How to Free-Form Stencil

Free-form stenciling is a stenciling method using overlaps and grouping to create free-flowing designs that are uninhibited by straight-border repetition.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Stencil Brushes
• Stencil Paints
• Stencils
• Scissors
• Pencils
• Adhesive Tape
• Permanent Markers
• Tracing Paper
• Mylar Notebook Papers
• Permanent markers

Preparation

1. Decide what type of theme you want for your room.

2. Select stencils that match your theme. Make sure the stencils are the right size for the wall you are decorating.

3. Plan your stencil design and sketch it on a piece of paper. This can be a thumbnail sketch or a pattern drawn actual-size on butcher paper using the stencils you have chosen.

4. Arrange your stencil pieces on the floor at the base of the wall you will be decorating. This will help you determine the design placement.

5. Practice your stenciling techniques on a piece of paper. (See "How to Stencil a Wall Border.")

Layering Without Masks

1. Stencil the first shape - such as a leaf, flower or bow - with a medium-sized stencil brush or a foam roller. Use a light, soft color.

2. Place the same stencil at a slight angle overlapping first.

3. Paint this shape with a richer, brighter color. The lighter shape that you stenciled first will look like the shadow of this second shape.

4. Darken the edge of the second shape where it overlaps the first.

5. Move to another section of your border or design and repeat steps 6 through 9.

6. Continue until you have stenciled the desired number of shapes.

Layering With Masks

1. Assemble the stencils you will be using for your design.

2. Trace each stencil onto a thin piece of Mylar with a permanent marker.

3. Cut out each stencil shape, creating a Mylar mask for each stencil.

4. Stencil in the shapes that will be in the foreground of your design first.

5. When the paint is dry, tape the appropriate Mylar mask over it.

6. Position the next stencil, carefully overlapping the Mylar mask as needed to create your design.

7. Paint in the top stencil. The mask prevents paint from getting onto the first stencil design.

8. Leave the mask in place until you have finished stenciling any shapes that overlap the masked shape.

9. Repeat until you've painted all the shapes in your design.

Tips & Warnings

• If this is your first time, begin with a small design or a simple border rather than a mural that covers the whole wall.

• Your stencils will probably look smaller than expected when you get them home and hold them up to your walls. When in doubt, buy a larger rather than a smaller stencil.

• When layering without masks, start with the bottom layer and work up to the top layer.

• Use this technique when working with similar colors that blend easily.

• This technique is effective for creating a soft, breezy look. It works well for creating shadows in leaf and floral designs.

• Use this masking technique to make clean edges between contrasting colors.

• When layering with masks, start with the top layer and work down to the bottom layer.

• This technique works well for stenciling objects that appear to be behind each other, such as a cluster of grapes behind leaves or a spray of overlapping flowers.