What Are You Using to Apply the Paint?

When it comes to painting with stencils, how you apply the paint to the stencil will determine how clean your design is afterwards. If you apply too much paint, you’ll get splotchy results. If you want really clean lines when using a stencil, it’s better to use less paint. To achieve this, I like to apply my paint to the stencil using disposable triangle makeup sponges. They are cheap and I can just throw them away when done. I find a large pack of them at the Dollar Tree. The sponge is also pretty dense, so it doesn’t soak up a lot of paint at once.

What Are You Using as a Paint Palette?

When learning how to stencil, it helps to have a flat surface for your paint. I know you often see me using egg cartons to hold my paint, but it’s not ideal when dipping the sponge in the paint as it can cause you to pick up too much paint. I would suggest that you put your paint on a piece of aluminum foil. It is great because it’s not absorbent and it’s disposable. When you dip your sponge in the paint, pounce the sponge repeatedly on the foil to the side of the paint to pounce off the excess paint. Once the extra paint is off the sponge, begin pouncing on the stencil in small areas.

How Are You Stabilizing Your Stencil?

Stabilizing your stencil so it doesn’t move as you paint is so important. Some stencils come with a repositional adhesive on the back that allows you to stick the stencil to the surface of the area being painted. This can help keep the stencil from shifting or bouncing up and down as you pounce the sponge. If your stencil does not have adhesive, you might try spraying the backside of the stencil with a temporary adhesive. Some popular brands are Pixie Spray, Stencil Ease and Elmer’s Multi-Purpose Mounting Spray Adhesive. Using a spray like this will prevent paint bleeding under the stencil. Another alternative is to use tape around the edges of the stencil. This won’t prevent paint bleed, but it will keep the stencil from shifting around. Stabilize your stencil and you’ll see a big difference in the cleanliness of your design lines. 

Where to Shop for Stencils

I have a variety of patterned and lettering stencils available in my shop! So whether you’re trying to pattern a background or add hand lettering to your finished project, there’s a stencil for you available at shopdoorhangers.com. To see a variety of projects where I’ve used stencils and other painting techniques be sure to check out my YouTube channel. Every Tuesday I go live painting on Facebook and then it’s uploaded to YouTube so that it can be easily accessed. Be sure to check it out and find inspiration for your next project!