Airbrushed flames, made with stencil templates, are a classic design.
Stencil templates can transform an airbrush project from simple to special. Having the ability to control the placement of color and spray in a uniform and identical pattern gives the painter an edge and a way to duplicate an image reliably from project to project. Airbrush stencil templates may take you from amateur to professional, and your project from mediocre to over-the-top.
Instructions
1. Wrap all edges of a piece of heavy-weight glass, at least 8 inches square, with masking tape to avoid injury from cuts. Working on top of the glass makes cutting easier and ensures smooth, fluid cuts for professional-looking stencils.
2. Draw or transfer your stencil design directly onto the center of a manila folder, cardstock or poster board of similar weight. Keep sufficient borders around the stencil cuts to avoid over-spray damage to the item.
If you are not comfortable drawing freehand, find a picture of the object and transfer it onto the stencil medium with carbon paper. Lay the ink side of the carbon paper face-down on top of the stencil medium, place the image on top of the carbon paper, and use a pencil, pen or stylus to trace all necessary lines to transfer the picture onto the stencil material.
3. Position your stencil on top of the piece of glass and cut out all areas of the stencil with a sharp craft knife. Work from the inside of the stencil out toward the edges. Move the blade in a fluid motion, moving the stencil rather than the knife to cut smooth curves. Cut sharp points by picking the blade up from the glass and cutting toward the point from each direction.
4. Repair any slips of the knife by encasing the area in a masking tape sandwich on either side of the stencil and cutting the area out again, taking care to replicate the original design.
