How To Stencil Like A Pro | Layering Paint Colors

Tutorial: How To Stencil Like A Pro

Today’s post is about how to stencil like a pro by layering paint colors to give depth to stencils. I learned this little tip a few years ago in my trial and error painting days. 

How To Stencil

We’ve been having a little bit of Fall weather here in Tennessee. I love it. Fall is my favorite time of year and the Plaid challenge this month is right up my alley…..create a project “inspired by Fall”. The project challenge fits perfectly with my decorating style too. Our den is decorated in the deep, rich, colors of Fall. You guys know how much I love color. No Farmhouse style here.

The cedar chest is a thrifty find from my favorite junk shop. The chest was topless and a little beat up but for $7 who’s complaining.

The color I chose is Spanish Moss in FolkArt Home Decor Chalk. I love the ultra-matte finish of the chalk finish.

The FolkArt Home Decor Chalk Brush is one of my favorite tools. It holds a lot of paint and usually one coat does the trick.

The paint levels out nicely too. No brush marks.

For added glam I decided on a large wall/furniture stencil for the side of the chest. The FolkArt Home Decor Peony Stencil is just gorgeous and I knew the perfect color combo to take it over-the-top.

I don’t want you guys to freak out or anything, but I cut the stencil in two. I know….but it’s okay. I still have both parts! To position the stencil for the best effect I needed to cut it. Some of you may have a work around but this worked best for me. I taped down the outer edges of the stencil with painters tape.

Now comes the really cool part. Metallic Paint. The shinier the better I say. I selected three FolkArt Acrylic Metallic paint colors; Solid Bronze, Copper, and Antique Gold for the project.

FolkArt Solid Bronze Metallic Paint

How to Stencil:

1. Pour paints onto a paper plate.

2. Dip stencil brush into paint.

3. Wipe the brush on a paper towel until almost dry.

4. Stencil by pouncing on the surface to be stenciled.

The first color I stenciled with is the Solid Bronze. Sometimes I swirl the stencil brush but with the highly detailed stencil, pouncing worked best. I didn’t cover the stenciled area completely. Remember we have 3 metallic paint colors for the job.

The edges of the stencil I couldn’t tape down I held in place with my free hand. I don’t normally use stencil adhesive but you certainly can.

FolkArt Antique Gold Metallic Paint

Adding Depth To The Stencil

Once the first color was dry I applied the Antique Gold. Don’t try to paint all areas of the stencil evenly. It will look more realistic to use a random color pattern.

FolkArt Copper Metallic Paint

I applied the Copper color as the finishing touch for the stencil. Or so I thought. Once the paint was dry and I stepped back to look at my work I knew it needed something else. The metallic colors were beautiful but the flower didn’t seem to have the depth I was looking for.

FolkArt Acrylic Paint in Burnt Umber

I pulled out a dark acrylic paint called Burnt Umber and poured a little bit onto the paper plate. I stenciled the paint along the outer edge of the flower and a few other areas. Again using a random pattern with the paint.

And the pretty peony turned out just like I envisioned. The peony stencil is such a lovely design. I can see it on a white wall stenciled in metallic silver. Wouldn’t that be dramatic.

I painted the cedar chest so I would have a place to store my pillows. The colors of the stencil are so pretty against the leaf print of the pillows and the recliner.

The stencil took about 30 minutes to complete. Really. Do you see how layering paint colors gives the stencil depth and texture? Some stencils come with two or three sheets used to get this effect. You really just need one stencil.

I decided against using a sealer or wax over the paint. I like the contrast of the metallics against the matte chalk.

What’s your favorite part of the project? Don’t be shy.

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Disclosure: I partnered with Plaid Crafts on this post. All words, project ideas and photographs are 100% my own.