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Stencil Love


I love stencils. I've been collecting them and using them in my work and in my classes for several years now. I've used them with paints and sprays (always make sure that your brush doesn't have a lot of water on it. You want it as dry as can be when you're stenciling.) I've used them with my watercolor crayons and pencils (scribble on waxed paper and use a slightly damp brush to pick up the color. Stipple the brush onto your surface.) My most favorite way to use them is with my pens and markers. I find it to be very meditative. Some days, I'll color them in completely, other days I'll outline them and leave as is or I'll color them in and outline them later. It all depends on my mood. I love using bits and pieces of a stencil, too. My favorites tend to be the smaller 6" ones that I can easily store in a ziploc bag and toss in my journal bag.

I like sturdy stencils that take a beating. The really thin, cheaply made stencils tend to irritate me more than anything. 

Some of my most favorite companies to order from include:

Crafters Workshop
Stencil Girl
Artistcellar
Retro Cafe
Prima

 Have I left your favorite stencil company off of the list?
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Anonymous said…
I love stencils too (as you may have guessed!)...I spy a feather stencil I don't have YET! LOL. I agree, they are fun and meditative to use.
11:11 AM
Retro Cafe' Art Gallery said…
This showed up in my Facebook feed! Thank you so much for the shout out Kelly! We love you and your work too!
11:53 AM
Unknown said…
I have a number of stencils from http://www.istencils.com/ - they are fairly sturdy and most can be purchased in different sizes. They are fairly sturdy mylar.
9:06 PM
Desert Mermaid said…
After my spray painting experiments (in which I learned I am allergic to spray paint), and some spray ink stenciling in my large visual journal, I've just not found myself using stencils at all ... I sold all of mine, and only miss a couple of them. I've found an ETSY store that sells small templates and find myself using those in the way I never wound up doing with larger stencils (even the 6 x 6) ... it's so -- odd -- how much I hunger for the shapes and images I see in stencils, but just can't seem to assimilate them into my journaling. They crowd my space for writing, I guess -- and I write so much, always ... even go back into finished visual journals and then use them as a written journal. I wonder if you might do a couple of featured pages in a post, showing how/where you use the stencils ... I'm struggling with being able to visualize it at all, as your pages never seem to be overwhelmed at all by any one layer or technique. The stenciling you do is so well integrated I can't find it!
9:49 AM
P Morse said…
So pleased to had found your blog!! With the popularity of street art recently, you'd think it much easier to find robust stencil companies online. I've been painting for two years and enjoy incorporating stencils into my paintings. Although I've cut plenty of stencils on my own ( and those blessed lessons we first know as mistakes! ) but have no problem paying for the convenience of pre-cut. Can't wait to explore your blog and delve into those eye-vacations I see on the right side. I'll be perusing available classes as well. I believe your profile said you're in LA. I'm in Pasadena and am pretty sure Michaels has no more stencils to offer me. Do you know of any good brick&mortar stores in the. LA area for stencils? I don't mind driving.... But regardless big cheers and namaste for putting he links together for online stencil sites. From a beginning artist, I can't thank you enough for giving your time to host all the secondary info as well as offering all of your creations and experience! Thanks super mucho!!!!
2:21 AM
Kelly Kilmer said…
Hi P Morse,

Thanks for writing! If you check my link of L.A. shops, you'll find a list of them. Dick Blick, Artists and Craftsman are two stores that carry stencils. There aren't as many stores as there used to be, unfortunately.
1:25 PM
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