BEFORE YOU BEGIN:
This tutorial assumes that you've got a precut stencil and are ready to paint!
For a GREAT lesson on cutting your own portrait stencil, visit THIS page.

* Prepare a work table OUTSIDE a fair distance from vehicles, doors, windows and SIBLINGS!
*Gather spray paint, folders and materials for masking.
* Stand upwind and hold your breath, better yet...wear a respirator.
* Spray paint will damage your lungs and nervous system...take precautions.

1. You can work off of the original "manilla vanilla" color...or lay down a color first.
I chose a light spray of yellow, followed by a fine dusting of red.

2. Position your stencil where you want it...for this project,
I've centered my stencil of St. Pius X.

3. Mask the edges of the folder to keep them from acquiring overspray.
I've used junk mail and pages from an old calendar.

HINT - Use rocks, wood blocks or something heavy to weigh down the masking
so the force of the spray paint doesn't lift the edges up and allow paint
to get on your surface. Here, I've used my own spray cans.

4. Spray the 1st color on the stencil...I've chosen a medium blue-violet
to compliment the yellowish background. You can do a heavy coat, or a thin one as I have done here.
Allow this to dry for a few minutes before continuing.

5. Remove the masking and carefully misregister the stencil either by
shifting it 1/4" in one direction horizontally or vertically.
Here, I shifted the stencil to the left by 1/4".

*Misregistering the stencil will create a "shadow" around your face as you will see at the end.
It's important here to choose a color that will contrast with your base color.

HINT - If you must lift the stencil for curiosity's sake or for another reason,
lift STRAIGHT UP or you will smear your paint.

6. Mask the stencil once more and spritz a second color.
I chose a can of white primer that is "spitting" so it would not only
brighten up the image, but also leave little speckles of paint.

And that's it! Now, go experiment, there are unending possibilities to this technique!!

THINGS TO REMEMBER:
*Allow these to dry out in the sun, if possible, for several hours...this helps to
"air them out" as even dry spray paint will emit noxious fumes.

*Also let your stencil dry well in the sun and don't lay anything ON it
and definitely don't lay it ON ANYTHING...it will stick to other things and ruin that thing AND the stencil...

HAVE FUN!!!

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