Stencils for wall decor

Many people love to constantly change something in their interior - rearrange furniture, outweigh draperies, decorate walls. But what to do if expensive repairs are not affordable, but you really want to create a unique design? Stencils for decoration will come to the rescue - with a little paint and free time, it will be easy to decorate almost any surface, even without any artistic skills.

Benefits of using stencils

Decoration of premises using stencils has many advantages:

• a quick way to add variety to a solid interior;
• the ability to carry out repairs with a minimum investment;
• correct the shape of the room, divide it into separate zones;
• disguise minor defects of the walls;
• "hide" or add the desired element of space;
• to engage in creative work with the whole family, together with the children;
• easy to make yourself, choose from the samples presented in the catalogs.

Manufacturing materials

As screen materials used:

• vinyl films (oracal);
• PVC;
• cardboard;
• thick paper;
• thin plastic;
• plywood;
• Hardboard;
• wallpaper.

The products from the self-adhesive film are the easiest to use - they are glued to the wall, painted in the right places, after being unstuck, thrown away. Plastic - use several times, but the remnants of paints must be carefully removed.

The stencil itself is cut out of paper, wallpaper, in the presence of a jigsaw, cutters - from plywood or plastic.

Variety by type of drawing

Original decorations and ornaments are selected not only for the designed interior style, but also taking into account the skills and artistic skills of the person who will decorate the room. If there is no experience of decorating such rooms yet, it is better to purchase ready-made store templates, not too intricate configurations.

According to the methods of coloring stencils are divided into types:

Templates are issued disposable - worn out after one or two times, reusable - reusable. The latter are made of durable materials, but large are rare, due to the large weight, bulkiness.

The choice of stencil style

A suitable image is selected for any interior design, for example:

• classic - symmetrical patterns, placed in the center of the wall, monogram, damask, all sorts of curls. Gold, yellow and white, light wood color range;
• Baroque - images of grapevine, roses, intricate interweaving, elegant leaves, branches. Pastel, turquoise colors, gilding, bronze;
• Loft - the outlines of large cities, skyscrapers, cars, machinery, graffiti, inscriptions. Brick red, black, gray, blue, beige color schemes;
• minimalism - stripes, monochrome images with simple geometry. "Pure" colors - black, red, white, yellow;
• hi-tech - abstractions, broken lines, waves. Gray, silvery white, black-brown, metallic shades;
• Country - cell, bird figures, flowers of sunflowers, lavender, butterflies, landscape subjects. Protective green, brown-red, terracotta, sandy yellow tones;
• Eastern - images of flowering branches of trees, hieroglyphs, bamboo. Colors - sunset-red, yellow-green, pale pink, brown-black;
• pop art - stylized portraits of famous people, various symbols, letters. Red-orange, light green, blue tones;
• ethnic - painting under Khokhloma or Gzhel, Russian folk ornaments, images of wooden household utensils;
• Egyptian - warm colors, pictures imitating frescoes with lions, pharaohs, sphinxes.

The stencil can be single, repeated several times, represent a whole multi-color picture.

Where to buy stencils

Stencils are most often bought in stores or in construction markets, ordered through sites on the Internet. The most popular are:

• vegetable, floral motifs;
• silhouettes of animals, birds;
• profiles, stylized faces of people;
• geometric figures;
• inscriptions with an intricate font;
• meanders, fractals;
• stars, hearts;
• letters, numbers, logos.

Sometimes templates are made on his own invented sketches, which remains to be enlarged and printed in one of the photo studios, where there is a large-format print on paper, plastic, self-adhesive film. In companies that are engaged in outdoor advertising, it is possible to develop any stencil on the photo brought by the customer.

In case of unwillingness to mess with paints, stencils are purchased for decoupage, which are glued to the surface and coated with varnish.

How to make a stencil with your own hands

Self-made pattern is almost always unique. For its manufacture will require:

• drawing itself;
• material - plastic, paper, film;
• pencil;
• paper knife;
• Scotch.

How to do it in stages:

• the picture can be copied, printed from the Internet, enlarged to the desired format, or, if you have artistic talent, resort to hand drawing;
• after the material is selected - cardboard, self-adhesive film, a piece of plastic. On any of them, companies engaged in visual advertising can print the desired image. As an option - transferred to the stencil using a copy paper;
• a template made of cardboard is pasted over with adhesive tape on either side or laminated - so the product will last longer;
• after the stencil is carefully cut through with a sharp knife or blade - it is important that there be no burrs. Underneath enclose the glass in order not to scratch the table.

The choice of the place of drawing

With the help of stencils, you can decorate not only painted or wallpaper walls, but also ceilings, floors, wardrobes, mirrors, glass partitions, doors, windows, fireplace, etc. For spacious rooms, large wall images that fill the void will suit. Small rooms are decorated with small pictures, separate elements, not cluttering the space. The most common patterned decorations are placed around the entrance or interior doors, sockets, switches, mirrors, above the beds, tables, bedside tables. In the bathroom, the space above each sanitary device is made; in the nursery, the vast majority of free surfaces are usually painted.

Spaces with high ceilings are decorated with relatively small patterns, arranged horizontally, running along the entire perimeter, when the ceiling is low - with vertical, top-down plots.

When decorating festive interiors (New Year, wedding, birthday, spring festival, Halloween, Valentine's Day, etc.), stencil drawings are applied with easily washable paints on those surfaces that are later easy to clean.

What paint to use

To create patterns through store or "self-made" stencils, it is allowed to use very different paints and materials:

• acrylic;
• water emulsion;
• gouache;
• glitter gel;
• Oil paint;
• liquid wallpaper;
• decorative colored plaster

There are also several methods of application:

• spray can;
• airbrush;
• sponge;
• brush;
• roller;
• spatula.

Ready drawings for durability, convenience in leaving, cover with a transparent varnish.

How to work with the stencil

The complexity of the step-by-step work with the templates depends on the type of surface being treated, the number of colors, the details of the painting, the quality of the paintwork materials used, the place of application, and the experience of the master. For high-quality design walls are made as smooth as possible. Excessive curves are leveled with plaster, polished with fine sandpaper. If the wall is flat, it is simply washed, dried, and the pattern is tried on to the surface to decide where it will be located most beautifully.

What to work

To create a picture you will need:

• stencils themselves;
• glue for them;
• roller or brush;
• paint in a balloon or liquid acrylic;
• protective gloves.

To create a multi-color image you will need at least two or three different colors of the coloring composition.

How to fix

So that during the painting the template does not move, does not move relative to the specified place, it is attached with an aerosol glue that does not leave stains, traces, does not lead to peeling paint, wallpaper. It is done this way: a sufficient amount of glue is sprayed onto the surface of the template from a short distance, after which the material is pressed tightly against the treated surface, especially in areas where the lintels are thin.

It is important to take into account that the smoother the wall or another plane, the tighter the stencil is adjacent to the wall, the less likelihood of defects in the future design, although the glue does not completely save the flowing paint. If the template is planned to be used several times, it is not necessary to completely wash off the adhesive before using it.

Heavy templates of large size, for security, additionally fixed masking tape.

The order of the transfer pattern on the wall

Paints are applied with a foam sponge, paint brush, roller or airbrush. The brush is held perpendicularly so that the villi do not fall behind the edges, the sponge and the roller are gently squeezed out - it is advisable to use the latter when it is necessary to paint large areas. When painting with an airbrush or a can, it is carried out at a distance of 25-35 cm from the wall, and individual surfaces protect against dye ingress.

At drawing the difficult subject pictures, zoning elements, the accurate preliminary marking is required.

How to work with volumetric stencil

Textured drawings look very luxurious, especially suitable for expensive interiors in the style of classical or empire, less often they are used in decorating a loft or art deco.

To create such a bas-relief, you will need a template, one to three millimeters thick, a putty from special acrylic, which is applied in layers with a spatula. The stencil is removed when the composition is just grabbed, but still not fully frozen. If there are noticeable irregularities, they are ground with emery paper, then painted, waiting for complete drying.

Tips for choosing stencils for various premises

In different rooms, different patterns are used: in the bathroom, kitchen, open loggia, humidity is often high, because the drawings in gouache, watercolor from tubes are unacceptable here, because of the instability to water. For a bedroom, quiet scenes, dull colors, a minimum number of sharp contrasts are preferable. In the nursery, on the contrary - the more colors, the better, but only under the condition that the walls are painted in a dull color scheme. Anti-stencils made in pastel colors are ideal for places of rest, sleep, meditation.

Themes will also be different:

• cuisine - images of fruits, vegetables, dishware, tasty dishes, colorful Khokhloma;
• the bedroom is a starry sky with a moon, trees with birds, sleeping cats, ornate patterns over the headboard, a dressing table;
• living room - large geometric figures, monochrome or colored landscapes, flying butterflies, an ancient arch over the fireplace, the sun over the TV;
• children - fabulous scenes, recognizable silhouettes of cartoon characters, animals;
• hallway - images of zigzags, "lightning", waves, stripes, umbrellas, hangers, hats;
• bathroom - sea theme, soap bubbles, bathing children, swimming ducklings, swans, paper boats;
• cabinet - contour images of books, business papers, inkpots with a pen for writing;
• balcony or loggia - palm trees, unusual greenhouse plants, animals, birds, butterflies.

For a child's room, there will be templates that look like plates with the names of each child at the foot of the bed, on highchairs, and lockers. Similar is done in the wooden houses of domestic cats, dogs.

Errors when working with stencils, how to avoid them

Before applying the picture, it is important to consider where the light falls on it - this is most significant for three-dimensional images. So that the paint does not flow over the template, it is taken little by little, slowly, slowly, applied by "stuffing". Stencils are fixed as motionless as possible, in order to avoid distortions, distortions of the overall picture. Before starting to paint, it is advisable to "train your hand" on an old piece of wallpaper, especially if this is the first experience of drawing through a stencil.

At the stage of creating a sketch, it is required to think over all the details - excessively small elements are inconvenient for coloring, will overload the interior of a small space, merge with each other when viewed from a long distance in a spacious room. According to the color, plot, size, stencil image should correspond to the general mood of the room, its purpose.

In case of accidental smearing of paint, the excess is removed with cotton swabs, a cloth moistened with water, and a solvent - depending on the paints used.

Conclusion

Designer or homemade stencils for walls for painting - the easiest, fastest way to diversify the decor of the room, bringing a touch of novelty, showing their creative abilities. With their help, the whole apartment, a private house or just one room, a separate zone of large space. Suitable drawings can be downloaded from the Internet, picking up the premises for the desired style, cut out from a magazine, buy at a hardware store, draw with your own hands, and print them out at the nearest copy center.