Crafty Blogger

I wanted a stencil of a man’s silhouette and couldn’t find what I needed at the local art supply stores. I decided I would draw the silhouette and cut it out myself, but sat down to flip through a magazine before I started. As I looked at the magazine, I came across a photo that was the perfect size and shape. I used that magazine page to make a lightweight stencil.

To make your own magazine page stencils, you will need just a few simple supplies:

Magazine with pictures that do not have too much detail
Scissors or a craft knife
Self healing mat
Artwork to be stenciled
Spray paint, stencil paint or an ink pad

Place the magazine page on the self healing mat and tape the corners down to keep it from shifting around. (If you will be using scissors instead of a craft knife, skip this step.) Carefully cut the inside of the part of the picture you want to use as a stencil away, leaving behind a hole in the shape of the item. This hole is your stencil.

Gently unfasten the magazine page edges and position it on your artwork. If you are using spray paint, you may want to protect the rest of your art by covering it with scrap paper. Apply your paint and carefully remove the magazine page stencil. (You can also press an ink pad onto the page over and over again until the stencil area is inked in.)

Now, you have your stenciled art and, if you were careful during the removal process, you have a stencil that you can use a few more times before it disintegrates, too.

Quick Tip:
If you want to use the stencil over and over again, sandwich the magazine between two sheets of clear contact paper before you cut out the area that you want to use as a stencil.