Stenciling as an art form is both ancient and timeless. And like all classic art forms that withstand the test of time, it is constantly being reinvented, expanded on, made modern, and kept fresh and exciting by new generations of artists. The key to its success lies in the fact that it is easy to do. Stenciling requires no formal training and relies instead on creative thinking, a bit of patience, and a passion to reinvent the world around you through decorative art. What is inherently exciting about the stencil is how it allows us to make one wonderful piece of artwork on many different surfaces, and to do so as many times as we want. It spreads our efforts and our creative thinking across many planes. Whether we re printing a single image, creating a repeat pattern, overlapping colors and prints, or combining parts of many different stencils, the possibilities are limited only by our imaginations (and, okay, maybe time). The desire to personalize our surroundings and fashions is an integral part of our creative urge. Stencils make it easy, inexpensive, and fun. A big part of my creative journey has been a desire to inspire everyone around me to find their own creative fire, and I hope this wonderful leap into stenciling provides that spark for you! As a textile designer and decorative artist for the past twenty years, I ve spent many hours with stencil in hand. It was a large part of my college training, and for many years I cut my teeth on working with elaborate stencil techniques on fabrics, walls, rugs, furniture, floors, and other objects and surfaces of many kinds, shapes, and sizes. I especially remember stenciling 1950s-era turquoise tulips on the kitchen cabinets of our first home, and how it put a smile on the entire space. My designs stem from global renditions of historic patterns. I take an old pattern interpretation and infuse it with a modern voice. I created the fourteen stencil designs in this book to work together individually, in parts, and as an entire collection in the same way that I design my fabrics. As in all artistic experiments, you re bound to make a few mistakes. No worries! It s all a part of the process. I m going to share some of my thoughts and ideas to get you going. A handful of tools, good preparation, and patience go a long way. Let go and have a great time! 5
Stenciling as an art form is both ancient and timeless. And like all classic art forms that withstand the test of time, it is constantly being reinvented, expanded on, made modern, and kept fresh and exciting by new generations of artists. The key to its success lies in the fact that it is easy to do. Stenciling requires no formal training and relies instead on creative thinking, a bit of patience, and a passion to reinvent the world around you through decorative art. What is inherently exciting about the stencil is how it allows us to make one wonderful piece of artwork on many different surfaces, and to do so as many times as we want. It spreads our efforts and our creative thinking across many planes. Whether we re printing a single image, creating a repeat pattern, overlapping colors and prints, or combining parts of many different stencils, the possibilities are limited only by our imaginations (and, okay, maybe time). The desire to personalize our surroundings and fashions is an integral part of our creative urge. Stencils make it easy, inexpensive, and fun. A big part of my creative journey has been a desire to inspire everyone around me to find their own creative fire, and I hope this wonderful leap into stenciling provides that spark for you! As a textile designer and decorative artist for the past twenty years, I ve spent many hours with stencil in hand. It was a large part of my college training, and for many years I cut my teeth on working with elaborate stencil techniques on fabrics, walls, rugs, furniture, floors, and other objects and surfaces of many kinds, shapes, and sizes. I especially remember stenciling 1950s-era turquoise tulips on the kitchen cabinets of our first home, and how it put a smile on the entire space. My designs stem from global renditions of historic patterns. I take an old pattern interpretation and infuse it with a modern voice. I created the fourteen stencil designs in this book to work together individually, in parts, and as an entire collection in the same way that I design my fabrics. As in all artistic experiments, you re bound to make a few mistakes. No worries! It s all a part of the process. I m going to share some of my thoughts and ideas to get you going. A handful of tools, good preparation, and patience go a long way. Let go and have a great time! 5
what you ll need Here are some of the basics that you ll need to get going. 1. the stencils in this book The stencils are made of heavy paper stock. Cut them or tear them out carefully (I like to use an X-ACTO knife and a metal ruler/straightedge to do the job). You ll want to take good care of the stencils so they can be used over and over. 2. stencil brushes, foam brushes, foam rollers, pouncer brushes, or stencil sponges Stencil brushes have a round, flat bristle head that allows you to dab the paint onto the surface rather than brush it on. Dabbing, or tapping, the paint on is key. It s also called pouncing, and pounce brushes have a dome-shaped head that is perfect for stenciling. Mini foam rollers will give you a nice, smooth finish for wall treatments; you ll probably want a 2-in/5-cm roller (nothing big). You can also use inexpensive foam brushes, the 1-in/2.5-cm size is perfect, or small artist sponges (many artists like the hands-on feeling of using a sponge) to paint with. 6 amy butler stencils
3. stencil paints & palettes A few basic paints are great for stenciling. Your surface will dictate the type of paint needed. When in doubt, ask your paint supplier which paint would be best for the surface you ll be working on. I use old plates or plastic lids of recyclable packaging (like for salad greens) as paint palettes. surface walls suggested paint Acrylic artist paint or acrylic house paint (matte works well). fabrics Fabric paint, or acrylic paint with a fabric medium added at a 1:1 ratio (both available at most art supply stores). You ll need to heat-set your design per the package instructions with the paint or medium. wood/cork Acrylic or oil paint. When finished applying your design, you ll need to coat with a glaze or matte spray to protect it. porcelain, glass, china, pottery Specialty porcelain and glass paints (available at most art supply stores). Also, acrylic paint works well on glass. leather or suede Specialty leather paints (available at leather supply shops and some art supply stores). card stock, paperboard Acrylic and gouache artist paints. 7 what you ll need
4. a good work surface If you are going to work flat on fabrics, you ll need to prepare a simple work surface. Here are a few pointers. You ll want to work on a slightly padded surface, but nothing too soft. For fabric printing, I like to make my own work surface:. Take a board of your choice (plywood works well since it doesn t warp easily), wrap some thin, flat batting or carpet padding around it, and staple that to the back.. Cover the padded board with light canvas or muslin: stretch the fabric around the padded board and staple it down on the back. Keep the folds minimal and the stretch firm. tip: It s good to make your board a size that maximizes your efforts. For example, for a T-shirt, you ll want the board to be just narrower than the inside of the shirt. And for curtains or bed covers, you may want to make the board large: perhaps use a 3-x-6-ft/ 0.9-x-1.8-m plywood panel, if you have the space. For smaller projects, I like to use my heavy, old farm table as a work surface. It s best to have a work surface that can be a little messy. Choose a smooth work surface, especially if you are working on paperboard or pliable materials; a warped wood tabletop can make it difficult to stencil. 5. tape Blue painter s tape or masking tape works best. These tapes are low-tack and won t leave a mark on your surface or stencil after you ve removed them. Use them to hold your stencil in place so one hand is free to hold down a portion of the stencil while you apply the paint. 8 amy butler stencils
6. scrap paper & board Pieces of these materials are good to set messy brushes on, use as extensions for your stencils so you don t paint beyond the edges, and to test your paint colors on. 7. rags, paper towels & some water You ll need these to catch drips or slips and for cleanup. 8. pencils, fabric chalk, rulers & maybe a level If you need to mark your placement before you tape down your stencil design, you may need these tools. Keep all your supplies close at hand, and have your paints mixed and ready to go. 9 what you ll need