Things You'll Need:
- Pre-cut or handmade stencil
- Stencil brush
- Paint
- Temporary adhesive
- Paint palette
- Surface to paint
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Step 1
Buy a pre-cut stencil or create your own. Simply draw or trace a leaf onto a piece of acetate, frosted plastic or chipboard, place it atop a self-healing mat and cut the shape out with a craft knife.
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Step 2
Select the type of paint that corresponds with the surface you'll be stenciling. If you're creating a design on a t-shirt, for example, buy fabric paint.
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Step 3
Tack the stencil to the surface with temporary adhesive or pieces of masking tape.
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Step 4
Pour paint onto a palette such as a paper or plastic plate. Dip a stencil brush into the paint and pounce it on scrap paper until it's nearly dry. Too much paint on the brush will cause it to bleed beneath the stencil, resulting in a shape with muddled edges.
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Step 5
Pounce or swirl the brush over the shape in the stencil. Work from the outside in so the brush's bristles won't push beneath the stencil and cause wayward marks on your design.
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Step 6
Add depth to the design by allowing the first coat of paint to dry, then shading along one side with a darker shade of paint. Expand the image and add even more dimension by moving the template and stenciling another leaf slightly overlapping the first.
