Stenciling Tips

Use of Eraser

Should there, nevertheless, be such conflict, portions that are the cause can be removed with the eraser. In making such erasures one of the advantages of this system of stenciling will be observed. It is almost as easy to take something out as it was to put it in.

If, however, the background design has been put in dark tones, and, for instance, a line of lettering is to be placed over this, the letters, by means of suitable stencils and the eraser, can be made to appear white, or at least light, and outlines added to cause them to stand out well defined and bright against the background.

Lines Should be Added

Stenciling alone is usually unsatisfactory and is only a step in the final design. After the patterns have been stenciled lines should be added. These may be in the form of outlines around each unit, or accented lines on one side of each. Besides these, connecting lines uniting the disconnected parts are often required. In other instances details may be added, harmonizing and contrasting. The veins of the leaves, in some instances, may be shown, stems added, and here and there tendrils may be drawn.

In addition to this, the spaces left blank, because of lack of openings in the stencil, should be filled in. and in doing this the effect of the stenciling should be closely matched.

A disadvantage in the use of the wax crayons is that the markings made by the wax crayon cannot be erased or defects readily remedied.

Cut stencils of half butterflies similar to those indicated in Fig. 5. Use any bright tints and add detail in accordance with Fig. 9 in the chapter on Tracing and Transferring.

Cut a stencil as in Fig. 6. Repeat it as shown in Fig. 10 in the chapter on Tracing and Transferring. The white dart-shaped part, marked A, should be cut as a separate stencil and erased after the larger stencil-transfer has been made.