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  • Finished Stenciled Wall
  • Wall Before Being Stenciled
  • Finished Stenciled Wall
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[+]
  • Finished Stenciled Wall
  • Wall Before Being Stenciled
  • Finished Stenciled Wall
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Step 1: Establish the Horizontal Center of Your Wall

Mark with a pencil right below the ceiling. Center your stencil under this mark. Use a level to make sure it's exactly even.

Wall Before Being Stenciled[+]

Step 2: Adhere Stencil with Painter's Tape or Spray Adhesive

Place additional pieces of tape on the wall under your registration holes. By painting the holes onto the tape, you'll have removable registration marks for the stencil's next positioning.

Step 3: Apply the Paint

Dip your brush into your well-mixed paint, then dab the brush on a dry paper towel to remove most of the paint (you don't need a lot of paint to cover the surface). Making sure your stencil is flat to the wall, tap— don't brush—the paint with the flat end of the brush over the cut-out ("black") spaces of the stencil until the pattern is evenly applied.

If you are painting a second color, wait a few moments to let the first color dry (by using a "tapping" method, your coat is thin and drying time is short), then apply the second color to the appropriate "black" spaces.

Step 4: Repeat the Painting Process

When painting is done, wait a few moments, then remove the stencil. Immediately adhere it next to the first transfer, using the registration marks to align it correctly. Continue this process to the wall's end, then return to the center and repeat the process in the other direction.

Finished Stenciled Wall[+]

TIP

Taking a traditional stencil and blowing it up to 10 times its size turns a dated look into something completely contemporary. And why not? With stencils, there are no rules at all to play by. So, create a stenciled stripe from floor to ceiling in the middle of the wall; continue a stencil motif onto the ceiling or the floor; or have our stenciled pattern begin and end randomly. To test these types of effects out, play with the scale and pattern on your computer first, or sketch it on a piece of paper. And if you aren't quite satisfied with the result, relax—it's just paint! Cover it up with wall paint and create a new masterpiece another day.
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