Stencil Printing Techniques: How to Use Stencil Card for Clean Prints

How-To Guides

Stencil card has a waxy finish which resists the moisture from the ink and lasts longer than paper. By placing the stencil card under the mesh prevents the squeegee from catching on the cut edges.

Step by step - Let's Create

Choose a bold graphic design, which will hold it’s rigid form when cut. You can either print out a design or draw your own. Your design should be formed with simple straight lines and curves to allow for easier cutting.

Next measure the dimensions of your screen mesh and cut a piece of stencil card to the appropriate size for your mesh. Your card should cover some of the masking tape surrounding the frame, but ensure that your design does not protrude onto the masked area.

Transfer your design over to stencil card. Use tracing paper to copy your design in pencil, and then rub on the reverse to transfer the pencil marks to the card. Make sure that the design doesn’t run too near to the outer edges of your card.

Using a sharp scalpel or craft knife, carefully cut out your design. The areas that are cut out will allow ink to pass through the mesh onto your chosen substrate.

Lay the cut-out stencil on the mesh on the reverse of the screen and smooth all the edges down until they are flush to the mesh. To keep the stencil in position, stick the outer edges down using brown polypropylene tape. The screen is now ready for printing.

Position the screen with the stencil side down onto your substrate. Lay a strip of ink at one end of the screen. Pull a squeegee across the surface of the mesh to push the ink through using a smooth, gliding motion. The stencil can be used for multiple prints. Once you have finished screen printing, remove the tape and stencil. Clean the mesh with screen wash to remove any ink.