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What are Stencils?

Mary Elizabeth
Mary Elizabeth
Mary Elizabeth
Mary Elizabeth

A stencil is a template for transferring a pattern. Stencils are usually made from a thin sheet of material. Some stencils are made to transfer a single pattern and others, like alphabet or lettering stencils, may include a unified set of patterns for transfer.

A positive stencil is used to transfer the body of the pattern. In positive stencils, a hole in the shape of the pattern is cut in the templates. Applying paint, ink, or another agent through the hole, results in a positive view of the pattern. Negative stencils are used to transfer everything but the pattern, i.e., the space around and/or within it, thereby showing the pattern. Negative stencils are the shape of the pattern itself, and paint is applied all around them, so that the pattern is the only thing not painted.

Number and letter stencils such as these are used in lettering signs.
Number and letter stencils such as these are used in lettering signs.

Stencils for paint or ink are used in lettering signs, in print-making, in creating decorative borders or other architectural ornament, silkscreening or serigraphy, and pochoir. Silkscreening or serigraphy is printmaking technique using stencils in combination with forcing ink through a fine mesh. Pochoir is a print made through the use of stencils. The technique was used primarily in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century in order to reproduce original art works, notably some of Matisse’s works.

Stencils have many uses including making shapes in coffee.
Stencils have many uses including making shapes in coffee.

A group of tools referred to in office supply stores as templates are stencils designed to be used with a writing tool, rather than paint. French curves and erasing shields are two examples. Others are identified by their users—architect template, content—circle template, field of endeavor—flowchart template, or simply provide a wide range of patterns for varied use.

Shape stencils with colored pencils used for an arts and crafts project.
Shape stencils with colored pencils used for an arts and crafts project.

The famous and mysterious graffiti artist known as Banksy uses stencils in the creation of his artwork. Stencil art enjoys a special popularity in Melbourne, Australia. In 2007, the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra has purchased nearly 300 examples of Melbourne stencil art for their collection, by well-known street artists such as Dlux, HaHa, Marcsta, and Vexta.

The use of stencils is not restricted to the visual arts. Tolstoy uses the analogy of a stencil to characterize a military campaign in his famous novel War and Peace:

Stencil art enjoys a special popularity in Melbourne, Australia.
Stencil art enjoys a special popularity in Melbourne, Australia.

“Amid a long series of unexecuted orders of Napoleon's one series, for the campaign of 1812, was carried out - not because those orders differed in any way from the other, unexecuted orders but because they coincided with the course of events that led the French army into Russia; just as in stencil work this or that figure comes out not because the color was laid on from this side or in that way, but because it was laid on from all sides over the figure cut in the stencil.”

Mary Elizabeth
Mary Elizabeth

Mary Elizabeth is passionate about reading, writing, and research, and has a penchant for correcting misinformation on the Internet. In addition to contributing articles to HomeQuestionsAnswered about art, literature, and music, Mary Elizabeth is a teacher, composer, and author. She has a B.A. from the University of Chicago’s writing program and an M.A. from the University of Vermont, and she has written books, study guides, and teacher materials on language and literature, as well as music composition content for Sibelius Software.

Learn more...
Mary Elizabeth
Mary Elizabeth

Mary Elizabeth is passionate about reading, writing, and research, and has a penchant for correcting misinformation on the Internet. In addition to contributing articles to HomeQuestionsAnswered about art, literature, and music, Mary Elizabeth is a teacher, composer, and author. She has a B.A. from the University of Chicago’s writing program and an M.A. from the University of Vermont, and she has written books, study guides, and teacher materials on language and literature, as well as music composition content for Sibelius Software.

Learn more...

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    • Number and letter stencils such as these are used in lettering signs.
      By: Hugh O'Neill
      Number and letter stencils such as these are used in lettering signs.
    • Stencils have many uses including making shapes in coffee.
      By: Shariff Che'Lah
      Stencils have many uses including making shapes in coffee.
    • Shape stencils with colored pencils used for an arts and crafts project.
      By: Shirley Hirst
      Shape stencils with colored pencils used for an arts and crafts project.
    • Stencil art enjoys a special popularity in Melbourne, Australia.
      By: Tupungato
      Stencil art enjoys a special popularity in Melbourne, Australia.