Choosing The Right Stencil Paper

Before you could start stenciling, you must first have some stencils ready. There are some prepared stencils available in the market, each with their own distinct design. But this is quite a restrictive option. First, because you're only limited to what is currently available. And second, because you don't have enough liberties to fiddle and modify the patterns that they present. Hence, for many stencil artists, cutting out their own stencils based on their own designs is the way to go. To do this, they'd need a stencil cutter, an already existing design which they have conceptualized beforehand, and yes - stencil paper.

Stencil paper plays an important role in the preparation of stencil cutouts. There are many kinds of this product, and the aspects of each would depend on the project that would be undertaken. Here are the important considerations you should bear in mind when choosing the right stencil paper for your needs.

Thickness:
Thickness would depend on the canvas you will be painting on. The thickness of the paper would determine how much paint would penetrate into the surface. More porous surfaces, for example, would require thicker paper. Smoother surfaces would require thinner ones. The kind of painting material that will be used should also be considered. Whether it'll be oil, water-based paint, ink, or dye would play a crucial part in knowing how thin or how thick the paper should be.

Translucency:
How transparent the stencil paper should be would depend on the details of the design. More intricate patterns would need more translucent paper so that you could capture every detail once you trace the initial representation into the paper to be cut out. Basic designs can use either transparent or not-so-transparent paper, as such aspect would be immaterial.

Durability:
This is a matter of preference and of future usage. There are disposable papers which you could no longer use once paint is already applied. And there are washable papers which do not hold much paint, and can be used again after rinsing. The latter may be more expensive, but if you want to use the same pattern over and over again, it would be a more practical investment if you'd compare it to buying, tracing and cutting the disposable variety every time a similar project will be pursued.

The right stencil paper for your needs would depend on the aspects above in relation to the demands of a particular project. Do plan your piece beforehand so that you'll be able to select the paper that would be perfect for the job.