Hi Laura,

I was recently talking to some members of The Shattered Circle about adding a little bit of personality and SPARKLE to your art! 

One of my favorite ways to make art uniquely yours is by creating a stencil. 

Laura, these are PERFECT if you’re feelin’ like your art might be a hot mess if you tried to freehand. 

Using stencils gives you the chance to add elements to your artwork that you are not comfortable painting or drawing on your own. They give you the opportunity to make your vision come to life without the stress of having to create an incredibly detailed drawing. 

You can easily make your own stencils whenever you want to use them in your artwork!

Here are a few easy steps to take to make your own stencils:

• Find a picture online that you would like to make your stencil with.
• Resize your image to the size you will need.
• Print it out on photo paper. Photo paper is coated. That makes it really durable. It will hold up over time and will also be resistant to water or paint.
• Cut out your image. There will then be an outline of your stencil on the original piece of photo paper. You can tape edges back together that you may have cut through to get the image out.
• Voila!! you've a ready-made stencil for whatever your heart desires!

There are also a few important tricks when you are painting with a stencil. 

Tip #1: Be sure you use a very small amount of paint. If you use too much paint when going over a stencil, the paint could bleed under the stencil, destroying your design. You can always go back and add a second coat for your desired shade. 

Tip #2: Dab your paint onto your artwork with a stencil brush instead of using brushing motions. This will also help keep your stencil design precise. 

Tip #3: Always secure your stencil onto your artwork surface. You can simply hold it or use another method to keep it still. A moving stencil will not be helpful to you, Laura!

If you have any questions, just hit reply!

All my best,
Cindy