How-to’s

Stencils are a great way to customize your favorite objects and make them look unique and interesting. We had a lot of fun personalizing our guitar case and giving it more of a punk-rock look. The possibilities are endless when customizing! Show us how much fun you have customizing by sending us your pictures @Stencil1.

This is what you’ll need: London stencil set, stencil brushes, multi-surface paint and tape.

Step 1: We chose a British theme for our punk-rock look so we are using the London stencil set, which is part of our new Stencil1 stencil line. First, we gave the case some texture by roughly painting the area we wanted to stencil white with paint and a brush.

Step 2: Once the paint is dry—use a hair dryer to speed this up—you can begin stenciling! We started with the crown stencil. Remember to use a dry- brush technique. This means using very little paint and applying many layers. We weren’t going for a clean look, so we stenciled the crown roughly in a few areas. Use different colors and overlap your images for a more interesting design. You can use tape to secure the stencil or simply hold it in place with your hands.

Step 3: Next we painted the silhouettes of the two-layer stencils. Once the paint dried, we stenciled the detail layers. Remember to use very little paint.

Step 4: Lastly, we stenciled the British flag with the same rough look as the other stencils.

We’re really excited to share our Stencil1 stencil line in collaboration with PLAID. We recently released a video showing how to stencil artist wood panels using our new designs and multi-surface paint. These wood panels are extremely graphic, colorful and a great way to decorate an empty wall in your home.

Please check out our video to learn how to make this piece at home or follow these step-by-step directions

For this project you’ll need Swallow stencil set, stencil brushes, multi-surface paint, tape and wood panels.

Step 1: Center the pattern, which is your first layer, on your wood panel. Using a small amount of paint and a stencil brush, paint the layer on. Remember that stenciling is a dry-brush technique. This means you are using very little paint and adding more layers if you want a darker tone.  You can paint in a circular motion or by dabbing the brush up and down.

Step 2: Allow your first layer to dry—you can use a blow dryer to speed up the process. Once it is dry, place the silhouette of the sparrow on the panel; this is your second layer. You can secure the stencil with tape if you want to get very crisp edges.

Step 3: Once the second layer is dry, you are ready to stencil the detail, which is your last layer. Make sure to use a dry-brush technique.

Step 4: You can make one of these panels or a set of them. Making a set will create a dramatic pop of design! Get creative, have fun and send us pictures of where you hang them up!