Guide to Stencils

Inimitable Stencils
Michalis 'BIG Mike' Kotzakolios


Defined Tag: Stencils.

"I never finish a painting, I just stop working on it for a while." - Arshile Gorky.

If you are feeling uninspired, out of ideas or uncreative, stenciling helps get rid of the blues. Stencils are cartoons, numbers, letters, illustrations, typographical symbols, or any other shapes or images in cutout form of oiled or shellacked tough and resistant paper, thin metal, cardboard, other material. Designing an art stencil differs from common drawing, since the design itself must be cut away, and ties must be arranged to hold the background together and to give definition to the pattern, somewhat in the manner of lines in mosaic or leaded glass. Keep in mind, when using large-format wallpaper and floor stencils, small triangular holes in each corner allow the stencil to flawlessly replicate, both vertically and horizontally.

The cutouts are used to fashion sharp-edged paintings of the desired image, by applying paint on the surface with the cutout, leaving a painting of that shape on the underlying surface. Stencils have fast gained popularity for graffiti, since stencil art using spray-paints can be fashioned promptly and effortlessly, traits indispensable for graffiti artists where stenciling is illegal or quasi-legal. The designs are extensively used for decorating walls, furniture, fabrics, tin, leather and almost any other surface. The cut and use designs can be employed by graphic designers and adapted for woodwork, needlework or other arts and crafts.

The cutout is held securely upon the surface, while stencil brushes or rollers or stencil applicators are manipulated to work the medium over it, until every detail is evenly colored. This procedure has been employed since archaic times for the decoration of walls and ceilings, pottery, furniture, textiles, leather, and small objects. This technique is also used in mimeographing, addressing, and lettering cases. The Japanese and Chinese draw on a tough mulberry paper, making intricate stencils that are collected for their exquisiteness.

Nowadays, some special design kits are even sold as children's toys. The choices available for stenciling range from traditional stencil brushes to stipple brushes, to sponges and even spray-paint. Some applicators relatively work better than others with certain paints, and some even fabricate a particular texture. The best applicator for the job is most often a matter of personal preference.

BIG Mike is a well known author, developer and Adsense expert as well as the owner of Niche Maniacs - a unique Adsense Marketing System designed to build long-term passive income streams from Adsense, Amazon, YPN, Chitika and other PPC services.