Different Stencil Patterns

If variety is the spice of life, then stencil patterns certainly are a potpourri. Nowadays, a person can find a stencil of virtually anything. Whether used for arts and crafts, making reproductions of an original, or painting a full wall mural, a stencil designed exactly for that project exists. In fact, many places help their clients create their own stencil design, a process known as custom design. Custom design helps you to get exactly what you want rather than looking through stencil after stencil trying to find the perfect stencil patterns. If you bring in a picture or drawing, they are able to create a new stencil in the exact size that you want. Additionally, if you would like an old stencil in a different size, they are able to re-size it for you with custom design.

Depending on your project, the stencil patterns can be made of several different materials. The stencil you would use to paint a design on a wall is not the same as the one a tattoo artist uses as a template for the tattoo. It is also not the same stencil a silkscreen artist will use for silkscreening. Stencil patterns can be made from paper, cardboard, plastic, metal, or other materials. The basic idea of a stencil is to provide a template for a design, and many materials fit that bill. There is a great deal of variety in stenciling, whether used for painting, tattooing, silkscreening, or graffiti art. Each calls for a different type of stencil.

Whether you are decorating your home, furniture, or creating graffiti, a similar type of stencil is used. Usually made from stiff paper or thin plastic, they are able to be re-used over and over until the desired effect is reached. Again, custom design is always a possibility. If you're the kind of person who prefers sticking with stencil patterns that are already created, you will find a plethora of options to choose from. Depending on your project, you will find stencil patterns that fall into several categories.

For quotes on a wall, there are stencil patterns of the alphabet in various sizes and fonts. There are also stencils of numbers. These alphabet and number stencils are able to create same-sized text on a wall with almost no effort. Alternately, stencils with a theme are always an option, such as sports, music, seasonal stencils, or animals. Each of these offer many options in terms of size and style. Some of the stencils are very realistic, while others are created as cartoons. The cartoons are typically used for nurseries or children's bedrooms, and provide a more childlike ambiance. For a nature-themed project, there are many stencils of flowers, trees, insects, and different fruits and vegetables. There are also stencil patterns that fall within certain categories of art, such as Art Nouveau, mosaic, Victorian, Art Deco, and Contemporary-style stencils. Last but not least, there are stencil patterns with design elements of different cultures, such as Egyptian, Asian, Mediterranean, Celtic, and more.

If you were to explore a hobby of silkscreen printing, your stencil patterns would not have the same use as the aforementioned stencils. The silkscreen stencil patterns would be a negative of the printed image just like the wall stencils, meaning the ink will appear in the open spaces of the stencil. It will also be made of paper or plastic. The main difference is that this stencil will be placed between a screen and the paper or fabric to be decorated. Ink is then added over the screen and a squeegee is used to distribute the color evenly. Brushes are not used like they are in wall stenciling, but rather ink is added over the screen and a squeegee is used to distribute the color evenly. The ink will pass through the spaces, so once the screen is taken off, the negative image will remain.

If you were to go into a tattoo shop to get a tattoo, you would find that the artists will make a stencil of the design you want, which is put onto your skin before you get your tattoo. They will use a machine called a thermal-fax, which is able to transfer your design onto a special thermal paper very quickly and easily. These stencil patterns are then applied to your skin and when the paper is pulled away, a purple/blue likeness of your future tattoo will be left behind.

As you can see, there are many different stencil patterns to explore when doing a project. In stenciling, where there's a will, there's a way. Many projects utilize stencil patterns, which means a very diverse spectrum is available. Pick your favorite and go to town!