Stencils?

[3MZ]

Hey guys I was wondering what materials you guys you for making stencils.

 

[bic]

At work we tagged some of the field equipment with a stencil of our logo. It was made out of the lid from a broken storage container, with the logo cut out with a Dremel. Something that durable is probably a little very overkill for your needs, but you should get good results from a similar technique:

Print your stencil onto regular paper, then trace it onto a piece of thin plastic like a report cover. Cut it out with whatever tools you have around, then smooth the cut edges with some 400 grit sandpaper. This should hold up to numerous coats of paint or rounds of tracing.

If you're only painting a one-off, just print the stencil onto some glossy photo paper and cut it out. As long as the glossy side takes the paint, it won't get as soggy as regular copy paper.

 

[Ampersand]

Acetate. Like overhead projector sheets. Also when cutting, you might try burning it out instead of cutting, with a soldering iron. I find I can get better curves with it.

 

[Mario]

Ask Ish. He is the KING of stencil work.

 

[ToastBucket]

ALL HAIL KING ISHWHALE. Yeah, Ish uses stencil paper he gets from an art store. It's kinda like cardstock, but easier to cut and such. He cuts it out with a razor blade. To actually paint the stencil, he sprays spray adhesive onto the stencil and waits a couple seconds for it to get tacky, then he sticks it on, sprays in light coats, peels it off. PM him for specifics. He is the sexy, sexy, whale king. Be respectful.