How to use Stencils

http://www.signmountain.com/

Stencilling is very easy. We include colour prints of chosen designs to act as a colour guide and the stencils are re-usable.

First you need to spray a film of repositionable spraymount to the back of the stencil. We use "3M" in the US.

The stencil will stick to the surface to be stencilled leaving both hands free.

Dip the brush in the paint and remove most of the paint on an old rag.

Stipple the colour through the stencil with a rapid up and down movement.

The harder it is to apply the colour, the less chance of the paint seeping under the edges of the design.

This will give you nice clean edges.A textured effect can be achieved by first stippling a lighter colour.

Next, apply a darker shade with more stipples to the edges of the shapes or to one side, gradually fading the darker stipples out as you move towards the centre of each shape.

A bit of practice on some paper will allow you to perfect your technique.

The stencil can be peeled back a little to check on progress.

Stencil paint is basically emulsion paint put into small jars with fancy labels. Match pots or tester pots are ideal as the paint goes a long way, they are inexpensive and they come in a vast array of colours.

Never use a wet brush.

How to Apply Boat Lettering

www.SignMountain.com

Applying your vinyl graphics is simple if you follow some basic guidelines. The boat names generally come in one piece and are sandwiched between a paper layer of transfer tape and a wax layer of backing.

You will need only a few items:

Mildly soapy water in a spray bottle or mister. Just enough dish detergent to break the surface tension and suds up a little. Maybe three or four drops per quart.
A piece of hard plastic, we call a "squeegee"
A roll of masking tape.
An Exacta blade.
A tape measure

Wait for a nice day, unless you are a fearless pro. The worst weather is windy weather. Rain is OK, but not while you're applying. Cover it off if you have to. Vinyl should never be applied in temperatures less than 40 degrees Fahrenheit or 4 degrees Celsius. Also the lettering surface should be free of dirt and wax for best results. Done properly, .this job will last for over seven years


1.
Temporarily tape name to boat. To get the name to go up straight, start with a piece of tape on one corner. With the backing still on the graphics (that's right, don't get ahead of yourself now!) slap it up there where you think it should go. Go ahead! You can always move it if you don't like the position
1a.
Bring the other side into position and tack it down with another piece of tape. Use a tape measure to be sure it is level. If you have a straight edge on the paper backing to measure to, great! If not, measure from the edges of similar letters. Remember that some letters (like O's and S's) normally sink below the line of text.

2.
If you're lettering both sides of the vessel, pick a piece of hardware common to both port and starboard as a reference point BEFORE you begin. You'll really want to double check position of both sides before adhering either! Sometimes one side of the boat surprises you with a drain or a mystery window.

3.
"Hinge" the graphic along one of the straight edges with a long piece of tape. Half the tape should be on the transfer paper and half on the boat. Make sure you've got a grip.

4.
Now when you flip the graphic back to remove the wax paper, everything stays in place. Test it! Make sure it's not getting loose on you! If you can't flip it back because you're on a curved surface, cut between the letters. See the diagram in step six below.


5.
Peel back the wax paper and expose the sticky side of the vinyl. Big long names sometimes call for a helper at this point, but if you have a name that can be divided into smaller sections, cut between the letters so that you're dealing with a more manageable piece of vinyl.


Separating the letters after hinging is also very helpful when lettering on curves surfaces...each letter needs to fall differently and cutting between them will assure that you steer clear from leveling problems.

6.
Many times it's easier to smooth out the name if you mist the adhesive backing with a little soapy water. Wetting it also prevents it from sticking immediately and the soap makes "the water wetter." Usually a wet application is good, then again, if it's too soapy and doesn't stick at all, you have to rinse some of that soap off with fresh water. Generally, use the wet application as it's easier to squeegee out water bubbles than it is to squeeze out air bubbles. When all the water evaporates out from under the name in a few days, the vinyl will adhere as if it were going up dry to start. If you're one of those daring pros, you'll start with a dry application because you know it's going to stick better right away.


7.
Lay the vinyl close to the hull. It won't stick if you've wet it down, especially if you don't press it too hard. It's called "pressure sensitive" vinyl which means that the harder it is pressed, the harder it sticks. Holding the free edge tautly, just off the surface , pull the squeegee across the center of the graphic to get a good center line of adhesion.


8.
Now you can lift one of the sides up and squeegee from the center line toward the edges. ALWAYS work from the center toward the edges!! Do this to avoid trapping air or water bubbles.


9.
Finish off the other half the same way (from the center to the edges, then from the middle to the top and bottom). If you started with a good centerline, the rest of the vinyl will fall into place, naturally!


10.
Finish by spraying down the transfer tape with that spray bottle. Squeegee a little more for good measure and let that water soak into the paper. The water not only helps you apply the vinyl smoothly, it also loosens the paper and helps to remove it without pulling the vinyl back off the boat. Pop any bubbles with a pin point and press out the air or water

Any water bubbles will evaporate

Congratulations! www.SignMountain.com

Letter Stencils: Make Your Own Distinctive Mark signmountain.com.

Perk up your kitchen designs, or any other room, with a decorative painting idea: letter stencils. The perfect treatment for making a statement of style and trendy design,painted monograms can embellish nearly any space — dressers, planters, pillows, and more — to create one-of-a-kind, personalized decor.The myriad monogram options available let you accomplish a custom look in no time. “You don’t have to be a designer to achieve something different,” artist V. Nail says. She mixes computer-generated stylized letters (printed from a basic word processing program) with Internet-purchased stencil motifs, such as a leaf-and-fan design, a damask border, and a corner medallion.“You can buy stencil material and cut your own stencils if you feel competent,” she says, but some stencil suppliers will custom-cut artwork you provide. Or you can simply select ready-made fonts, indicate dimensions, and they’ll supply a stencil. Choose transparent polyester film or vinyl stencil material, depending on the nature of the surface to be monogrammed and how many times the stencil will be reused. Cost depends on size, design complexity, and ready- versus custom-made orders.In either case, Nail says “test, test, test” any surface before stenciling. Adhesive-backed vinyl stencils work well on wood and fabric, adhering readily for beautiful, crisp edges. Nail uses low-tack spray adhesive on the backs of transparent polyester stencils to temporarily affix them to the surface. Rubber cement thinner or stencil cleaner helps remove the adhesive during cleanup. “You can monogram any surface that the stencil will wrap around,” Nail says, although hard, flat surfaces are easiest. For more flexible curved areas, she says, “support the material from behind.” Also remember to trim the stencil so it lies flat on the surface you’re monogramming. Center as you would any other design by matching surface and stencil center points, or by measuring equal margins from top to bottom and left to right.
There are no set rules for the paint, except that it should coordinate with the room’s decor. Nail uses crafts paints, purchased at crafts stores, but water-base house paints or textiles paints work equally well. For fabrics, if the surface is washable, mix textile medium into the paint according to the manufacturer’s directions, or use special fabrics paints to extend wearability. After you’ve prepared the surface, choose a stencil brush: The thinner the area you have to paint, the smaller diameter brush you’ll use. Dip the brush into a dab of paint, pat it on a paper towel until almost dry, then begin pouncing in an up-and-down motion, being careful not to push the brush under the edge of the stencil. “Keep going over it to get the intensity you want,” Nail says, explaining that the paint looks darker after the stencil is removed. Test your technique on a sample board before painting the actual surface.Once you find convenient stencil resources, you’ll appreciate the magic of monogramming. Experiment with shading and color, and embellish with trims such as fringe, buttons, ribbon, or rickrack. Adding initials to decorative accessories, furniture, walls, and virtually any decor accent you can imagine makes the items more meaningful.
The Internet is an excellent and convenient resource for finding ideas, stencils, and supplies. We like signmountain.com.