Creating Stenciled Background

Using stencils to create backgrounds is more fun than you can imagine! We usually think of just using stencils with ink. But as I learned, there are a whole lot of other ideas that you can use stencils for. 

One of the things that I do is create cards for charities. One of the charities that I support is sending cards to people who are in treatment for cancer. So, I really like to send bright, cheerful cards to them. These were fun to make, and I am looking forward to giving them away.

The Right Tools For Stenciling

There are a few tools that are not expensive at all which will help you get the results that you want when using your stencils. Investing in these tools will help you take your stenciling to the nest level.

• Stencil brushes-Gives you the control that you need. Swirl or tap gently to get the best results.
• Blending brushes-Really nice for soft gradient blends
• Sponges and daubers-Good for quick backgrounds, fills and texture.
• Palette knives-Used for apply texture pastes, gesso and embossing pastes through a stencil.

Basic Stenciling Technique

1. Choose Your Stencil-Use plastic, Mylar or metal stencils. Paper or cardstock stencils can be used as a one-time project. Pick patterns that match your theme (florals, geometrics, lace, etc.).
2. Secure The Stencil-Tape the stencil to your cardstock with painter's tape or washi tape. That keeps the stencil from shifting. If you’re working in a journal or card, you can also use a repositionable spray adhesive on the back for a smoother hold.
3. Apply Your Medium-Ink Blending: Use a blending brush, sponge, or dauber with dye or pigment inks. Move in circular motions from the edges inward. Paint: Lightly dab acrylic paint with a dry brush or sponge — don’t overload it, or it’ll bleed under the stencil. Sprays & Mists: Hold your stencil flat and mist lightly for a dreamy, soft background. (You can flip the inky stencil for a “reverse print” too!) Texture Paste: Apply modeling paste or embossing paste with a palette knife for a raised, tactile effect.
4. Carefully Remove The Stencil-Lift it straight up while the medium is still wet.
5. Let the project air dry.

Basic Stenciling Tips

• Make sure whatever technique you use, make sure that your surface are clean and dry. Dust, dirt and oil can prevent clean edges.
• Match the stencil to the size of your paper.
• Geometric patterns, florals, words, and texture stencils work well as backgrounds for your papercraft projects.
• Protect your work surface with a mat, parchment paper or scrap paper.
• Less is more! Always dab off excess paint or ink onto scrap paper or a towel first.
• Too much medium causes bleeding under the stencil edges.
• Build up color gradually in light layers for smooth results.

Creative Stencil Techniques

Layering Techniques

Layered stenciling is where you multiple stenciled layers (using either the same stencil or different ones) that are repositioned and used in layers to create a project that has depth, dimension and color variation. It is a popular technique used in scrapbooking, greeting cards, journals and mixed media.

The materials that are commonly used include:

• Stencil (plastic or mylar)
• Inks, sprays, or pastes
• Brushes, blending tool or palette knifes
• Paper or cardstock
• Low tack tape like painter's tape or washi tape

How It Works

1. The Base Layer-You start with the base layer using the stencil with and apply your ink, paint or texture paste to create the first layer of your design
2. Adding Layers-Overlay either the same stencil or a different one over the base layer to add more detail shadows and highlights.
3. Repeating Layers-You can keep adding layers—each one building on the last—to achieve a complex or 3D look.

Layering Tips

• Start with the lightest color on your base layer and build on that with the darker colors in the same color family.
• Let each layer dry before adding another.
• Use repositionable spray to keep the stencils from shifting. 

Partial Stenciling

Partial layering of stencils in papercrafts means using only selected parts of a stencil or of a layered stencil set instead of the entire pattern. It creates depth, dimension and visual interest in projects like card making, scrapbooking and mixed media art.

How It's Done

1. Position the stencil over your paper
2. Apply color or medium (like ink, paint or texture paste) only through part of the stencil.
3. Reposition or layer another stencil (or the same stencil shifted slightly)
4. Repeat with different colors, opacity levels, or materials.

More Resources For This Technique

Partial Stenciling Two Ways

Patial Stenciling For Backgrounds

Partial Stenciling With Deco Foil

Ombre Effect

 In the ombre effect in stenciling, colors are gradually blended from light to dark. (or one hue to another) This technique is done while applying ink, paint or another medium through a stencil. It creates a soft gradient look for cards, journals, and scrapbook pages.

Like other techniques in this category, you use a stencil, the media of your choice, application tools like blending brushes, sponge daubers or a blending tool and low tack tape to hold the stencil down on your project cardstock or page. You could use inks, paints, or sprays (in 2–3 coordinating shades)

How To Do It

1. Secure your stencil to the paper with a low tack tape.
2. Start with your lightest color at one edge or corner of the stencil.
3. Blend in your medium shade overlapping the lightest color.
4. Finish with your darkest color at the opposite edge.
5. Blend all of the colors with a clean brush or sponge to make an even blend of colors. 
6. Lift the stencil carefully.

Ombre Tips

• Use similar tones and hues in your project. In inks, you could choose the colors from the same color family. Choose a light tone, a medium tone and a dark tone. 
• Apply less pressure in application where you want a lighter color.
• Use a circular application to blend your colors avoiding harsh lines.
• Try the ombre vertically, horizontally, or diagonally for different looks.
• If you are using texture paste colors, let each color slightly overlap the previous before they dry for a softer blend.

More Resources For This Technique

Creating Ombre Patterned Backgrounds With Stencils

Creating An Ombre Effect

How To Use Ombre In Paper Crafts

Embossed Look

An embossed look with a stencil gives you the raised look and textured look without an embossing folder.

Using Embossing Paste

• Stencil
• Embossing or texture paste
• Palette knife (or old gift or credit card)
• Cardstock
• Low tack tape to hold your stencil o top of the base

1. Tape down the stencil with the tape so that it does not shift.
2. Scoop a small amount of the paste from the jar using your palette knife.
3. Spread the paste evenly across the stencil.
4. Scrape off any excess paste and place in back into the jar.
5. Carefully lift the stencil off the project
6. Let the project dry.

Embossing Paste Tips (after the project has dried)

• Brush or ink over the raised areas for contrast.
• Add metallic wax, mica powder, or glitter for shimmer.
• Apply multiple colors of paste for depth.

Using Embossing Ink And Powder

• This creates a shiny, heat embossed look.
• Stencil
• Embossing ink pad or dauber
• Embossing powder (any color)
• Heat tool

1. Tape the stencil onto your cardstock or project with low tack tape.
2. Apply the embossing ink over the stencil with a sponge or dauber. Make sure to cover all the areas of the stencil fir the best results.
3. Remove the stencil carefully. Lift the stencil straight up off the paper.
4. Place the paper to top of a piece of scrap paper or copy paper larger than the project.
5. Sprinkle the embossing powder over the project. Use a liberal amount to powder to make sure that the design is covered.
6. Tap off the excess powder on the scrap paper. You can then return the left-over powder to its jar or container.
7. Heat set the powder with a heat gun (tool) following the manufacturer's directions for use. Make sure that the heat gun it warmed up before you use it.

Dry Embossing With A Stencil

This technique gives you a subtle pressed texture look without the heat or paste. 

• Stencil
• Die cutting machine 
• Embossing mat-rubber or silicone

1. Create your embossing sandwich. (the order that the plates of the machine are layered on 
2. First is the platform, then the embossing mat, paper, stencil, and finally the top plate.
3. Run it through your die cutting machine.

Dry Embossing Tips

• For extra depth lightly go over the raised areas with ink and let it dry.
• Metallic pastes or wax finishes make embossed stencil designs look almost 3D.
• You can use a very light mist of water on both sides of your cardstock to make the paper easier to emboss.

More Resources For This Technique

Dry Embossing And Inking With Stencils

The Elegance Of Dry Embossing

 How To Dry Emboss With Stencils

Reverse Stenciling

Reverse stenciling is an artistic or decorative technique where the negative space of a stencil is used to create a design — essentially, you make an image by protecting the design area and applying paint or another medium around it.

In reverse stenciling, both sides of the stencil is used to create a background or image. Instead of using the open space to apply media like ink or paint, you apply the media all around the open design but not in it. The media is applied to the white parts of the stencil.

You paint or apply medium around the stencil instead of through it.
 When you remove the stencil, the untouched area (the space that was covered) becomes the design — often the lighter or background color. the stencil itself protects the surface underneath.

In traditional stenciling, you place a stencil (a cut-out pattern) on a surface and apply paint through the openings, leaving the design in paint.

In reverse stenciling, you do the opposite: you cover or mask the area where you want the design to stay untouched, and apply paint (or ink, bleach, etc.) around it. When you remove the mask, the unpainted area forms the design.

More Resources For Reverse Stenciling

• Reverse Stenciling With Acrylics And Gesso
• Reverse Stenciling
• Reverse Stenciling
  

We hope that you have enjoyed these tips and ideas and will use them in future projects. We always love to hear from you. Why not drop a line to let us know that you stopped by. Or add a thought, idea or ask a question. We love to see the people in our community and hear their thoughts.

Till next time, Happy Crafting!

Linda