Stenciling 2

After making a stencil impression from one side of the stencil it may be reversed and an opposite impression made. This is the manner in which the vase in Fig. 4 was made. The color can be applied in several ways.

(1) By means of powdered crayon taken up on a rag or
“pouncet.”

(2) By means of crayon applied to the rag or “pouncet.”

(3) By means of the crayon applied directly to the paper through interstices or openings in the stencil, and then distributed over the required surface with the rag.

Varying Degrees of Color

The last method is an important one, as it permits of variation and blending of tints and gradations or softening of detail when such are indicated.

Thus, if a leaf is being stenciled, one side may be made lighter than the other, placing blue on one side of the interstice and yellow on the other. Then by gently rubbing with the rag or pouncet (the former is better for this purpose) the result may show a light green running into dark.

Autumn tints are easily produced by this means. In the case of a vase or butterfly beautiful ranges of color can be secured with scarcely any effort.

High Lights Taken Out

High lights can easily be taken out without removing the stencil. Little dabs of very brilliant color can also be added after the blending before removing the stencil.

A hardwood board should be placed under the oilboard when cutting the stencil. For obvious reasons, do not use a desk or table, or even the drawing board for this purpose.

Separating the Parts

Usually it is not necessary to cut quite through the stencil, for the material is rather brittle, and when the design has been cut nearly through a gentle pressure will usually separate the parts. When they cling together a little added cutting will be necessary.

Margins

Enough margin should be left around the designs to prevent the colors from being rubbed beyond the margin. About an inch will suffice.

Where Only Half Stencil Is Needed

If the design to be stenciled is one that can be formed of two or more parts quite alike, though reversed, like a vase or a quarterfoil, only one section need be cut out (see Fig. 4). In the case of a vase, make a stenciled impression from one side of the stencil and then from the other. In the case of the quartrefoil stencil one-quarter; reverse and stencil an adjoining quarter, and so on. This method insures greater accuracy or balance than if the entire design were cut out.

Conformity a Requirement

Stenciling should not be done at random. Each unit should be placed with a definite pur¬pose.

To do this layout on the paper some design to which the units will conform – just as if in laying out a garden you were to mark the spots where trees, shrubs or plants were to be set out.

If, for instance, the design is to consist of a poster with a border, layout the border lines as guides and stencil even with these lines, first, however, placing the corner designs.

Next in order is the background design which should be, usually, low in tone, in order that when human or other figures or lettering is added, the latter will stand out distinctly. The background should never conflict or be confused with the main objects in the design.