The Art of Using Stencils
November 20th, 2007 | by Art Supplies |Stencils are templates which are helpful aids in drawing or painting identical patterns such as floral motifs, or other such symbols, shapes and patterns which repeat the pattern every time it is used. Stencils are used by children, adults and even organisations such as the military and other commercial enterprises as it quickly and cheaply marks what is theirs and makes it plain for the world to see. The art of stencilling has also become a popular form of street art and if you thought that only crafters used them then think again. Graffiti artists use them with spray-paint to create art quickly and wherever they go, so if you thought it would be difficult to get children interested show them what they can achieve!
The history of stencils is one that walks hand in hand with the art world and they have been used to create patterns on fabric for centuries and are considered an art-form in themselves in Japan.
In the modern world the amateur crafter has a few choices, they can either have simple basic and easy to use stencils or they can move into the more complex and delicate stencils. The need of the user will determine the right set of stencils to use.
Beginners and amateurs:
If you are new to stencilling then you should start with the basic and most uncomplicated type of stencil. These stencils are usually cheap and easy to replace and are made of a durable plastic such as acetate, Mylar or vinyl. They are single purpose designs that you can repeat over and over again as you see fit. You can use them with the greatest of ease as there are guidance markers and places for you to secure the stencil to your work-surface, be it a wall or a piece of paper or even a birthday card, so that it won’t move about while you work. There are many kinds of this stencil available and they are made with many different designs allowing you to combine stencils for effect. The only drawback to these types of stencil is that they are not flexible, in other words if you come to a tricky corner you will not be able to carry on, this problem has been solved by some manufacturers as they will provide corner stencils. This is a great way to start stencilling and it is good to get children involved as crafters and there are many stencil designs and workbooks for children to use.
Moderate Users and Crafters:
The crafter will need more than a simple stencil design as they will want to work with many different styles, themes and mediums. A crafted birthday card could have many different stencils on them, not to mention all the personal touches!
For those who need to work on multiple levels you should consider multiple overlay stencils. These type of stencils are often used in decoupage work and are a must have if you are thinking of becoming a crafter either as an amateur or professional. The multiple overlay lets you build up your designs from the base upwards. Level after level is built up in much the same way as the pyramid. You start with the base, the largest stencils and the pieces of the design that will be shown the least, in terms of decoupage anyway, and when that has been done either in paint or pencil you remove the stencil and replace it with the next level up, and so on and so on until you have your complete design. The beauty of this type of stencil is that it removes the supports or "bridges" that you find in other cheaper and simpler stencils allowing the finished product to feel more freehand and artistic. They also have more flexibility and less rigidity meaning that the artist can use them with greater ease on difficult and tricky areas.
This is where the people who have mastered the art of stencilling usually end up and many have successful careers as professional crafters. The types of stencil and accessories that the professional uses are more advanced and they can even make their own stencils, some of them even selling their designs. The oiled paper stencil is used often by people at this level. This type of stencil gives the nostalgic feel of Victoriana and the 1920’s and is a real treat to see. Oil coated stencils are made of heavier paper than the other stencils but the coating of oil makes them extremely flexible. This is what the proficient stenciller will use to create their own stencils if they use carbon-paper or are quite adept at drawing. The professional will also be able to guide many amateurs as they offer help and advice on instructional DVD’s and books which can be purchased online or in the high street.
There are also many paper stencil design books to be found and this gives the professional the chance to simply cut the design from the book and by tracing the design onto clear stencil film or carbon paper will have a stencil of their own. This is where the crafter will use their skills in fine cutting as they need to be patient as cutting out some of the most complex designs can take hours.
The stencil may seem like a humble piece of plastic that you use to create a pattern but its use in art is felt everywhere. In Japan the art of stencilling is considered to be of great importance and is known as Katazome. The silk-screen printing process uses stencils which uses a highly woven mesh screen coated with emulsion to reproduce the image. Many shirts and designs you see on clothing have been done with this method. Very complex stencils can have many colored layers. Artistic uses are also graphitic designers who need to create art in a hurry.
Hidden Extras:
What the crafter should know is that the design gives not only a stencil template to use but in some of the more expensive and delicate designs the pieces that you will remove are in fact a negative of the image you will be doing. This can create shadows and is of great help to those crafters who create decoupage images.
There are also hundreds of designs from ages past hidden within craft books that have stencil designs for you to copy and use and there are books made just for children with animal, Teddy-bear or cartoon stencils for hours of fun.
The main point of stencils is to use them as a support. They provide a template but it is up to you to create the art. Use different colors and techniques, mix your mediums like using paints and pencils within the same design, experiment and keep trying and soon you could be a crafting pro!
