Stenciling supplies
Drafting film | Stencil cutting film
Drafting film is a polyester base film that is superior for stencil cutting purposes. This film is treated to accept pencil, pen and ink, it erases cleanly as is dimensionally very stable. You can even safely run it through your printer or laser copier and that can save a lot of time in tracing. Many people know this type of film as Mylar film. Mylar is actually a trademark owned Dupont Tejjin Films.
The best thickness to buy would be the .003” and/or the .005”, also known as 3 mil and 5 mil. I use both and prefer the 5 mil for most work. Both thickness's are very strong and stencils cut from this film last a long time with adequate care. Drafting film comes in single or double sided. Since you only need to draw on one side get the single sided since its a bit cheaper. As far as stencil cutting film goes, I would not waste my time with any other type of film. Once again if you plan to do a lot of stencil cutting, buy the film in bulk. You will save money on the film and on the postage.
Stencil brushes
Quality stencil brushes are essential for most of your stenciling projects. Its convenient to have a variety of sizes handy because you are going to need them. You may be doing a wall mural on one day and a small scrapbook project the next. Most stencil brushes are relatively inexpensive so don't hold back on having plenty of different size brushes on hand. I like to have a separate brush for each color I am using because its saves me time in washing the brush between color changes.
These brushes are 100% pure hog bristle have a wooden handles and range in price from $1.28 for the 1/4” brush up to $4.40 for the 1” brush. The come in sizes from 1/4” up to 1” .
Blick Art Materials http://www.dickblick.com
Stencil cutting knives
I like to have a couple of these on hand because one will always go missing just when I need it. The two main choices you have here are the X-Acto #1 knife or if you prefer a #3 scalpel handle with #11 blade. The main difference here is that the X-Acto knife has a round handle and the scalpel has a flat handle. Its a matter of personal preference. I like using my scalpel for most jobs.
I also find the the x-acto tends to roll of my table when I'm not careful and in the process I brake a few extra blades. When you buy a knife, make sure you also buy plenty of blades to go with it. I like to change my blade every few hours because my time spent cutting is worth more than the price of the blade. Also blunt blades make the cutting more cumbersome and you are more prone to making errors when this happens.
X-Acto's #1 Knife has a 4-7/8" long aluminum handle, and comes with a standard #11 blade, and safety cap. The price is $2.82 each so its worth buying a couple of handles in case one goes missing.
The #11 blades sell for $2.95 for a pack of 5. and a pack of 100 sell for $24.42. Definitely worth the investment if you plan to do a lot of cutting.
Blick Art Materials http://www.dickblick.com
The # 3 Scalpel with the # 11 blades is my favorite cutting tool. lindigo.com sell handles for $2.00 and a pack of 10, #11 blades for $3.00
indigo.com http://www.indigo.com/
Cutting mats
Unless you plan on carving holes into your work table, a cutting mat is essential. The size you want depends on how big your average project is going to be. A good quality vinyl 3 ply mat will heal completely. Most of the mats on the market have grids drawn on them which isn't all that necessary when you are cutting stencils. An 18” x 24” mat is a good size to start with. I would also recommend that you buy an 81/2’ x 12” mat for small jobs( if your budget allows).
Aside from a cutting mat it also pays to buy a sheet of 3mm or 4mm thick glass around 8” x 2’’. Glass is an excellent cutting surface for intricate stencil cutting jobs because its easy to swivel the stencil film over it when cutting smooth curves. The glass will blunt you blade a lot quicker but some may prefer the harder smoother surface.
These cutting mats are made with a 3 ply resilient vinyl that heals completely so they can be used as a drawing surface. Mats are marked with a ½" grid pattern . They are Non-slip, and non-glare. Green/Black mats are double sided with grids printed on both sides. these mats range in price form $5.85 for a 8” x 12” mat and go as high as $315.00 for a massive 48” x 96” mat.
Blick Art Materials http://www.dickblick.com
Water base paints | Acrylic paints
Many new stencil artists get a little perplexed about which paints to use for their stenciling projects. I would suggest that the first port of call be a selection of quality artist acrylics. I have used Liquitex artist quality acrylics for over 15 years on plaster walls, fabric canvas and wood. They adhere well to just about any surface you can think of .
This brand is soft, creamy and perfect for stenciling, murals etc. I have used them for stenciling on fabric for years and they don't need heat setting. They are also great for airbrush techniques. You can also mix them with other water media and they dilute well with plain water. They have twice the covering power of other acrylics and this is where you save money. Yes there are plenty of other brands of artist acrylics on the market but I'm only going to recommend to you the ones that I have come back to time after time.
Liquitex publish a little book called How to Mix & Use Color .Its awesome value at only $4.98 and I would recommend it to anyone wanting to understand how to mix colors like a pro (and avoid wastage).
Blick art materials carry Liquitex brand of artist Acrylics .Liquitex The Soft Body Acrylics 2 oz jars are a good size to start building a collection of colors. The prices vary from around $3.40 up to around $5.00 per jar. Make sure you buy an extra large supply of white for tinting purposes.
Blick Art Materials http://www.dickblick.com
Airbrushes
If you want to take your stenciling activities up the next level then consider purchasing an airbrush. Although this amazing tool still mystifies many people, airbrushes are really just very precise spray cans that are the size of a pen. The subtle color graduations and color shifts that can be achieved with an airbrush are worth the trouble.
An entry level Paasche airbrush can be purchased for as little as $47.00. You also need a a source of compressed air to propel the paint. This could be a small compressor for $50.00 to $150.00 or a can of compressed air made for the airbrush which can be purchased online for around $6.00
There are several brands of airbrush in the clickblick.com catalogue and its worth taking a look and comparing models and prices. I'm just going to point you to the Paasche model VL airbrush because I used to have around 8 of them and I consider them to be a good entry model air brush. The prices start at $47.25 for a basic brush without accessories to $68.24 for a brush with all three size head assemblies and bottles.
Blick Art Materials http://www.dickblick.com