How to Use Stencils with Acrylic Paint

How to Use Stencils with Acrylic Paint

Have you ever thought about using stencils in art making?

If that’s you, then today is YOUR day. In this post I’m going to show you how to use stencils with acrylic paint. It used to be that when I heard the word stencils I thought of CRAFTS rather than FINE ART. However, I think I proved myself wrong. Stencils can be a fun tool to create pattern in art making.

For example, I created this piece using two stencils from Cheap Joe’s, a few paint brushes and Acrylic paint. I love these birds and decided to modify the painting into a step by step art activity for kids!

Below is a step by step on how to modify this painting into a children’s art activity.

Tip: If you choose to paint on paper, make sure its a thicker quality paper and apply Gesso to the front and back before painting! Gesso works as a nice primer for your acrylic paintings.

How to Use Stencils with Acrylic Paint

Step 1: Choose 3 Colors

This would be a nice opportunity to teach your kids about colors! Ask them to pick 3 warm colors or for those who are a little older, two primary and one secondary color.

Therefore, the goal is to use colors that blend well together. Otherwise, your kids may end up with a muddy mess! The good news is, acrylic paint dries quickly, so you can always add layers of blue on top of orange (for example) if you take a snack break and come back to the painting!

Step 2: Divide your Circle into 3 Sections.

Draw a circle for the body and a smaller circle for the head. Using one of your 3 colors, divide your circle into 3 sections. This will help identify the space for different types of pattern making with the stencil.

I Wake Tomorrow Paint

~ An Old Friend
Tip: Wipe any access paint off your brush before running over the stencil. This will help prevent the paint from bleeding under the stencil. If bleeding does occur, embrace it! This project is very forgiving and great for kids as they love to see the “reveal” when the stencil is lifted!

Step 3: Use the Stencils

You can use any kind of stencils! These are the two I used to create the larger peacock painting. Ask your kids to pick a stencils and concentrate on helping them fill in one section at time.

Step 4: Get Messy

Invite your kids use their fingers to create the peacock tail feathers! That’s how I created the feathers in this painting (never too old ;-p ). Lastly, add a triangle as a beak and a dot for the eye. If their attention span is still rocking and rolling, use the stencil pattern to create the feathers on top of the peacock’s head. NEW WORD ALERT: this is called the peacock’s plumage.

Don’t forget to let your kids name the bird as the title! Let me know what they come up with in the comments:-)

What You Will Need:

2+ stencil patterns

3 colors of acrylic paint

1 canvas, watercolor paper OR Canson Paper

3 acrylic paint brushes

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