Here are some tips for painting with stencils so that you can create a beautiful painting with clean lines. Painting with stencils can be challenging and as an artist I wanted to share my tips for painting with stencils with you. To learn the tips for painting with stencils keep reading!

Tips for Painting with Stencils

Tip 1 -Keep stencils clean and organized

Since stencils are so thin they can get wrecked easily. You will want to store them flat so they don’t get damaged. It is also important to clean them after use properly with warm water, soap and a soft sponge so that the paint is cleaned off of them. If the paint isn’t cleaned properly it can become caked on and impossible to clean off.

Tip 2- Tape down the stencil with painter’s tape

It is important to tape down the stencil with painter’s tape so it is secure and doesn’t move. If the stencil moves then the paint can smudge

Tip 3 - Use stencil brushes or a sponge

It helps to use stencil brushes or a sponge to paint with your stencil so that you aren’t adding too much paint. If you add too much paint it will become globby and will leak underneath the stencil causing it to smudge or smear.

Make sure you dab off extra paint so that there is the perfect amount.

Tip 4- Wait for the paint to dry before adding another layer or peeling off the stencil

It can be very tempting to peel off the stencil to see what it looks like but that can cause the wet paint to smudge. So, keep yourself busy and wait for the paint to dry so you aren’t tempted. It’s also good to wait for the paint to dry in between layers so the paint isn’t streaky or so that there isn’t an excess of paint that can leak underneath the stencil and smudge.

Tip 5- Complete touch ups with a small detail brush

There will be areas that need to be fixed. You can use a small detail brush to fix up any part of the painting that needs fixing.

Bonus Tip - you can test the stencil first so that you are confident

I hope you found the tips for painting with stencils helpful! I would love to see your stencil projects. Tag me on Instagram @jackiepartridgeart and let me know that these tips were helpful!

Watch my tips for painting with stencils video on YouTube. Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel to see new acrylic painting tutorials and videos on painting tips that come out.