HOWTO Make A Stencil

Following are instructions for using the stencil generator, it's quick and easy. First, you'll need a source image to make your stencil from. You can upload a picture from your computer, or download one from the net. Try to find one where the background is distinct from the foreground (subject) of the image. I recommend the creative commons image search, since you can search for images which are copylefted to allow derivative works.

One you've found an image you'd like to use, copy its URL - not the URL of the page it's on, the URL of the image - or download it to your computer. Back at the stencil generator, paste the URL into the text field and click 'go'.

If all goes well you'll now have a set of thumbnails in front of you with differing levels of light and dark. Click one, and you'll notice the image in the middle of the page to a version of your picture at that white level. In this example I've used the 'Photo Negative' button at the bottom of the page to change the thumbnails from white-on-black to black-on-white. Click around will you find the whiteness level you like best.

I think that works, now to add a caption, using the text field at the bottom of the page:

All done, click 'Add to Gallery' (bottom of the page) et voila, your stencil. To save it to your computer, Right Click, 'Save As..'

Optional: Adding it to the gallery. Not forgetting to credit the original photographer Antiquité Tardive - this is basic courtesy and a condition of the Creative Commons license. It's now saved in the stencil gallery and published in the gallery's RSS feed.

Now print it on card or a transparency for screen printing, graffiti, interior decorating, cake icing, etc. The following instructabes may be handy for the physical part:

Cutting out and spraying a stencil
Stencils with Islands

Created 2008-04-9 02:50:02 by strix and filed under stuff