STENCILING Trace elements of style

If you're looking to embellish furniture or certain areas, stenciling provides a flexible option easy enough to do yourself.
Stenciling, a decorating technique which can be traced back as early as 2500 B.C., has re-emerged as a modern do-it-yourself decorating dynamic.
People are using stenciling to embellish indoor and outdoor walls, paths and patios, window treatments, doors, furniture and more. Stenciling is used to break monotony or to bring together design elements in a room.
Manufactured stencils come pre-cut in a wide range of sizes and designs. Most commercial stencils are made from Mylar, a clear plastic material that is easy to clean and simple to use.
The flexibility of this plastic allows it to be bent easily into corners, and its transparency allows you to see what has been painted already while working in a continuous line.
The most basic designs require just one sheet, and more complex patterns may need up to four or more separate sheets for the application of different colors. Printed registration marks on the stencil sheets allow for easy registration.
Before starting
Before you begin on the prepared wall, create a paper proof. Review the stenciling instructions for the type of paint you will be using, then stencil on a mat board or computer paper.
This proof will help you to understand the repeats and to check the paints as to how they match in the room. Keep this proof for use as a measuring tool as you get into and out of corners.
Most stencil designs begin in a room's most dominant corner and end in a corner on the door wall. Position the stencil on the surface to be decorated and fix it in position by using low-lack masking tape. Start with the lightest color in your design and progress to the darkest.
Most do-it-yourselfers say that modern products and techniques make it easy to create stenciling motifs for an unusual custom look in your home.
PREPARING TO STENCIL
Before getting into the paint, do a dry run of your stencil layout. If you want a repeating design, use a straightedge to line it up, measure out the placement of each design and mark them lightly with a pencil for reference.
For first-time stencilers, or if you just want to see how the stencil will look, practice by painting the stencil on a scrap of wallboard, paper or newspaper. That'll give you a sense of the paint's texture and how to manage the brushes.
Once you're ready for the real thing, clean the stencil off and tape it securely in position so it doesn't move while you're painting.
Drafting tape works best since it won't pull off the finish, but painter's masking tape is also appropriate for this kind of job because it has a weaker adhesive. Whatever tape you use, first apply and remove it on the surface in a hidden area.
STENCILING TECHNIQUES
When using a stenciling brush, the best painting technique is to lightly tap the end of the brush on the surface, covering small sections at a time. Don't get too much paint on the brush because paint could run down behind the stencil.
If you're using more than one color, one option is to use separate brushes to apply each color. On large projects, it's often easier to apply one color first, moving the stencil as needed. Then go back to the beginning and apply the second color, and so on, until all the colors are done. That way, the first colors will dry before the next ones are applied.
By the way, wet paint can smear when you pull the stencil off, so make sure the paint has dried. Stenciling paints dry quickly and shouldn't pose this problem.
MISC.
Project: Moderate in size.
Estimated Project Time: Depends on the size of the area being treated, and the design's complexity.
Estimated Project Cost: $30 - $40
Start Tips: Study various stencil designs and select a motif that complements your room's character and d & eacute;cor.
Safety Tips: If you're allergic to latex paint, wear a pair of cotton surgical gloves under latex gloves.
TOOLS AND MATERIALS
Yardstick
Pencil
Chalk-line box and light-colored chalk
Level
Stencils
Latex or acrylic paints
Small dishes
Artist's spray adhesive
Masking tape
Stencil brush
Old newspapers
Clean rags and mineral spirits (for paint cleanup)
Gloves
Matte-finish clear top coat (optional)
STENCIL PAINTS
Crafts stores stock small cans or bottles of paint specifically for stenciling projects, but you could use any latex or alkyd-based paints.
If you're using more than one color on a stencil, though, it's better to work with fast-drying paints or to add a product known as "Japan Dryer" to the paint to encourage quick drying.
Stencil paints work best over a flat paint surface, but they'll also work over wood and nonvinyl wallpapers.
STENCIL BRUSHES
You can stencil with regular paint brushes, but there are special circular brushes available for stenciling that have densely packed bristles.
They're better than regular brushes for filling in the tight areas of a pattern, controlling paint along curved edges, and are a bit neater.
They also come in several different sizes so you don't have to labor with a tiny brush on a larger area.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Mark the stencil perimeter.
Using a yardstick and pencil, measure and mark off the bottom perimeter of your stencil pattern. Then, using a chalk-line box and level, make guidelines on the walls where the bottom of the border or stenciled design will sit.
2. Mix the first paint color.
Pour a small amount of paint into a dish, and then reseal the can to keep the paint from drying out.
3. Align the first stencil.
Spray artist's adhesive onto the back of the first stencil. Align the registration marks of the pattern with the chalk line, and then press the stencil in place on the wall. Secure the stencil, applying strips of masking tape along the edges.
4. Apply the first color.
Dip your stencil brush into the paint, and then off-load the excess onto old newspaper until the brush is almost dry. Then dab the brush across the pattern, using the pouncing stroke previously described. Keep your pressure firm enough to fill the total area. If you begin to run out of paint, lift the brush, dab it into the paint, off-load if necessary, and pounce again. As you work, check the back of the stencil from time to time. Clean off any paint that has seeped through to the back of the stencil template. Gently lift the stencil from the bottom -just enough to be sure that you have stenciled all of the first color.
5. Reposition the stencil.
Remove the stencil, taking care not to smudge the paint. Respray the back of the stencil with adhesive, if necessary. Reposition the stencil over the next section, aligning the registration marks and taping the edges as described in Step 3. Pounce the paint on, as in Step 4. Continue this all the way around the perimeter of the room, until everything that will receive the first color has been stenciled and allowed to dry.
Sources: hometime.com, homestore.com and Home Hardware Stores