Design Inspiration. Planet Stencil Library.

How To: stencil With Oil Crayons

Oil crayons are sold in art stores, stencil shops and at The Stencil Library .  They are an oil based paint in stick form. Turpentine, mineral or white spirit is the solvent that is used to clean your brushes and stencils afterwards.  The crayons have a protective skin on them which re-grows if the crayon has not been used for a while.   Break this by rubbing the crayon firmly onto a plate or other non-porous surface.  Use the plate as a palette and scribble the colour onto it.  Take up the paint by circling a stencil brush into the paint. Then apply the brush to the stencil.  You will need a brush for every colour that you are using.

If the surface needs to be varnished once the stencilling has been applied, wait a couple of days before doing so.  Stencilling with oils sticks takes longer to dry than stencilling with paint.  H.

HOW TO: Stencil with water-based paint

Stenciling with paint is an easily acquired skill. It requires that the artist uses very little paint.  This is how we stencil at The Stencil Library.   

We usually recommend a light misting of spray repositioning adhesive onto the back of your stencil to hold it in place. Use the lid of the paint pot as a palette. When this is not possible, pour a little paint onto a plate.  Dip a stencil brush into the surface of the paint (so that just the tips of the bristles become coated) then rub the loaded brush firmly in a circular motion onto paper towel.

This is to evenly distribute the colour throughout the bristles, but also to work the paint well into the brush.  Find a clean patch of towel and work the paint a little more to dry the ends of the bristles.  The paint should be damp not wet.  Practice the following test until you are familiar with your chosen paint. Tap the brush onto scrap paper and run your finger over the mark that it leaves,  if the imprint is clean and clear with no smudge you are ready to stencil.  The paint is usually applied in one of two ways.  To stipple is to apply the paint through the stencil with a gentle tapping motion.  Make sure that your brush is at right angles to the stencil. 

 

Another stencilling technique is swirling, the paint is 'tickled' onto the surface with a light circling motion of the brush.  Add a second light layer for depth of colour or shading.  A combination of both techniques can be used.

I prefer to use the larger sizes in the stencil brushes that we offer as it saves on effort.  I use the  small brush size for details and edging.  When planning your project, bear in mind that you will need a clean, dry stencil brush for every selected colour.  If using our recommended paint, your brushes should clean easily with hot soapy water.  To remove tougher paint or dried on colour, use our brush scrubber, they are cheap and brilliant!  Make sure the brush is dry before it's next use. Helen