How to Make a Stencil on Photoshop

A stencil, also referred to as pochoir, is formed by removing sections of an image to create a physical negative. Essentially, the image is transformed into black and white, representing positive and negative space. Adobe Photoshop is a great software program that is capable of creating stencils. Stencils can then be printed on apparel, greeting cards, art projects and more.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Launch Adobe Photoshop.

2. Click "File" from the top menu and then select "Open." Browse to the image you want to make a stencil of and click "Open."

3. Click "Image" from the top menu and then select "Adjustments" and "Desaturate." The colors of your image will be removed, leaving with you with a black and white image.

4. Click "Image" from the top menu. Select "Adjustments," then choose "Brightness/Contrast." Tweak the brightness and contrast until you reach a level you are satisfied with.

5. Click "Image" from the top menu. Select "Adjustments," then choose "Threshold." Adjust the threshold until you reach a level you are satisfied with. A good threshold allows for the prominent features of the photo to be pronounced. Crop the image to your liking and save the stencil by clicking "Ctrl" + "S."

References

• Adobe Photoshop