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How to use stencils for custom shoes ?

You want to stencil your shoes or clothes with paint ? And want to know how you can easily use a stencil to reproduce your logo or design ? 

In this article, we explain how to customize your shoes with stencils and paints, from leather to fabric, follow our guide to have a uniform, bleed-free finish, especially on non-smooth surfaces.

How to make custom stencils ?

The first thing to do is to make a stencil, using both a high quality vinyl stencil, or using a tape if you want to create your own stencil for free.

Create a custom stencil online

You can create your own customized stencil with our online tool using patterns, designs or text. It can be very useful if you want to make a stencil from a logo or your own pictures

Just make sure the design is not too small (< 3mm) and that you use good quality images for best results.

If you don't have inspiration, you can find existing stencils with patterns and designs. Whether it's to paint flowers, hearts or a little cat, stencils will save you a lot of time. 

Make a stencil using masking tape

If you are looking for a cheap way to create your own stencil, you can make a stencil from tape.

Draw your logo or anything else on the tape, and then cut it using a precision knife. Of course it will take a lot of time to do this and the result is not as good as regular stencil.

How to apply a stencil on shoes ?

Recover a stencil

To recover your stencil, you have two options:

- if you do not have complex shapes to collect, then you can collect your pattern directly on the stencil and then apply it without transfer tape.

- if you have many small details to recover then it is recommended to use transfer tape.

Use a transfer tape with stencil

You can use a transfer tape to easily recover your stencils

1 - Start by cutting a transfer tape to the size of the stencil or a little larger to make it easier to remove.

2 - Take the transparent adhesive and stick it on the stencil.

3 - Press down with a card so that the transfer tape sticks to the stencil.

4 - Remove the transfer tape by folding it over so it's easier to retrieve the stencil.

5 - Stick the film with the stencil on the desired area and press again with a card so that the stencil remains on the surface to be painted.

Then apply the stencil on the desired area, and make sure that it is well stuck to minimize the risk of smudging. You can use a hair dryer to heat the stencil so it fits the shape perfectly.

How to stencil shoes ?

Stencil your shoes

If the surface is not smooth, we advise you to make a white undercoat. Also make sure that the stencil is well stuck by pressing it with a rigid card, and heating it with a hair dryer.

Always fill the stencil with thin layers of paint. If your layer is too thick, the paint may peel when you remove the stencil. 

Let dry between each coat using a hair dryer at normal temperature. Apply 2 to 3 coats of paint to get a uniform result.

How to stencil without bleeding ?

Stencil on shoes or other leather surface can be complicated if you are a beginner, and you probably encounter issues when removing your stencil. 

It happens when you have too much paint in your stencil.

So if you want to make sure to apply thin layers of paint in your stencil, you can use a paint sponge. It will help you avoid smudging or thick coat so your stencil will not peel.

How to stencil fabric ?

Avoid bleed on fabric

If you want to stencil on fabric and any other textile surface such as denim or a canvas, you have to apply two undercoats of white fabric primer in the stencil to avoid bleeding.

The white fabric primer is a thick paint that allows you to fill in any spaces around the stencil to avoid the paint to bleed, and get a uniform result.

Apply the paint on fabric

Once you have your white undercoat, you can apply your paint using a brush or a sponge brush the same way we explained it for shoes. 

Always apply thin layers of paint, and let it dry between each coat 30 seconds to 1 minute using a hair dryer.

Once your stencil customization is done and completely dry, it's time to enjoy the final result by removing your stencil. 

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2 comments

By Giannis 2024-03-24 14:21:32

je voudrais peindre du texte avec un pochoir sur du bois peint auparavant, est-ce possible ? - en quelle matière est faite votre pochoir ? - c’est quoi ce « film de transfert » ? on s’en sert comment ? ça sert à quoi ? j’ai rien compris ! merci

By Bastien 2023-12-14 16:34:45

Bonjour, petite question. Les résidus de colle du pochoir ne vont il pas poser problème pour l'adhérence du vernis ?