Friday, December 27, 2013

Make Airbrush Flexible Stencils

Flexible airbrush stencils allow a design to be painted onto a curved surface. This is ideal for airbrushing hats, mugs and other objects that are not easily painted when using a hard stencil. The majority of stencil creation is the artistic process of drawing a design, and that process is up to you. Turning your design into a physical stencil is the easy part and can be accomplished with glossy photo paper and a craft knife.


Instructions


1. Scan your design into a computer with image-editing software to prepare the image for the cleanest stencil output--or simply create the design with image creation software. Be sure the image size is correct for your application and sized to work with the object you will be airbrushing.


2. Print the design onto glossy photo paper. This paper will provide a flexible, yet resilient surface that can be cleaned and reused. You may want to do a quick test print on regular paper to check that the alignment and size of the image works with the object to be airbrushed.


3. Use a hobby knife to cut out the stencil by following its outlines. More complicated images may require clever cutting, so plan out how you will cut out the stencil before putting the knife to the paper.


4. Apply a spray adhesive to the back of the stencil. Allow the adhesive to dry and bond with the stencil for at least two minutes. This creates a tacky backing that will allow the stencil to be mounted on a surface without leaving any residue.


5. Use painter's tape or masking tape to secure your stencil to the surface to be painted.