What is a stencil ?
A stencil is a guide for transferring a pattern. Stencils are usually from thin material sheets. Some stencils are made to transfer a pattern, like lettering stencils or alphabet stencils and may include a unified set of example for transfer.
Positive stencil is commonly used for transferring the body of pattern. In positive stencils, an opening in the shape of the pattern is made in the templates. Applying ink, paint or another means through the hole, results in a positive outlook of the pattern. On the other hand, Negative stencils are for transferring everything but the pattern. Negative stencil is the shape of the outline itself, and the paint application will be all throughout leaving the pattern the only thing unpainted.
Stencils for ink or paint are for lettering signs, printmaking, pochoir, in making decorative borders or architectural ornament and serigraphy or silk-screening. Silk-screening or serigraphy is a printmaking method that involves the combination of stencils and forcing ink all the way through a fine mesh. Pochoir is a print made using stencils. The method was used mainly in the late 19th and early 20th century in order to duplicate original art works, particularly some of Matisse’s works.
A group of tools referred to as templates in office supply stores are stencils designed with a writing tool instead of paint. Erasing shields and French curves are two examples of these templates. Others are identified by their users-design template, content-circle template, field of endeavor-flowchart template, or simply give a wide range of patterns for varied use.
December 7th, 2008 at 7:37 am
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