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http://www.instructables.com/id/Complete-Stencil-Tutorial-Using-a-Free-Program/ Home Sign Up! Explore Community Submit All Art Craft Food Games Green Home Kids Life Music Offbeat Outdoors Pets Ride Science Sports Tech Complete Stencil Tutorial Using a Free Program by JoshuaTerrell on December 21, 2006 Table of Contents intro: Complete Stencil Tutorial Using a Free Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 step 1: Materials and GIMP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 step 2: Pick an image and open your picture in GIMP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 step 3: Crop it . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 step 4: Simplifying the image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 step 5: Tweaking the Contrast and Brightness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 step 6: The Threshold Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 step 7: Stencilable Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 step 8: Get ready to cut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 step 9: Outline your cuts (optional) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 step 10: Cut and Spray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Customized Instructable T-shirts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Complete Stencil Tutorial Using a Free Program

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Page 1: Complete Stencil Tutorial Using a Free Program

http://www.instructables.com/id/Complete-Stencil-Tutorial-Using-a-Free-Program/

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Complete Stencil Tutorial Using a Free Programby JoshuaTerrell on December 21, 2006

Table of Contents

intro:   Complete Stencil Tutorial Using a Free Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

step 1:   Materials and GIMP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

step 2:   Pick an image and open your picture in GIMP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

step 3:   Crop it . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

step 4:   Simplifying the image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

step 5:   Tweaking the Contrast and Brightness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

step 6:   The Threshold Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

step 7:   Stencilable Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

step 8:   Get ready to cut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

step 9:   Outline your cuts (optional) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

step 10:   Cut and Spray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Customized Instructable T-shirts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Page 2: Complete Stencil Tutorial Using a Free Program

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intro:  Complete Stencil Tutorial Using a Free ProgramA tutorial on making a stencil with an open source program called the GIMP.

I looked on all the Instructs tagged with stencil, and not one gives a step by step for making a stencil in my favorite open source photo program The GIMP.

step 1: Materials and GIMP-What You Need--printer-craft knife-The GIMP-surface to cut on (self healing mat)-spray mount (optional)-spray paint

GIMP is an open source raster based graphics editor. It was designed to replace Photoshop.You can get it here. gimp.org

Install it, open it up, and familarize yourself with the interface for a bit. Done? Good. Isn't open source great? Didn't cost a dime!

step 2:  Pick an image and open your picture in GIMPPick a good simple image (remember: simple equals less cuts) preferably on a white background. This can be hacked by simply erasing around an image in MSPaint orwhat have you.

I chose a tasteful Stormtrooper sculpture to stencil. Nerdtastic!

step 3: Crop itCrop out the parts you want to make a stencil of with the Crop/Resize Tool (Tools>Transform Tools>Crop).

a. GIMP allows you to save a copy in case you want to use the uncropped-unedited image later. Save the copy, then go open the copy in GIMP. (File>Save A Copy)

Page 3: Complete Stencil Tutorial Using a Free Program

http://www.instructables.com/id/Complete-Stencil-Tutorial-Using-a-Free-Program/

step 4: Simplifying the imageWe need to simplify the image now. We will do this by Colorify-ing the image. There are two ways of doing this in GIMP.

a.One way is to go to (Tools>Color Tools>Colorize). If you use this method, you will want to set the Hue and Saturation to 0, and adjust the lightness to fit the image (thiscan be done to taste, generally you want about an even light to dark for a stencil.)

b. The other (and redundant) method is to go to Filters>Colors>Colorify, and select your color (you'll be selecting white).

Both methods are pictured, I chose to use the filter.

step 5: Tweaking the Contrast and BrightnessNow I'm going to tweak the contrast and brightness a bit. (Tools>Color Tools>Brightness-Contrast) I'm trying to get a hard line on the helmet, the hardest part on thisimage to keep intact.

Page 4: Complete Stencil Tutorial Using a Free Program

http://www.instructables.com/id/Complete-Stencil-Tutorial-Using-a-Free-Program/

step 6: The Threshold ToolNext I use the Threshold tool (Tools>Color Tools>Threshold) You'll want to play with the settings to get good hard black and white , which is perfect for stenciling.

step 7: Stencilable ImageThere you go! You end up with a semi usable image.The key to stenciling is to editing out the "islands" of white in your image. You can make little bridges for them if need be. Once again this can be accomplshed inwhatever bitmap editing program (MSPaint) you have lying around. I think the image I have can be edited by hand, so I'm going to print it now.

Page 5: Complete Stencil Tutorial Using a Free Program

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step 8: Get ready to cutGet your craft knife(s) and you image and get it all ready for slicing and dicing.

step 9: Outline your cuts (optional)If you have a fairly low res image, this is a good idea. Silver sharpie.

Page 6: Complete Stencil Tutorial Using a Free Program

http://www.instructables.com/id/Complete-Stencil-Tutorial-Using-a-Free-Program/

step 10: Cut and SprayOnce your done cutting, it's time to spray. A simple one layer will do (you could make a 1.5 layer but that's a different tutorial)

As for spraying.

A guide to cutting stencils

• Think from outside the box.

• Collapse the box and take a fucking sharp knife to it.

• Leave the house before you find something worth staying in for.

• It's easier to get forgiveness than permission.

• Spray the paint sparingly onto the stencil from a distance of 8 inches.

• Be aware that going on a major mission totally drunk out of your head will result in some truly spectacular artwork and at least one night in the cells.-Banksy

Have fun!

Page 7: Complete Stencil Tutorial Using a Free Program

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Related InstructablesAdvertisementsCustomized Instructable T-shirts

Comments50 comments Add Comment view all 83 comments

 patycuack says:  Mar 29, 2007. 6:47 PM  REPLYwhat do you think about this one i made minutes ago... first try, i think its not well done..

 cornflaker says:  Jan 12, 2009. 9:36 PM  REPLYIt's quite good if you can actually cut it out...

 master-of-chaos says:  Jun 3, 2007. 8:37 PM  REPLYits good but u need to sure up some lines, smooth it out

 JoshuaTerrell says:  Apr 1, 2007. 3:01 PM  REPLYhaha, not bad at all, I'm glad to see evryones getting in the act

 eat_squids says:  Dec 25, 2008. 2:29 PM  REPLYYeah...here's a couple i did. Hope you like them/

 eat_squids says:  Dec 25, 2008. 2:32 PM  REPLYFor some reason they didn't post...here they are for real =)

 slimguy379 says:  Aug 6, 2008. 1:34 PM  REPLYhello great job... this isn't Really about this instructable but though you could help... I currently have a screen printing business and I'm trying to make a 3 - 6color shirt.. is there a way to separate each and every color? (using gimp, word, or publisher?) the response would be greatly appreciated...

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 stevedem says:  Dec 12, 2008. 1:05 PM  REPLYyeah, you can select each color and separate each one as it's own layer.

 MitchBCool says:  Oct 19, 2008. 3:09 PM  REPLYGreat instructable I love it so much!!

 schneidp20 says:  Oct 17, 2008. 8:12 PM  REPLYYou can also use shelf covering paper (actually plastic). 3M 77 spray your printout to the shelve paper and then do your cutting as usual. Then you'll have aself adhesive mask that is reusable ... to a point.

 alihandrra says:  Feb 23, 2008. 10:44 AM  REPLYwithout downloading GIMP,cant you just use word and convert your image black and white, then by using paint program copying photo from word and pasteit in paint. Making sure the transparent option is on. check out andy warchol computer art on this sight...?

 carpe_noctem says:  Aug 30, 2008. 7:42 PM  REPLYnot usually, but rarely, if your really lucky, that will work. but for more consistent success being able to fiddle with brightness and contrast help ALOT. idon't think you can do that in word, maybe im wrong

 jeffconnelly says:  Aug 24, 2008. 3:49 PM  REPLYHere's Mine

 CerealKiller says:  Aug 8, 2008. 5:28 PM  REPLYHere's Mine:

Just can figure out how to print it.

 rasta_bhoy says:  Aug 18, 2008. 7:54 PM  REPLYI don't even print mine. I just use my laptop's LCD screen and I would tape the bond paper on it and just trace on it. That's if you have access to an LCDscreen. You also skip the outline and printing part too.

 nkk07 says:  Jun 19, 2008. 7:53 AM  REPLYive done a gun now im doing a molatov cocktail it says... lets toast the rich with our kind of cocktail!

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 jkinrade says:  Jul 9, 2008. 2:22 PM  REPLYThat was on Stencil Punks, right? Just like my avatar.

 nkk07 says:  Jul 28, 2008. 11:53 AM  REPLYno not really

 vampyredh says:  Apr 21, 2008. 6:45 PM  REPLYThis is a great way to do this now you can do it quickly in photoshop cs2 rather easily as well, i am currently building a cnc found on this site and am going todo some engraving with the stencils on plexi for car windows and speaker box's with l.e.d.'s in the edge for light up look

 Awesome Possum says:  May 17, 2008. 8:39 PM  REPLYTrue, but Gimp is free.

 slimguy379 says:  May 2, 2008. 3:06 PM  REPLYgreat tutorial, now I can do this process with other designs I take or find and then use greg doom's screen printing tutorial and make a star wars shirt ( to jointhe other dozen)

 youngA says:  Apr 17, 2008. 10:05 AM  REPLYhello i have jus downloaded gimp and can i cut this on cardboard and then spraypaint it email me the answer at [email protected] or just reply tothe question on here

 runkrocker says:  Mar 28, 2008. 1:17 PM  REPLYcool instructable! vey vey helpful. i dont fully know all of what photoshop and gimp can do and this was awesome. i made an invader zim stencil.

yay!!!

 briISfineART says:  Mar 16, 2008. 5:46 PM  REPLYAwesome, thank you! looking into tagging and i really appreciate your easy step by steps. thanks again.-Britt

 JoshuaTerrell says:  Mar 6, 2008. 7:27 PM  REPLYMan, you guys are still posting your stencils after more than two years! Good job guys, I like what I see!

 Rizen says:  Mar 2, 2008. 11:05 PM  REPLYthanks for the tutorial!here's mine:

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 keefurxxcore says:  Feb 29, 2008. 7:32 PM  REPLYHeres mine. I just did it. Resize it to 700x700 in Gimp with the Scale tool in Tools menu.

How do you like it?

 turner22 says:  Feb 12, 2008. 5:29 PM  REPLYI need help! can you use GIMP with mac? which one do I install? I am a technologically challenged child in need of help!

 Dirtbiker460 says:  Feb 14, 2008. 9:00 PM  REPLYYes, if you look through gimp.org, there is a link to a website that you can download a compiled version with an installer.

 PKM says:  Feb 14, 2008. 8:03 AM  REPLYI like it- going all the way from the source image to spraying makes it a very complete Instructable.

One tip i find helpful when making thresholded images is to apply a Gaussian blur to the source image first- use a radius between about 2 and 5 pixelsdepending on the resolution and noise level of the source image. It reduces a lot of the speckliness in the final image and probably makes it easier to cut thestencil.

Here's one I made earlier (I know it's more than one colour but you get the idea)

 JoshuaTerrell says:  Jan 23, 2008. 1:47 PM  REPLYI did, it says Banksy right there.

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 LonNasty says:  Jan 21, 2008. 6:51 PM  REPLYi think you should give credit to banksy for that quote you stole

 SchmirP says:  Jan 20, 2008. 6:06 PM  REPLYUnSharp Mask works awsome for smoothing out those iffy lines too

 robotica1415108 says:  Jan 18, 2008. 8:02 PM  REPLYthis is my first time

 Hold_out says:  Jan 10, 2008. 5:21 PM  REPLYAwesome tutorial. First Time using Gimp I did this.The yellow one is the original. The paint bucket is usefull for filling the background in a block color.Then I used the pen and brush to clean it up.

 master-of-chaos says:  Dec 28, 2007. 4:31 PM  REPLYthen I'm doing all these for my pair of pants and one that I'm making for a friend (i'l keep you posted if i add more)

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 master-of-chaos says:  Dec 26, 2007. 8:41 PM  REPLYi then got this one on the back of one of my pant legs

 nyw11 says:  Oct 1, 2007. 8:14 PM  REPLYI made a "Senior" shirt, because I thought the actual senior shirts were stupid. Also, this cost me about 6 bucks less. The front says "Voted Most Likely toRemain Awesome" I might actually sell these for 10 bucks! Thanks for the great instructable!

 Black Jelly says:  Sep 2, 2007. 9:28 PM  REPLYin photoshop cs3, you can just use the effect "stamp" and it just makes it for you

 chimplicker says:  Aug 30, 2007. 8:03 PM  REPLYcheers mate, that's very useful, clear and has inspired me to do some civic decoration. ;p

 katawin says:  Jul 30, 2007. 11:13 AM  REPLYI saw this and decided to try cause I had a lot of freezer paper stuffed in a drawer. I used inkscape, imported a picture, put a layer over it and then traced theoutline in about 10 minutes. I have posted it here. Sorry about the black background. It's a png with a transparent background so I guess it looks black here.The $2 t-shirt came out real nice.

 JoshuaTerrell says:  Aug 10, 2007. 10:06 AM  REPLYnice!

everyone loves free t-shirts

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 marcolinux says:  Jun 20, 2007. 4:09 PM  REPLYSince we are talking about free programs, you may like inkScape (1)A nice feature is menu -> path-> trace bitmap(shift +alt+B) (version 0.45+ I think).It transform your bitmap images in vector images. Transform to pdf (2) and you can print in buildings size if you want :) .Or view the svg with firefox (2.0+) (3)Be sure to check out the galleries at inkScape site.Yes, I like free software :-)

Hope that helps.Attached: An example svgMarcoLinux - Brazil

1- inkScape2- PdfCreator3- Firefox

example.svg8 KB

 JoshuaTerrell says:  Jun 30, 2007. 1:15 PM  REPLYI already have Inkscape! But I'm glad other people are using it. I've never been able to get the trace bitmap thing to work.

I just gor Macromedia Studio MX 2004 from my job, so I'm probably ruined on vectors now...

 marcolinux says:  Jul 2, 2007. 12:41 PM  REPLYHi.i made a little tracing howto (inkScape version 0.45).Take a look at the attached png/svg.Im using linux/with beryl window manager (3D, nice :-)

Also, there is a nice tutorial with inkScape: help-> tracing.Sorry for the clutter.

About the bitmap: seems to me that the higher the resolution/contrast, the better the results.original Image: tuxBaby

MarcoLinux - Brazil

tuxInkScape.svg15 KB

 JoshuaTerrell says:  Jul 10, 2007. 7:07 PM  REPLYokay, that works :)

I say you instructables this....

 ledzeppie says:  Apr 24, 2007. 10:13 PM  REPLYthis is mine(its kinda hard with pictures of yourself lol. its me with my "non-alcoholic_beverage_helmet on lol.