Welcome to Class

 

We hope this lesson will help make your stencil project fun , satisfying and beautiful!

Pay attention now because there will be a quiz at the end of the lesson.

Before starting and stencil project lets review a few thing

 

1. Plan out and make a game plan on where you will be working and stencil spacing. Priscille's Stencils are all transparent so spacing is made much easier. Plan the supplies you will need to do the job. If your doing an upper boarder in an older house with uneven ceilings you may want to use a chauk line and level. In newer houses this is not needed. All of Priscille's Stencils can be butted right up to the ceiling. We have preplanned about 1 1/2" from the top to start the design. If your doing a chair rail most are 31 inches from the floor.

 

2. Do you have all the supplies you will need? Paint? A Brush for each color? The right colors you will need ? Stencil adhesive or stencil tape? A good solid ladder (if needed) ? Brush cleaner? If not you can order on the button on the bottom of this page.

3. Do you have some clean paper towels for cleanup ?

4. Remember always practice on a piece of paper first. It is much easier to make a mistake on your kitchen table than to make a mistake on a wall and have to do it over. Yes it is very tempting to go right to the wall, however your time is well spent to get the colors and shading correct. It saves time in the long run. Practice makes perfect.
5. Always take your time. If you rush you will make mistakes. If you are doing an entire room, just do 2 hours a day. Admire your work and go back to it tommorrow. When you try to do an entire room at once you'll get tired, make mistakes and lose interest. Keep it short and fun. After all you need time to brag to your friends what a great decorator you are!

Paint

Peel off skimcoat
A Word about paint. There are many kinds of stencil paints. The use of liquid paint is very messy. They drip and spill on floors and rugs and result in frustration and headaches. Fortunately you have an alternative. We sell Delta Stencil Cremes. They are small paint pots that are about the same consistancy as rouge. They go on very smoothly and can be used on cloth, walls and wood (unfinished). This little jar is very heavily pigmented and will do 2 rooms of stenciling so use it sparingly. When you first open the jar there is a skimcoat on the top. Simply peel off the skimcoat on top with a palette knife or other utensil and you are ready to go. You will find just a small twist of the brush will load it enough to do about 6 " of stenciling. Remember to use the minimum amout of paint do do the job.

Use circling brush  motions.

Brush straight into work

 ALWAYS use small circles applying stencil cremes. Keep your brush staight in to the work (90 degrees) If you tilt your brush you will slide under the stencil and you will possibly smudge and make a mess.

You can also blend colors with stencil cremes. Do the lighter of the two colors then add the darker color to the end of the portion you wish darken. Using a circling motion drag the darker color into the first color. Continue circling and the color will blend into the first.
Stenciling works best on a non glossy suface. On walls you can prep with flat latex paint. If you have a glossy finish, you can use a very fine steel wool or 400 grit sandpaper just to rough up the suface. This will give you a surface the paint will adhere to. If you don't have either, an old crafters trick is to use the inside of a paper shopping bag as your sandpaper. Yes, it works.

The paint you have prepped with should have at least one day drying time before you start your stenciling on the wall.

Drying time after the stenciling is done is approximately 1 to 2 days.

 

Stencils

There are Single and Multiple overlay stencils. A single has all the cutouts on one layer. A multiple has 2, 3 or 4 layers. although it sounds strange, the multiples are easier and faster to use, after a bit of practice. They also allow more colors and more intricate designs.

Let's Start with a Single overlay

When you open the package - face the number so you can read it . Turn over and use your adhesive dauber ( about every 6 inches) to apply stencil adhesive to the back side of your stencil. You may choose to use stencil tape on cloth, wood items or craft items such as paper. When you place the stencil on the wall, make sure that you are level. Start adding your first color in a circular motion being careful not to fill in any spaces that are reserved for another color. Some crafters use tape to cover the other cutouts so as to prevent mistakes. Its all personal preference. Repeat the process for each color. When all colors are completed lift off the wall ( do not slide) and reposition. After every two or three repositions step back and examine to make sure you are going in a straight line and maintaining the shading and colors in a consistant manner. Add adhesive as needed, usually about every 7 or 8 repositions.

Follow cleanup procedures next page.

Multiple Overlays

Registration Marks are on each layer.
You will notice that each layer has a number 1, 2, 3 etc. The number indicates the sequence of painting. Normally the greens go first but it can vary with each stencil. Check to see what color sequence you wish.

When you open the package you will notice a small triangle at the upper corners. These are called registration marks. It's a fancy name for alignment marks.

The shiny side should be facing you. the frosted side
will touch the wall or project.

Put all the layers together with #1 in the front then #2 etc. Line up the registration marks.

You can now see (uncolored) what the pattern will look like.

Take layer #1 and #2- ( with #1 on the top)- take a felt tip pen and mark through any cutouts from stencil #1 to #2.

Mark corners through #1 onto #2

Mark through any cutouts on layer 2 onto layer 3 . If you have 4 layers do the same with layers 3 and 4. Now each time you put a layer on the wall it will line up perfectly with the previous layer.
Apply your stencil adhesive or tape to layer #1, place on the wall and fill in the correct color. ( Lets say green for leaves) Make sure you are level . When you put up all subsequent layers use your markings to align each layer. Then start your next reposition with layer #1. Be creative! Use the colors that you like . It's your room so don't be afraid to add accent pieces , matching curtains or cloth items. If you make a small mistake, you can use a stencil eraser to remove paint. This needs to be done immediately. If you drop the brush on carpeting or floor, use a cue tip with rubbing alcohol and try removing the stain or dropped paint.

Clean-up

Stencil brushes are an investment that will last for years. Clean them with brush cleaner and conditioner. ( See supply Page) You can use liquid dishwashing soap in a pinch but this will dry out and soften bristles excessively. The stencils should be cleaned on a flat surface with rubbing alcohol and paper towels. Put a couple of towels under the stencil and dampen another paper towel ( with rubbing alcohol) and gently clean off the paint. Be careful not to damage the stencil by bending any of the cutouts.

Stenciling on Stepping Stones

Supplies:

18" Stepping Stone

PS734 Stepping Stone Stencil

PS735 Geckos, Frogs and Snails

PS705 Crocus & Violets

PSH2   Ants

Priscille's Stencils Brushes: 

Seven 1/4 in. Brushes

Brush Cleaner

Rubbing Alcohol to clean stencils

Water-Based Primer Sealer

Low-Luster Porch & Floor Enamel (color Dijonaise)

Folk Art Colors: 941 Acron Brown, 602 Country twill, 927 Old Ivy, 923 Clover, 924 Thicket, 938 Licorice, 922 Bayberry

Spray Acrylic Sealer

Right Step Varnish (Flat or Satin)

1. Brush and clean the surface of the stepping stone.

2. Seal the surface with exterior water-based primer sealer for brick. Let dry.

3. Apply one coat of porch and floor enamel paint. I used loe luster color Dijonaise. Let dry.

4. Place Priscille's Stencil PS 734 Stepping Stone centered on stone. Stencil using Folk Art acrylic color 941 Acron Brown with a stippling technique. Let dry.

5. Using PS 705, block off the flowers and stencil only the grass section with Folk Art 927 Old Ivy.

6. Using Stencils PS 735 Gecko, Frogs and Snails, place your leaping frog and stencil with Folk Art 923 Clover and shade with 924 Thicket. Add 938 Licorice for eyes.

7. Place your Gecko and stencil using Folk Art 922 Bayberry and shade with 924 Thicket.

8. Add PS H 2 Ants with 938 Licorice and 924 Thicket for grass. Let dry.

9. Spray acryllic sealer with either satan or flat finish. let dry. Apply two coats of Right Step varnish. Let dry.

We also sell many items you can decorate and give for presents. Check out the Ideas Page.

Quiz

1 . What kind of strokes do You use to apply stencil creme?    

                  a. circles        b. squares         c. airbrush

2. What do I clean my stencils with?

                  a. rubbing alcohol        b. beer        c. old car oil

3. Where do I get all the stencils and supplies to decorate my home?

a. Priscille's Stencils online Stencil Shop that saves my valuble time to be with my family.

 

b. the craft place 25 miles away with the traffic lights, rude clerks and dark parking lot

If you answered A to all the above questions. You can claim and print out your diploma below: