the left, the white areasbetween the black cutout shapes are toothin and will rip or tear. The design onthe right shows those areas made widerand, therefore, stronger. Keep this inmind as you draw your designs.

For instance, if you were creating a heartstencil, youd trace the shape onto yourstencil material and then fill in the heartshape with black marker to indicate the

area to be cut out. Keep in mind that thewhite areas will have to connect withbridges. Otherwise, when the stencil iscut, the unconnected areas, or islands,will simply fall out. Bridges are whathold the stencil together, so you have tocreate bridges to the island. A simpleexample of this is the letter e. The lettere has a hollow area known in typographycircles as a counter. If you were to cutout your letter e to make a stencil, youalso would be cutting away the island,or counter. To remedy this, you have tocreate a bridge to the island with blackpen (see diagram below). The wider youmake your bridge, the stronger yourstencil will be.

To start, choose a pattern and draw ortrace it on transparency film, acetate, orcard stock using a black marker with apointed tip. Fill in the designs openshapes with black marker. Everythingblack will be the cut-away portion of thestencil. Once youve completed filling inthe areas to be cut out, youll cut outyour stencil.

Designing stencils on the computer

Materials needed: Photoshop orcomparable photo editing computerprogram; printer or print facility; cardstock, thin acetate, or transparencysheets; rubber or glass cutting board;utility knife and #11 blades; electricstencil cutter/burner (optional)

If you want to make an image for yourstencil on your computer, the first step isto plan out your design. It pays to thinkahead here. First, consider the size ofyour stencil. This is usually determinedby where you will be applying theimage: a specific wall, a certain area ona T-shirt. Next, draw your image orselect a source image. If working from asource image, make sure you have the

rights to use it if you plan on distributingit. Next, choose an image with detail andcontrast, not a blurry or overexposedphoto. If you are planning on making asmall stencil, you will probably want tochoose a less detailed image. Cutting outintricate detail is very difficult by hand.

TIP: Dont feel you have to use theexact details of the photo. Say, forexample, you are making a stencil of askull. When you search around forimages, maybe you like the eye socketson one photo, the nose detail on another,the teeth on another. In the photo editor,you can combine these features into one,new, perfected image and then workfrom that Frankensteined photo. I am

getting ahead of myself, but itssomething to consider at this stage of thegame.

Once youve settled on your design,bring your final reference image intoyour photo editor. Size your design tothe exact size you want the stenciledimage to be (click Image, Image size,then enter new dimensions in thedocument size boxes). Print out theresized image to be certain the size iscorrect.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWNSTENCILS (CONT.)

Convert your image to grayscale (click

Image, Mode, Grayscale). Duplicate thelayer, name it Reference, and shut itoff. This is so you can always refer backif needed. Select your main layer againto work on.

Paint away the detail of the photo youare not using in the stencil design. Selectthe paintbrush tool, select white as thecolor you are painting with, and adjustyour brush size to a size thats easy towork with. For example, if you aredoing a stencil from a photo ofsomeones face, you can paint white allof the photos background detail, his orher neck and shirt, etc. You should alsopaint in details that you feel willdisappear when you contrast the image

in the next steps.

Next, play with brightness and contrastto give it the stencil look (click Image,Adjustments, Brightness/Contrast). Startby adjusting the contrast to 100 percent.Now, adjust the brightness until you getmore of a contrasted stencil appearance.Not looking like a stencil? Maybe yourphoto was too low-contrast or grainy.Another sometimes better way is toadjust levels (click Image, Adjustments,Levels), then slide your input levels ofblack, white, and gray until you have astencil look.

Now, here is the tricky part. Justbecause it looks like a stencil doesnt

mean it will cut right. You have to createthe bridges and eliminate the islands(see previous section). As with hand-drawing stencils, the islands have to beeliminated on the computer. You can dothis two ways: Use the paintbrush tool todraw in bridges that create peninsulas,or fill in the islands with black, meaningthey too will be a part of the design thatis cut away.

Here is how we typically draw an eye:

If you cut out all the black areas, the eyeshape would just be one hollow shapeand the detail would cut away as well soHere is the eye with bridges:

And remember, you are making stencilart. Feel free to draw freehand areasinto your design that you could not cutinto the stencil. For example, add somewhite dots in the eye to give the eyesome life. You are an artist, not just astencil artist!

So create all the bridges you needthroughout the image to eliminate theislands. Make the bridges thick enoughthat they wont tear.

Next, print your design. If you have alaser printer, you can print directly ontotransparency or acetate sheets; just makesure that your print medium is

compatible with the printer (check thepackaging). If you do not havecompatible paper, no worries; you canprint on card stock (heavy-weightpaper), then cut the acetate on top of thisprint. If you do not have a printer, go tothe local print facility and have themprint it for you.

CuttingNow, time to cut it out! A utility knifewith a #11 blade is the weapon ofchoice. Heres a tip: Make your lifeeasier and change the blades often. Wait,did you hear me? Change the bladesoften. They get dull fast! Do all of yourcutting on a rubber cutting board or athick glass cutting board with a smooth

surface. Some swear by cutting on glass,as it has more resistance than the rubberboards and makes the cutting go faster.See what works for you.

Tape the acetate to your printed imageso it doesnt slip around while cutting,and place both sheets on the cuttingboard. Starting with the smallest,innermost point of the design, cut out theblack areas. The more you cut away, theweaker the sheet becomes, so becautious and take your time. If you rip abridge, press onyou can always tape itback together and trim away any excesstape. You will find your mostcomfortable way of cutting; some like tomove or rotate the entire sheet rather

than trying to cut curves with just theblade movement. Depending on thecomplexity of the design, this could takeminutesor it could take an evening ortwo! This step just takes practice.

TIP: If you own an electric stencilcutter/burner, you should trace thestencil design to the acetate, then cut itout with the glass board below. Theseheated knives cut through transparencysheets and acetate like butta, but youdont want paper or rubber involvedwith the heated knife!

You can also send Stencil1 your art forcustom laser-cutting in any size:www.stencil1.com/quote.php. Once you

http://www.stencil1.com/quote.php

have cut out the design, you can removethe printed backing. Your reusablestencil is ready to use!

How-toProjectsWeve stepped it up here and providedyou with twenty-five advanced step-by-step stencil projects! We are not onlypainting herewe cover embroidery,plastering, glass etching, and more.Once you learn these techniques, youcan customize almost any surface inyour home.

PROJECT 1 -Lets Face ItMake a multilayer stencil of apersons face.

OVERVIEW

I think everyone should have a stencilof his or her own face. What better wayto make something personal than bystenciling your face on it? Think of thepossibilitiesbook covers, pillows, T-shirts, your bedroom door. You canalso make a stencil of someone elsesfacea hero to paint on a canvas, anenemy to paint on a dartboard, its upto you!

MATERIALS

Digital photo of a persons facePhoto editing softwarePrinter or print facility

Card stockThin acetate sheets, or rubber orglass cutting boardUtility knife and #11 bladesElectric stencil cutter/burner*

*optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Find a face

First, you need a photo of a face. Itshould include head and shoulders, sothe entire outline of the head is in thepicture. Ideally, this should be a high-resolution image with clear details of thefacial features. Some shadows and

highlights are ideala little shadowunder the nose, some line details of thefeatures, etc. For this project, I used avintage photo of my mom that I scanned.Old photos are great for making stencilssince they are often high contrast.

2. Doctor the image

Open the digital photo in your photoediting software. Size your photo to the

exact size you want the stenciled imageto be (click Image, Image Size, thenenter new dimensions in the documentsize boxes). Save, and print out theresized image to be certain the size iscorrect.

Next, remove any areas of the photo thatwill not be a part of the stencil. Usingthe brush tool, paint the background, and

if you choose, paint away the neck andshoulder with white until all you see isthe head. In this case I am including theneck and shirt detail.

Convert your image to grayscale (click

Image, Mode, Grayscale). Dont flattenthe image; keep the layers. Now, nameyour one layer of the photo Main.Duplicate the layer and name the newlayer Reference. Move thisReference layer to the top, lock it, andshut it off. You can always click it on torefer to this layer for viewing details ofthe photo. Now click on the Mainlayer again to select it.

3. Make adjustments for light features

This is a good time to mention that if thesubject has light features, you will wantto trace these features so they dontdisappear when we pump the contrast ofthe image. In this example, my momseyebrows are faint, so I made a new

layer and painted over the eyebrows inblack. Later, be sure to merge this layerinto the Main layer. Also, if yoursubject has light-colored hair, you maywant to do this extra step in order toinclude that detail in your stencil. Makea new layer and name it Hair (orHair-did). Using the brush tool, paintthe hair areas black. It will look like asolid black wig or toupee right now butwhen stenciling, you can paint this areain with the real hair color. Since mymoms hair is dark, I didnt have to dothis step.

4. Create layers of the stencil

Create a new layer and name it Face.Paint the shape of the face or trace withthe pen tool and fill the selection. It

should be one solid shape. Thesilhouette face layer is done! I also didthis for the light blouse, which I intend tomake into another stencil; I would dothis to the jacket too and create anotherlayer for it. These would all be separatestencils so they should be on their ownlayers and named appropriatelyShirt, Jacket, etc. Once complete,I shut off those layers and locked them.

5. Adjust contrast

In the layers window, select the Mainlayer with your photo on it.

Adjust the Brightness/Contrast (click

Image, Adjustments,Brightness/Contrast). This willexaggerate the details, making it lookmore like a stencil. Play with thesecontrols until you have a more stencil-like image. Another sometimes betterway to adjust your image is with Levels(click Image, Adjustments, Levels).Slide your input levels of black, white,and gray until you have a stencil look.Looks like a stencil, right? Youre notdone yet!

6. Make it work

Just because it looks like a stencil doesnot mean it will cut properly.Remember, the black areas will be cutout and the white areas will be yourremaining stencil. In this step, we haveto remove any islands from the design oradd in bridges to turn the islands into

peninsulas (See How to Make YourOwn Stencils). First, identify theislands. If they are details you dontwant, fill them in with the blackpaintbrush. To keep these details, addbridges extending from the white areasacross the black areas surrounding themusing the paintbrush tool with white.You may need to alternate betweenblack and white brush strokes: black toremove detail, white to add detail. Makethe bridges thick enough so that theywont tear.

In my photo, I had to make bridges in theeyes and fill in islands in the hair. As forthe white dots in the eyes, which areislands, I will just paint these in

freehand once all done. This light in theeyes really gives your painting life!

Some cutout or black areas may be toolarge to cut all at once: for example, thehair sections. You can get creative withbridging by adding multiple bridges inthe hair disguised as hair details (suchas inserting a bridge where you have apart in your hair or adding a lot ofwaves). You can choose to separate theHair from this Main layer and then

stencil paint this layer in separately inits own color.

7. Register all the layers

Make a new layer and name itRegistration Marks. Its helpful tomake registration marks so each layeraligns perfectly. Each stencil you cutshould have the same registration markson it. Draw two to four very small

triangles and place one in each corner,about 1/2 in/12 mm in from the bordersof the document. Why a triangle shape?They offer more precise alignment, andare easier to cut.

You should have a three- or four-layerdocument: Registration Marks,Main, Face, and possibly Hair,Jacket, and Shirt. I also createdstencil layers for the whites of the eyesand the lips.

To help you see all the stencil layers Icreated, I converted my file to RGB andcolored each layer a different color.Heres the image:

8. Print your design

If you have a laser printer, you can printdirectly onto the transparency or acetatesheets. See Designing Stencils on theComputer on for instructions and tips.

Print as follows: Leave yourRegistration Marks layer on duringprinting of all layers. You are printingeach layer or stencil separately. Turn onyour Main layer and turn off othersand click Print. Now hide Main. Turnon the Face layer and click Print. HideFace. Turn on the Hair layer, if youleft it separate, and click Print. And soon for any other layers you may havemade.

9. Cut it out!

A utility knife with a #11 blade is theweapon of choice. See Cutting on forinstructions and tips.

PROJECT - T-Shirts, TwoWays

A: PAINT WITH A TWO-LAYERSTENCIL

Now that I am offering two-layerdesigns, I have to show you how to usethem! The two-layer designs consist of asilhouette or outline of the subject and asecond layer of detail. They give you amore dimensional look and anopportunity to use more color. I suggestusing a lighter color for the base orsilhouette and a darker color for thedetail. Heres how to do it!

MATERIALS

T-shirt

Cardboard box or sheetStencilsBlue painters tapeAdhesive stencil spray orpushpinsFabric paint or Stencil1SprayersStencil brush, foam brush, orpouncer foam brushSafety goggles (if using spraypaint)Thick paper or newspaper tocontrol overspray (if using spraypaint)Iron

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Choose your T-shirt

Pre-washed or pre-shrunk 100 percentcotton T-shirts work best. Poly blends(50/50) yield mixed results, since theydont absorb the paint as easily. It is bestto experiment first, or just avoid them.

2. Choose your fabric paint

Youll find fabric paints at art supplystores. They require no mixing, have athick consistency, are rich inpigmentation, and give long-lastingresults. They even stand up to washingand drying. You can also use acrylicpaint mixed with fabric medium (also

available at art or craft supply stores) ina 1:1 ratio. Make sure the mixture iswell blended. Stencil1 also has a line ofmultisurface sprays, Stencil1 Sprayers,ideal for fabric (for a rougher look, youcan use traditional spray paint, but withno guaranteed results). For a moreadvanced application, try an airbrush kit.These are available at many art supplystores and, when used with fabric paint,they give fantastic results. Since we aredoing two layers, choose a lighter colorfor the silhouette layer (the first layer),then choose a darker color for thesecond, more detailed stencil layer.

3. Prepare your T-shirt

Stretch your T-shirt over the cardboardto prevent paint from seeping through tothe back of the shirt. This will alsoprovide a flat surface to paint on. Dont

stretch the shirt too much, as too muchstretching will warp your design onceit is taken off the box.

TIP: Shirt too big for the box? You canbind excess fabric in the back with arubber band to make the front side of theshirt lie flat.

4. Position the stencil

Position the silhouette stencil and stickfour very small pieces of painters tapeon the shirt under the stencils triangularregistration marks. (These marks willlater be used to align your second layerstencil.) Now, secure the stencil firmlyin place, using either spray adhesive or

pushpins. If you use spray adhesive,apply a light layer of adhesive to theback of the stencil. Allow the adhesiveto dry until the surface becomes tacky,then position your stencil. Draw in thetriangular registration marks on the bluetape with a pen. The tape allows you tomake your registration marks withoutmarking on the T-shirt and keeps youfrom accidentally painting in thosetriangles when stenciling.

TIP: I dont do this registration markingwhen I make T-shirtsI just eyeball it!

5. Begin painting

If using a stencil brush, do not overload

it with paint. Too much paint on thebrush causes the paint to seep under theedges of the stencil and creates blotchydesigns. Rememberstenciling is a dry-brush technique. The most commonmistake is overloading the brush. It is farbetter to build up the color gradually,layer by layer, instead of using one thickpaint application. If paint begins to seepbehind your stencil or if your designs donot have crisp defined edges, you maybe using too much paint.

Simply tap or dab the loaded brushagainst the stencil openings. Irecommend practicing on paper beforeyou begin on your T-shirt.

If youre using spray paint, be sure towear safety goggles. Once you have thestencil secured in place, cover the outerareas of the stencil with thick paper soas to not spray outside of the stencil.Then, spray several small, light spraysin the open areas of the stencil. Once allareas are filled, carefully remove thestencil from the shirt to see your design.Lift the stencil horizontally, so as not tolet excess paint drip on your shirt.

TIP: If it does drip, add more drips allaround the design. Of course, you meantto do that!

6. Seal it

You should heat press your T-shirtbefore using the second stencil: After thepaint has dried, turn the shirt inside outand iron the painted area on high heat for1 to 2 minutes. You can also blow-drywith a hair dryer for 1 to 2 minutes. Ifyou used tape, remove it before heatsealing.

7. Position the second stencil

Now prep the shirt as you did in Step 3.Position the second stencil over the areayou already painted. You can use theregistration marks or eyeball it. Line upthe second layer registration marks withthe marks you made from the first layerfor a perfectly layered design. For a real

DIY look, you can offset the secondlayer.

8. Paint and seal

Repeat Step 5 with the detailed stencil.Let the paint dry and repeat Step 6 toheat seal your new two-layer design.Your T-shirt is ready to wear.

B: STENCIL WITH BLEACHPASTE

The bleach stencil method has been on

my Web site for years, but it is wellworth repeating since it produces somecool effects. You may have seen thistechnique featured on The MarthaStewart Show when Martha usedStencil1 stencils for some Halloweenshirt making. Yes, the Queen of Craftstenciled a skull and cross bones on a T-shirtwho knew?! Martha lovesHalloween, and so do I! You can checkout the video at www.stencil1.com.

MATERIALS

Clothing, preferably 100 percentcottonCardboard box or sheet

http://www.stencil1.com

StencilBlue painters tapeSafety gogglesRubber glovesBleach penPainting plate or bowlFoam brushAnti-Chlor, Bleach Stop, oranother bleach neutralizer

NOTE: The bleach pen is filled with ableach paste. The paste, as opposed toliquid bleach, allows control of thebleach to keep it from bleeding too farout of the design areas. For even greatercontrol over the bleach, I recommendsqueezing the bleach paste onto a glass

plate and using a small foam brush toapply the paste. INSTRUCTIONS

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Choose your clothing

Stencil1 stencils can be used to bleachT-shirts, sweatshirts, and more. Clothingshould be 100 percent cotton for bestresults. Darker items will show bestresults. Start by inserting the cardboardbox inside the clothing item. Thisflattens the area you want to stencil andprevents the bleach from going throughto the next layer. The clothing itemshould not be too stretched over the

cardboard; it should just fit. If youoverstretch the fabric, your design willget distorted.

2. Position the stencil

Carefully position the stencil on theclothing item where you would like it toappear. Next, tape down two or threesides of the stencil with the painterstape to hold the stencil in place.

3. Start painting

Always wear safety goggles and gloveswhen working with bleach. Squeeze afew ounces of bleach paste out of thepen onto a plate or into a bowl. Dip the

foam brush in the bleach and dab it ontothe clothing in the open areas of thestencil, starting with your larger areas.Try not to get any paste under the stencilfor a clearer design. Apply to all areasof the design evenly.

4. Wait

You may start to see the bleach liftingthe color out of the shirt immediately.You can leave the paste on for 5 minutesor 4 hours, depending on the effect youare seeking. The longer you leave thebleach on, the more it will lift out theoriginal color of the clothing, so resultswill vary. Too long will result in thebleach eating holes in the shirt.

5. Rinse

Once you are satisfied with thebleaching level, rinse the garment inwater and then plunge it into a bath ofyour bleach neutralizer. Its best to havethis bath prepared and ready. Thenlaunder the garment as usual.

If you choose to paint an additional layeron top of your bleached design, go backto Step 7 of the previous tutorial onPaint with a Two-layer Stencil.

PROJECT 3Time toReflectStencil a design onto a mirror usingetching cream and a stencil.

FEATURED ARTIST

JEREMYPELLEY(FORMER ARTDIRECTOR/THING

MAKER OF ATELIER ACE)

A few months ago, I was doing astencil installation at the Ace HotelNew York, where I stenciled a blackgloss bird pattern onto a matte blackhotel room wall (shown here are someother Ace Hotel rooms I did). There Imet Jeremy Pelley, and weimmediately clicked. Jeremy is a jack-of-all-trades graphic designermykind of guy! He and his partners,Mathew Foster and Fritz Mesenbrink,formed The Official ManufacturingCo., or OMFG Co., and have designedcollateral to drool over for The Aceand other clients. Theyve done etchedmirrors with clever quotations

throughout the Ace Hotel New York,so I thought it fitting to ask him toshare this tutorial with us. They alsodesigned the Kiss Me Again stencilusing typography from vintage sheetmusic.

MATERIALS

MirrorBlue painters tapeStencilSpray adhesiveFoam brushEtching cream (such as ArmourEtch)Utility knife

Glass cleaner and damp clothor sponge

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prep your mirror

Give your mirror a good wipe with alint-free cloth before you begin. Removethe mirror from any frame it is in orcover the frame with blue painters tape.You do not want to get the etching creamon the frame.

2. Position the stencil

Spray the adhesive evenly on the back of

the stencil. Let it dry for 30 seconds oruntil its tacky to the touch. Carefullyapply the stencil firmly to the glass.Press out any air bubbles, especially atthe edge of the cutouts, so that the stencilis applied smoothly.

3. Apply etching cream

With a foam brush, apply a thick layer ofetching cream to the open areas of thestencil. Completely cover the stencilusing up-and-down, left-to-rightmotions. Always wear safety gogglesand gloves when using etching cream.

4. Wait

Allow the cream to sit for 10 to 20minutes, or as directed in themanufacturers instructions.

5. Rinse and reveal your design

Wipe off the etching cream with a dampcloth or sponge. Use a utility knife topeel up one corner of the stencil andcarefully peel the stencil off the glass.Clean any remaining etching cream offthe glass immediately and wipe with adamp cloth.

6. Check out your new custom mirror.Hang it with pride.

PROJECT 4 -PlateTectonicsServe up style when you use porcelainpaint and glaze to revamp a vintageplate.

OVERVIEW

This how-to is recycling at its most funstenciling a modern image or patternover a vintage porcelain plate is aclever juxtaposition. Used plates are in

abundance at thrift stores and are usuallyvery inexpensive. So take thosemismatched, floral granny plates andgive them a whole new look.

MATERIALS

Used or vintage plateRubbing alcoholNewspaper or thick paper tocontrol oversprayStencilSpray adhesiveBlue painters tapeSpray paint (for decorativeplates only!)Food-safe porcelain paint orglaze

Stencil brushCotton balls

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prep the plate

Clean the plate of all grease. First scrubwith soap and water; then give it arubdown with rubbing alcohol. Let itdry.

2. Prep your work space and stencil

Cover your work surface withnewspaper and place the plate on thepaper. Spray some adhesive on the back

of the stencil, let dry until its tacky tothe touch, and place the stencil on theplate where you want the design toappear. Press down on all areas tosecure it to the plate so that no paint willseep under the stencil.

3. Block & roll

To protect the rest of the plate, mask theareas outside the stencil with thick paperand blue painters tape. Make sure totape down the paper, as paint alwaysseems to find its way under there.

4. Choose your paint

If your plates are for wall decor and not

for serving food, you can use spraypaint. If so, spray a thin layer of paint onyour plate in the open stencil areas.Allow to dry.

If you want to use your new plates toserve food, you must use nontoxic, food-safe porcelain paint. Check the label tomake sure your paint is nontoxic anddishwasher safe.

Using a stencil brush, paint in the openstencil areas with the porcelainpaint/glaze. Let the paint dry and apply asecond coat. This will help in hiding thebrush marks. Until the paint is baked on,you can correct any mistakes by justwashing the paint off the plate. Allow

the paint/glaze to dry overnight. Thispaint must be baked in the ovenfollowing the manufacturers directionson the label.

5. Reveal

Lift off the stencil and remove the tapeand paper. If any adhesive residue is onthe plate, carefully remove it with acotton ball and rubbing alcohol. Avoidrubbing the painted areas. (Now wouldbe a good time to bake the food-safeporcelain paint.)

6. Display

Hook a plate hanger to the back of your

plate, mount it on the wall, and doanother!

PROJECT 5 -Get PlasteredCreate a three-dimensional walldesign by embossing with plaster orjoint compound.

OVERVIEW

Embossing walls with stencils is farfrom a new technique. It dates backcenturies, but we can put a modern twiston it. While classic, ornate borders offlowers and curlicues are beautiful, whynot have a three-dimensional baby bunny

on your wall? For those less committed,this technique can also be applied to awood panel.Raised plaster stencil designs can beused in a variety of ways: placed hereand there as accents or positioneduniformly around windows and doors, oralong the top of a wall, just as you mightuse a wallpaper border. Try grizzlybears as medallions around a ceilinglight fixture.

You are only limited by yourimagination, creativity, and ladderheight. You can apply these lovelystencil designs over plaster or drywallthat has not yet been painted, or do themon a painted wall in a complementary

color. The color can be mixed into thejoint compound before you apply it, oryou can paint the finished plaster designafter it has dried. To add tint to yourplaster or joint compound, you can mixin a pure pigment, (available at paintstores), fabric dye, or concrete andstucco powdered colors. Whichever dyeyou choose, consult your paint store tobe sure its compatible with your plasteror compound.

Using raised plaster stencils can provideyou with a lot of fun as you dress up thatplain dining room or bedroom or den.Spread your wings and see what you cando.

MATERIALS

StencilBlue painters tapeJoint compound (found in thepaint supply department of anyhome or hardware store)Flat-edged palette knife (alsofound in the home or hardwarestore)Glaze or paint*

*optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Choose your location

A smooth wall or ceiling or a lightlytextured surface works best, butexperiment to see what you like. Woulda busy or pronounced texture look goodwith a raised design? Just give it a try toknow for sure. Once youve determinedwhere you think your chosen design willlook best, tape the stencil to the surface.

2. Apply the compound

Using the palette knife spread jointcompound over the open areas of thestencil, taking care to fill the individualcutouts well. Smooth out thecompound, and wait a few minutes forthe mud to stiffen a little.

3. Peel away the stencil

Now, gently lift the stencil from thesurface, loosening the tape at the sametime. Start at one side and lift toward theother in one smooth motion. If you messup, no big deal. Just scrape off thedrywall compound and do it again. If ittakes a couple of tries or two, chalk it upto the learning process. Creating suchsimple beauty will certainly be worth it.

4. Wait

Let your design cure for 24 hours.

5. Add color

Once your design has dried, you canapply color to the raised area. If youlove color and detail, carefully brush onpaint or glaze over your raised designsto make them stand out more. If you areafter something subtler, paint over thedesigns as you paint the wall. They willblend in more, but still add a beautifullyunderstated look.

PROJECT 6 -Block PartyMake and decorate your own woodblock puzzle.

OVERVIEW

For this project, you will be paintingwood blocks with six different stencilimages to create a six-sided blockpuzzle. It is a little time consuming,mostly due to drying time, but when youare done, you will have six fun images tochallenge young (and old) minds.

NOTE: If you are making these forchildren, use only nontoxic, child-safepaint and glaze. The label should clearlystate that the product is dry-film, child-safe, and nontoxic.

MATERIALS

Nine 2-in/5-cm unfinished woodblocks (found at many art supplyand craft stores or online)Blue painters tapeNewspaper or thick paper tocontrol oversprayStencilStencil brushVariety of acrylic paints (Irecommend 6 different bright

colors)Stencil1 Sprayers or specialtyink pads*Spray acrylic glaze

*optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prep your blocks

On a flat surface protected withnewspaper, arrange your blocks closelytogether in a square grid, three rows ofthree, if working with nine cubes. Makesure the blocks are very close together,and that the tops of the blocks are linedup evenly. This is the first surface you

will be paintingyup, all nine blocks.To avoid shifting or movement whilepainting, tape the cubes together withblue painters tape on the outer edges.

2. Plan your design

You want the stencil design to reachall the cubes. This may involveduplicating the design across the surfacearea, or painting all the cubes a solidcolor on this side, letting the paint dry,then stenciling a design on top of thatcolored surface. Stencil1 Sprayers canbe used on wood to spray backgroundcolors. You do not want to have anyblank cubes. With blue painters tape,secure your stencil in place along the

outer edges of the blocks.

3. Paint it up

With a stencil brush, take up a smallamount of paint, and fill in the openareas of the stencil design onto thewood. Paint with an up-and-downmotion, taking care to keep your blocksflat on the work surface. If you arelayering or applying images more thanonce, be careful to not smudge the firstdesign when you move the stencil to dothe second one. As an alternative topaint, try specialty ink pads made forwood or the Stencil1 Sprayers. Onceyoure satisfied with the paint job, liftthe stencil and allow the design to dry.

4. Lather, rinse, repeat

Untape the cubes, turn all the cubes to anew blank side, and go back to Step 1for the next side. Repeat Steps 1 through4 until all sides are covered.

5. Seal the deal

Now, seal all your paintwork with sprayacrylic glaze. Yes, you need to coat theblocks one side at a time, waiting foreach side to dry before doing the nextone. Be sure to spray in a well-ventilated area and follow themanufacturers instructions. Allow todry for at least 24 hours.

6. Jumble and solve

You now have a custom-made, six-sidedblock puzzle. Mix up the cubes, and letthe kids (or adults) put the stencil imagestogether!

FEATURED ARTIST

ELAINEELWICKBARR(ROCK N ROLLCRAFTS)

Elaine and I met when she e-mailedme to see if I could supply Stencil1stencils for some craft demos she wasdoing at trade shows. She wrote thatshe was totally bored with thetraditional selection of stencilsavailable in the craft industry. Howcould I say no? We eventually came to

share booths at shows, and she is nowan official licensed user of Stencil1productsand were the best offriends. Talk about growing acompany organically! Elaine helps mewith Stencil1 development, but on herown she does far more than stenciling.Check out her Web site, Rock n RollCrafts (Rocknrollcrafts.blogspot.com),to see all her creations fromminiatures to glitter.

PROJECT 7 -Shrinky Dink!Stencil onto shrink plastic and turnyour shrunken designs into wearablejewelry art.

MATERIALS

Shrink plastic (I used a frostedshrink plastic, found at most craftand art supply stores)ScissorsCosmetic spongesStencil

Fine-grade sandpaperStencil 1 Sprayers in assortedcolorsBlue painters tapePaper hole punchHeating tool or toaster ovenTweezers or a chopstick tohold down shrinking plasticBeads and jewelry findings tocomplete your jewelry piece

NOTE: Watch Elaine demonstrate howto use Stencil1 spray paints atwww.tinyurl.com/stencilsprayvideo.

OVERVIEW

Heres a basic way to make jewelry like

http://www.tinyurl.com/stencilsprayvideo

Elaines butterfly example and followingis a more advanced way that Elainemade the birdcage piece shown here (atleft).

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prep the plastic

Start by cutting a piece of shrink plasticto the size of your stencil. Sand bothsides of the cutout plastic in a crosshatchpattern. This will help the spray paintsstick to the plastic.

2. Spray with base color

Spray a bit of color on one side of theshrink plastic, and blot with a cosmeticsponge. You only need a light sprayingof paint. When the plastic shrinks, thecolors will intensify.

3. Apply the stencil

Turn shrink plastic over, and tape thestencil down lightly with blue painterstape. Spray just once into a cosmeticsponge and blot lightly over the openareas of the stencil. This requires only alight use of paint.

4. Make a hole

Using a paper hole punch, make a hole in

your shrink plastic where youd likeyour charm to attach to the necklace,bracelet, or earring. The hole may seemtoo big for jewelry, but remembereverything is going to shrink!

5. Heat it up

Remove the stencil. With your scissors,cut out the image along the outer edgesof the design. Heat the plastic accordingto the shrink plastic manufacturersinstructions. You can use a handheldheating tool, like a heat gun, or a toasteroven. The plastic will start shrinking andwarping, but dont freak out. It willflatten eventually. If youre using ahandheld heating tool, hold the plastic

with tweezers or a chopstick and startheating from the top, being sure toevenly heat each part of the image.These images are pretty small, so theyare easy to shrink in this way. Somethinglarger or more complex in shape may bebetter off in a toaster oven.

6. Wait

Once shrunken all of the way, place yourcharm under something heavy, like abook, to flatten it out. Wait just a fewminutes and voila.

7. Create your jewelry

Add your charm to a necklace, bracelet,

or earrings with a jump ring and beadsof your choice.

ADVANCED:Heres how Elaine made themultilayered birdcage necklace.

1. Prep the shrink plastic like in Step 1.

2. Stencil the birdcage image twice ontothe shrink plastic using Sharpie markers.Also stencil 3 birds onto the shrinkplastic. Use an X-Acto knife to cut outbirdcage details and silhouette on one ofthe images, and on the other cut out justalong the outside lines or silhouette.

Also cut out your birds. Shrinkaccording to the manufacturersinstructions.

3. Once cool, spray paint the shrunkpieces. Elaine used Turquoise, white,and buttercream yellow. Adhere two ofthe birds inside the cut-out cage, usingE6000 clear adhesive glue. Assemblewith various jewelry findings.

PROJECT 8 -Rock OutStencil river rocks for your gardenusing our spray paint.

OVERVIEW

Painting rocks reminds me of my 70schildhood. Imagine a lumpy rock paintedwhite, with flowers all over it. Fun, butrather unnatural and, well, ugly. Idecided to revisit this kitschy craft witha more tasteful touch.

MATERIALS

Smooth, large river rocksStencilBlue painters tapeStencil1 Sprayers or acrylicpaintStencil brush (if using acrylicpaint)Felt*Rubber cement*

*optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Choose your rock

Choose rocks with a nice, flat, smoothsurface. These are the best for stenciling.

2. Prep your surface

Thoroughly clean the rock with soapywater to remove all the soil and allow itto dry.

3. Position the stencil

Place your stencil on the flat side of therock where you want the design toappear. The stencil should lay flat. If therock is curved, you will have to bend thestencil around the curve and secure it inplace with a few pieces of blue painterstape. Tape and cover the outside areas

of the stencil, so the ink only sprays intothe open areas of the stencil design, andnot beyond.

4. Paint and peel

For a tasteful, natural look, choose apaint color similar to the rocks color,most likely brown, gray, or mossy green.Its really up to you.

4a. Spray application

With the spray bottle 8 to 12 in/20 to301/2 cm away from the stencil, spraylightly into the design area. A little goesa long way. Fill in the design area and,once satisfied, carefully peel the stencil

away from the rock and wipe the excessink from the stencil.

4b. Alternative brush application

Using very little paint on the brush, dabthe paint in the open areas in an up-and-down motion, carefully filling in thedesign area until satisfied. Carefullypeel the stencil away from the rock.

5. Check out your design

Allow your rock to sit in the sun all day.The heat will seal the design into therock.

Place it in your garden, use it as a

doorstop, or set it on your desk as apaperweight.

TIP: If using as a doorstop orpaperweight, you will want to attach asmall piece of felt to the bottom of therock so you dont harm your floor ordesk. Cut a small piece of felt to thedesired shape and adhere to the rockwith rubber cement. Done!

PROJECT 9 -SomethingSweetCreate cookies with stenciled patternsusing decorative icing.

FEATURED ARTIST

CHRISTIANSUMNER

(A BAKER INBROOKLYN)

Some say baking is a science.Christian Sumner, the mad geniusbehind A Baker in Brooklyn, is also adedicated artist. Hes a painter andsculptor of edible materials. His Website, www.abakerinbrooklyn.com,documents his processes in thekitchen and, thanks to his backgroundin photography, presents his

http://www.abakerinbrooklyn.com

confectionary delights in a visuallybeautiful manner. Christian hasbecome the Stencil1 baking muse,creating stenciled cookies and cakeswith confectioners sugar, cocoapowder, and icing for my book launchparties. Now this how-to shows yousome of his stellar decorative icingtechniques sure to make you drool.

While this is a cookie-stencilingproject, you will be technicallystenciling onto fondant, a sugar- andgelatin-based sheet of icing commonlyused on decorative cakes, and thenadhering the stenciled fondant to thecookies with royal icing. The endresult: stenciled cookies!

You will need to do a little prep workprior to stenciling: Make the food-safefreezer paper stencil, cookies, fondant,and royal icing.

MATERIALS

StencilFreezer paperX-Acto knifeCookie doughCookie cuttersBaking sheetFondantRoyal icingRolling pin or pasta rollerSmall offset spatula

Sanding sugar, coloredjimmies, or edible glitter

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Make a food-safe stencil

Select the stencil you would like to useand trace it onto thick freezer paper.Carefully cut out the design using an X-Acto knife. You will use the freezerpaper version for all of the cookies. Donot use paper stencils or non food-safestencils for this project. Paper stencilswould simply deteriorate and may not befood safe.

2. Make the cookies

You can make sugar cookies,gingerbread cookies, or any cookie thatwill be smooth after baking, to ensureperfect stenciling. You dont want abumpy cookie like oatmeal or chocolatechip. Once youve made your cookiedough, roll it out and cut into shapeswith cookie cutters. Freeze the cut doughfor about 30 minutes so the cookiesretain their shape, then bake. Let thecookies cool. For cookie recipe ideas,visit www.abakerinbrooklyn.com.

3. Make the fondant

You can purchase ready-to-use fondanton www.wilton.com or at any baking orcraft store. You can also make your own.

http://www.abakerinbrooklyn.comhttp://www.wilton.com

4. Make the icing

Royal icing is a pure white icing thatdries to a smooth, hard, matte finish.Follow the Royal Icing recipe at right,tinting to your desired colors. This willbe your stencil paint in this process.

TIP: Make the Royal Icing just beforeyou are ready to stencil, as it tends toharden quickly. The consistency shouldbe somewhere between molasses andtoothpaste. It should spread easily, butnot be runny.

Now youre ready to stencil.

5. Prep the fondant

Knead the fondant to soften. You maywant to add a few drops of vanilla oralmond extract for flavor. In batches,roll out the fondant with a rolling pin oruse a pasta roller (much easier) to athickness of ? in/3 mm.

6. Get ready to stencil

Hold your freezer paper stencil firmly inplace on the fondant without pressingdown too hard.

7. Paint with the icing

Using an offset spatula, scoop up a smallbit of icing and drop it into the center ofthe stencil. Holding the stencil firmly in

place, gently spread a thin coating oficing over the stencil; dont use too muchicing. Once the entire stencil is coveredin icing, sprinkle with sanding sugar orother small edible decoration, if desired.

8. Peel and wait

Slowly and carefully lift the stencil fromthe fondant, starting at one corner andtaking care not to slide the stencil. Youwant to keep the edges sharp. Let theicing set for about 5 minutes beforecutting.

9. Adhere the fondant to the cookies

Using the same cookie cutters you used

to cut the cookie dough, cut shapes out ofthe stenciled fondant over the stenciledpattern area. Spread a small dab of icingonto a cookie to act as glue. Then lift astenciled fondant shape with an offsetspatula, and press very gently into placeon the cookie. Repeat until you haveadhered a stenciled fondant onto eachcookie. Then sit back and wait for yourparty guests to be amazed.

ROYAL ICING

INGREDIENTS

1 cup/113 g confectioners sugar2 tablespoons warm water

Food coloring for tinting

Vanilla extract for flavor (optional)

Makes about 1/2 cup/114 g of icing

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mix the sugar and water in a bowl andbeat with a fork or spoon until it gets tothe proper consistency, somewherebetween molasses and toothpaste. Addmore sugar to make it thicker, or dropsof water to make it thinner.

2. Add drops of food coloring in yourdesired colors and continue mixing.

3. Flavor the royal icing with a fewdrops of vanilla or other flavor extract.

TIP: Keep the icing from drying out byadding a few drops of water at a time, ifneeded, and then stirring.

PROJECT 10 -Tattoo YouDecorate yourself for the ultimate inpersonal expression. Use body paint orhenna to stencil a tattoo on your skin.

OVERVIEW

Have a fear of commitment? Well,heres something for you: stencil onsome temporary tattoos and wash themoff in a day or two. I put a few on andposted the pics to Facebook and hadmany a-fooled! The comments I received

were pretty funny. This tutorial is sure tobe a party hit. Even try it with theyounguns (little kids with sleevetattoos? Yes!). Heres how to do it.

MATERIALS

Cotton ballRubbing alcoholStencilSkin-safe spray adhesive(recommended for detailedstencils)Cosmetic spongeStencil brush*Henna or body ink(recommended: Temptus Dura

Palettes; advanced users can useTemptu Dura liquids; both can befound at www.temptupro.com)

*optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Get clean

Clean the skin with a cotton ball andrubbing alcohol; allow to dry.

2. Stick it

Firmly hold the stencil on the skin whereyou want your temporary tattoo, or useskin-safe spray adhesive to secure the

http://www.temptupro.com

stencil in place.

3. Tattoo you

Dab a cosmetic sponge in the specialtyink. The ink may need to be activatedwith 99 percent rubbing alcohol, so readthe manufacturers instructions. If usingbrushes, I recommend using synthetichair. Now, pounce the sponge into theopen areas of the stencil while holdingthe stencil steady. Do this until the areasare filled.

4. Reveal

Lift the stencil. See your new tattoo! Letdry.

5. Care and removal

Avoid washing the design area withsoapy water to extend the life of yourtattoo. The design will stay on the skinfrom 2 to 5 days, depending on care. Toremove the tattoo, scrub with a soapywashcloth and water.

PROJECT 11 -Extra Layers

Make a stunning photo collage byincorporating stenciled images.

FEATURED ARTIST

SUSANRIVAS(I AM SUSANITA)

After presenting mybook Stencil 101

Decor at a PR event, I went out forfood and drinks with some of the eventcrew. They had already ordered foodby the time I was able to join the table,but Susan, the adorable gal sitting

next to me, offered me some of herpizza. That brand of simple kindnessgoes a long way with me. Weexchanged information, and when Ilooked at her Web site later, I wasblown away. Susan does visualbranding and collagistrations, a termshe coined to describe her layeredcombination of photography, collage,and illustration. As soon as I saw herwork, I immediately offered her someof my stencils and inks.

Now you can collagistrate too. Thisproject is terrific for embellishingphotos of friends as gifts, makingfashionable wall art, and endlessother creations. It starts with layering

stenciled designs with ink and glitter,cutout images, scraps of paper, andhand-drawn elements. Visit SusansWeb site for more inspiration:www.iamsusanita.com.

MATERIALS

Magazines, books, and/orphotosUtility knife or scissorsPaper, preferably card stock orcardboardStencilsSpray adhesive*Blue painters tapeScrap paper to control

http://www.iamsusanita.com

oversprayStencil1 SprayersGlitter*Cellophane or decorative tapePens and markers

*optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare to create

Set up a flat work surface and find agood album or playlist to get youinspired. Collect a few images that youlike. Look through your favoritemagazines, books, vintage animal books,or your own photo albums.

2. Start snipping

Cut out the main subjects from thepictures that you like. You can cut themout perfectly with a utility knife orrough-edged with a pair of scissors.

3. Choose the paper

Choose a paper that you like for yourbase or background collagistration. Thispaper should be thick such as card stockor even cardboard. If you want thebackground to be a more decorativepaper (white, lined, newsprint, graph,etc.) but feel it may be too thin, adhere itto a card stock or cardboard base layer

with a light mist of spray adhesive or athin coat of glue.

4. Set your stencil

Now, position the stencil on some otherpaper where youd like your pattern toappear. To protect the outer areas fromoverspray, cover the areas outside of thestencil with scrap paper and tape downwith blue painters tape. If you like theoversprayed look, skip this step.

5. Apply the paint

Using a Stencil1 Sprayer, spray the opendesign areas of the stencil. Positioned 6to 8 in/15 to 20 cm from the paper, spray

lightly in a sweeping motiona littlegoes a long way. Carefully lift yourstencil, keeping it level with the surface,so no extra ink drips off onto yourmasterpiece. If it does drip, just drizzlesome more ink off the stencil and say, Imeant to do that! Let the ink dry. Washand dry your stencil.

Alternatively, you can spray tack in thestencil areas, lift the stencil, andsprinkle glitter on the tacky areas. Tipthe paper to remove the excess glitter,and you have some nice glittery shapesto play with.

6. Cut out the pieces you stenciled

These will be added to yourcollagistration.

7. Piece it together

Position the images you cut out aroundthe page. Try to find the way the shapesmake sense with each other and thestenciled pieces. Notice the negativespaces. In other words, find them happyhomes on the page. Keep in mind thatyou can also draw and doodle aroundthe objects. Once you decide where youwant to place the cutouts, tape them inplace. (You can tape on the back or onthe front. I like to show the tape; you cando whatever you want.)

8. Collagistrate your love

For added embellishment, cut out (ortear) pieces of extra paper. Place thetorn paper underneath or around yourcutout subject and tape or glue in place.Doodle on and around the paper cutoutsusing your favorite line pen or thinmarker. Feel free to draw within thespaces of the stencil toowhereveryour pen takes you. I try to create afeeling of motion when drawing.

9. Admire

Keep going until you love it; then frameit. You made a collagistration!

PROJECT 12 -Heart FeltUse the needle felting method to makea stunning pillow from wool rovingand a recycled sweater.

FEATURED ARTIST

VICKIEHOWELL(CRAFT CORPS,AWAREKNITS,AND POP GOES

CROCHET!)

Needle felting is a fun way to makeappliqus on knitted garments andhousehold items. Vickie Howell is afiber maven and crafty do-gooderwhom I had the honor of meetingwhen she invited me to be a part of herinspiring book, Craft Corps, whichfeatures design and craft artists whomake a difference. And what adifference: Vickie has revolutionizedthe knit and crochet scene by bringingher funky aesthetic and compassionatespirit to everything she does.

Here Vickie shows you how tocombine stencils and wool, before its

been spun in to yarn, to create a freshand fabulous needle felted pillow.Once youve mastered the art, you canapply this technique anywhere yarndares to go.

MATERIALS

Felted sweater (at least 181/4 x181/4 in/46.35 x 46.35 cm)ScissorsStencilFoam block (a little larger thanthe stencil)1 to 2 balls of wool roving (incolors of your choice)Felting needle (Size 38)

Sewing machine and threadPillow form (18 x 18 in/46 x 46cm) or batting

NOTES: A felted sweater is a woolsweater thats been washed in hot waterso that the fabric shrinks, creating athick, felt fabric. Roving is wool that hasyet to be spun into yarn. It is wispy andfine, similar to the fibers from a cottonball. Wool roving can be purchased atmost craft and hobby stores or online inkits of multiple colors. Two 2.2-oz ballsof roving (about the size of tennis balls)will be more than enough for thisproject.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Snip it

Cut two 181/4 in/46.35 cm squares out ofthe felted sweaterone from the frontand one from the back.

2. Get into position

Place the foam block under one of thefelted sweater pieces directly belowwhere you want your felted stencildesign. Place your stencil.

3. Pinch and poke

Once youre satisfied with the stencilsplacement, take a pinch of roving for one

of the open areas of the stencil. Theamount of roving you will use in eacharea depends on the size of the area andhow dense you want the wool to be.

Place enough roving in an open area tofill in the space. You can always addmore later. With the felting needle,lightly stab the roving into place. Takecare to hold the stencil in place with onehand while youre needle felting with theother.

4. Repeat

Slowly begin adding more roving to fillin the other design areas, making sure thefiber is situated exactly where youd like

it and changing colors as you desire.

5. Stab it

Finally, stab the roving repeatedly withthe felting needle, permanently attachingit to the project. Stabbing causes thefibers to intertwine, adhering the rovingto the larger piece of felt. Add more if athicker design is desired. Repeat thisprocess in all the open areas until thedesign is complete.

6. Get it together

With wrong sides together and a 1/4 in/6mm seam allowance on all four sides,sew the two pieces together, leaving an

opening at the top big enough to insertthe pillow form or batting.

7. Stuff it

Stuff the pillow with the pillow form orbatting. Sew the opening shut, andadmire your comfy handiwork.

PROJECT 13 -Pinup StarCreate a poster collage by expandingsmaller stenciled images into largergraphics.

OVERVIEW

This how-to pays homage to posterprints of the 60s. Many of these posterswere composed of many small imagesforming the shape of a larger image ortype forming the shape of a larger image.Imagine the sexy figure of a woman all

made up of small curvy type. In myexample, I used the retro TV stencil tospell the letters TV. To make a large,iconic image and fill it in with a smallerstencil image, you will need a little bitof freehand drawing skill.

MATERIALS

Poster boardPencilStencilStencil brushInk pad, markers, Stencil1Sprayers, or acrylics

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Create an image

On a poster board, first draw a largebase image in pencil, such as a bigpeace sign, a strong tree, or a largeskull. This image can be anything youlike. Make sure to draw it nice and big!

2. Find your fill

Choose a stencil small enough to fiteasily inside the shapes of your design.The idea is to fill in the design with arepeating stencil image.

3. Color in the lines

Place your stencil within your drawing.

Dab the stencil brush on the ink pad andcolor in your first stencil. (You can alsouse markers, Stencil1 Sprayers, oracrylics to fill it in.)

When it is filled, shift the stencil toanother open area and continue until youhave completely filled in your bigimage. You can overlap your stencilimages, leaving white space where youwant it, and creating color where youwant it. Repeat until the entire design isfilled.

4. Admire

Back up and check out the poster printyou made.

PROJECT 14 -Give Me YourLeatherCustomize your own leather fashionaccessory.

FeATURED ARTIST

ERICADOMESEK(P.S.I MADE THIS)

Fashion Week and DIY are two

phrases that usuallydont get combineduntil Erica Domesekof P.S.I Made Thisstarts talking. Ericais a fashionista and acrafty DIY gal all in

one. A few years ago, Erica contactedme about providing Stencil1 stencilsfor a Sharpie event inside the tents atNew York Fashion Week. I loved herwork immediately. I recently attendedanother event for which Erica madeleather accessories from Helmut Langmaterials. The girl is unstoppable.Ericas motto is I see it. I like it. Imake it. She shows people how cool

and fashionable crafting can be, and,for this, I am a huge fanand it wasa no-brainer to make her a part of thisleather-painting tutorial. Be sure tocheck out Ericas new book P.S.IMade This: I See It. I Like It. I MakeIt. and visit Psimadethis.com.

MATERIALS

Leather material or apparel oraccessoryRubber glovesCotton ball or small ragRubbing alcohol or acetoneSandpaperWater-based acrylics or

specialty leather paint (such asFlashe brand)PaintbrushStencilstencil brush, foam brush, orpouncer foam brushFabric glue

NOTE: Erica stenciled leather materialand made what she coined a StencilStatement Necklace, but you can applythis technique to a headband, a jacket, orjust about any leather item.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare the leather

First, clean the leather surface area youwill be painting with a slightly dampcloth and mild, soapy water.

2. Take off the shine

Some leather, especially if brand-new,is waxy or shiny. This oil prevents paintfrom adhering to the surface and must beremoved. Wearing rubber gloves, wipethe areas with a cotton ball or small ragdipped in rubbing alcohol to remove thiswax and oil. Acetone is another option.Then lightly sand the area withsandpaper. This makes the leather moreporous so the paint will adhere andgives the leather a slightly distressedlook.

3. Paint a prep layer

Before stenciling your design on theleather, you need to paint the area with aprep layer. Mix one part water with onepart acrylic or specialty paint and brushthe leathers surface using a paintbrush.You can match the color of this layer tothe leathers color if youd like. Applytwo coats and let dry just until damp.

4. Stenciling time

Lay your leather surface area flat andplace the stencil where you want yourdesign to appear. Using water-basedacrylics or specialty leather paint, load a

very small amount of paint onto yourbrush, and dab some off on a papertowel. Now, in an up-and-down motion,paint in the open areas of the stencil. Liftyour stencil, and once the design dries,carefully flex the leather. Wipe yourstencil clean of paint. Realign it in thesame place as last time and applyanother layer. Applying additionallayers is up to you. Let it dry.

Erica stenciled one of my patterns ontoone piece of leather, cut out the shapesmaking up the pattern and glued them toanother backing piece of leather withfabric glue. I like her Wabi-Sabi or notperfect approach, organic andunexpected. She poked two eye holes in

the leather backing and attached someblack ribbon to create the necklace.

5. Reveal

Wear your new leather Stencil StatementNecklace like the fashionista you are.

PROJECT 15 -Make anImpressionEmboss a paper card with stencils.

OVERVIEW

Minimalists, rejoice! This how-toinvolves no inks or paints. Dryembossing, or relief embossing, is doneby tracing a stencil with a special toolcalled a stylus. The result is a simple,yet stunning, raised design on the

material you are embossing. Youll wantto make these over and over.

MATERIALS

StencilLight source (window, lightbox, etc.)Blue painters tapeWax paperThick card stock or blank cardsEmbossing tool (stylus)Inks, glitter, acrylics, or stamps(for embellishment)*

*optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prep the stencil

Place the stencil on a lighted surface(window, light box, etc.) in the desiredposition and tape it in place. The side ofthe stencil you want facing up should bethe reverse of what you want to appearas the finished design. This is especiallyimportant with letter stencils.

2. Prep the paper

Crumple up a piece of wax paper andrub it back and forth over the surface ofthe card to give the card a light waxycoating. This allows the stylus tool to

run smoothly over the paper. Now,position your card stock over the stencil,waxed side up. With a bright lightsource, the stencil will clearly showthrough the paper.

TIP: You are working on the reverseside of the card. Once the paper ispositioned where you want it, carefullytape the paper corners with bluepainters tape. You may want to test yourtape first to make sure it wont damageyour paper. Card stock will work best.

3. Emboss your heart out

Using the embossing tool, press thepaper firmly into the stencil along the

inside edges. If your stylus has adifferent size on each end, choose thesize that best fits the size of the design.Press firmly, but be careful not to rip thepaper. No need to rub the tool over thecenter of the design. Check yourprogress; if you dont see the embossing,go over the stencil edges again with thetool. Remember: Once you depress theedge of the paper, it is permanentlyembossed.

4. Reveal your genius

Lift the card off the stencil, turn it over,and admire the beautiful, raisedembossing. Its just that easy. Need moreflash? Embellish your embossed card

with inks, glitter, acrylics, or stampswhatever suits your taste and style.

PROJECT 16 -Signed,Sealed,DeliveredStencil a balsa wood postcard to tellsomeone you *heart* them.

OVERVIEWSnail mail is an attention-getter by itssheer rarity. A balsa wood postcard iseven more unexpectedan eye-poppingbit of correspondence that will really

stand out. A wooden postcard feels morelike a piece of art than a simple vacationWish You Were Here, something thelucky recipient will cherish.

MATERIALS

Balsa wood planksStraight edgeUtility knifeSandpaperNewspaper to control oversprayStencilStencil1 SprayersBlue painters tapeAcrylic paints or ink padsStencil brush

Spray- or brush-on varnish orpolyurethane sealerPaint pens or permanentmarkers

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Select and prep the balsa

You can purchase strips of balsa woodat craft and art supply stores. Look forsustainably harvested wood in 4-in/10-cm-wide strips that are 1/32 to 3/32in/.794 to 2.38 mm thick. You want thebalsa to be light enough to mail butsturdy enough to not snap. All strips lookdifferent, so choose a grain you like

best. The strips are usually 24 in/61 cmlong and, once cut, will give you enoughwood for about four 4-x-6-in/10-x-15-cm postcards. Regardless, you want toend up with a postcard-size piece ofwood. Measure the size you want, drawa line, and carefully cut along that lineusing a straightedge and a utility knife.Sand any rough edges. You have a balsawood postcard ready to paint.

2. Prep your work surface

Lay newspaper on a flat surface andyour blank wood card on the paper.

3. Prep your postcard

Before stenciling, I sprayed my woodpostcards with Stencil1 Sprayers to addsome color and texture.

4. Position the stencil

Place the stencil where youd like thedesign to appear on the wood, andsecure it lightly in place with bluepainters tape.

5. Paint and paint some more

Using the stencil brush with acrylics orspecialty ink pads, paint lightly in theopen areas with an up-and-down motion.Some balsa is absorbent, and paint maybleed, so, again, go lightly. If you are

using ink pads, check i