What do I get?
What's inside? That depends on what kind of stencil you order. Stencils are made of heavy cardstock or 7mil mylar.
- 14" x 11" stencils come flat in a 15" x 12" envelope, and are shipped First Class in a thick envelope with tracking
- between 2 and 5 laser-cut stencils, each 14" x 11"
- instructions for how to get the most out of your stencils
- 24" x 18" mylar stencils come rolled up in a 2 foot long thin cardboard box, and are shipped USPS parcel with tracking
- between 2 and 5 laser-cut stencils, each 24" x 18"
- instructions for how to get the most out of your stencils
How do my stencils get here?
First class letter or parcel, with tracking. Worldwide, it takes between a week and two weeks from when they're posted.
Mylar or cardstock?
The heavy cardstock is a good choice for using
your stencils a few times during a period when you can let the stencils dry flat. If you want to use the stencils over and over (like, hundreds of times, over a period of years) then
mylar is the better choice. Mylar stencils are durable, flexible and washable.
What size should I get?
Get the smallest size that meets your application. For outdoor work, err on the larger side; artwork that's far away (on a billboard or
a wall) always looks smaller than it does when it's right next to your face at eye level. For a t-shirt--and for many indoor applications--14 x 11 is
plenty large.
Can I get a custom size?
Yes, when you order your stencil you can request any size, from half-size up to the full size of the stencil material (allowing for borders). So,
if you want your image to be 9 inches by 10 inches, order the 11 x 14 stencil kit and include special instructions to cut the stencil at resolution
that leaves it at 9 x 10. The stencil cutter will scale the image for you. (It's up to you to maintain the correct aspect ratio.)
2 colors? 5 colors? How many color layers should I get?
Generally, the smaller number of layers you can use to get the desired effect, the better. Two-tone stencils are far quicker to paint than
stencils that have five or more tones. They also look more refined. Three layers looks pretty good, but five layers starts to look pretty
technical for most applications. T-shirts are an exception, where two, three, or four tones on a solid background works pretty well.
