How do you make a stencil for paint?

I am kind of thinking of taking the 55' 2 dr wagon I am building, painting it a pale yellow, and putting a "Badman" style engine callout on it. I was toying with calling the car "Lemonade" on the rear quarter.

Here's a pic. I would have mine say something like 327 on it.


How do you do a stencil for something like this?

 

The easiest way is to have someone who is a graphic artist and has computer skills to lay out the lettering using Adobe Illustrator or Corel Draw and then having the stencil plotted/cut out of vinyl (preferably masking vinyl) by a sign shop.

The not so easy way is to have a paint/flame guy hand cut it while the masking paper or frisket is on the car...

 

Exacto knife. Get started.

 

Vinyl decal transfer tape.....
Alot of those were handpainted and/or masked, therefore, a computer cut stencil would look too "perfect"....but transfer tape applied and then drawn on and cut out, by hand, would look more "correct". Masking tape for the long, straight sections...

 

Well, he said "easiest"...not most correct. I agree that doing it by hand would look best if you want it to look traditional. Although, the way that I would personally do it for a client to get that old school feel is draw it by hand first, scan it into the computer and use the scanned drawing as my basis for creating the digital file.

 

Haha....he said "easiest"? Where?

Fastest and easiest would be to just lay it all out with masking tape, "on the fly"....no running back and forth from car to computer with measurements, etc....unless of course the car was at said vinyl shop....like my house.
It would take longer messing around scanning and changing things in a 'puter than it would just tapin' the sucker off.
You could instantly see what you were getting, rather than installing a stencil, get it crooked or worse, have it not look quite right....back to the 'puter for more manipulation....sometimes computers are not the best option....

 

WTF? Try wax pencil, ruler, french curves and oneshot.

 

I made our logo for the door of my '55 out of a piece of construction paper, an exacto knife, and lots of blood...

 

Time, Patience? There would be a paper pattern with holes in it, a pumice block(almost like snaping a chalk line) to highlight the holes so when you removed the paper you could mask.

Nowadays, find some shop that has that high tek printer and can print the graphics on that special paper that you can apply to the car, but pull off the unwanted areas.

Or just have someone do it

 

LOL..you got me. So I'm interpolating and paraphrasing here...who's counting hairs?...lol. I guess easiest is in the eye of the beholder. I'm a graphic arts/computer geek type geek, I know how long it takes to lay a set of flames by hand and with my computer and plotter I can whip out a set of flames and apply them in around 2 1/2 to 3 hrs max. I know, some are going to say that's "not traditional"...and I would agree to an extent. The difference is that mine always start as a hand drawing and I have NEVER given a friend or client the same set of flames...every set is unique. I know that a VERY a good flame guy can do killer layout in about 6 to 10 hrs, and that their skill and vision is worth it, but if you aren't looking to spend $3K plus JUST for a flame job, I can get the job done well and in less time.

Now, truth be told, when I get to actually laying the scallops down on my pickup, I'll be doing it by hand - for TWO reasons. 1) I want the scallops to match and fit the lines and shape/sections of each body panel and 2) doing THAT by computer would be NEAR impossible given all the unique lines, measurements and nuances.

So, BEST way...frisket or masking paper/tape and a wax pencil and an xacto...there truly is NO substitute.

 

i would have the computer sign shop make the mask in low tack, put in on, and either spray it, or brush on. then outline by hand with one shot.
alot of sign guys use that tecnique these days. quick easy, and it will look right when you are done.
for one word deals, or just a few letters, i cut them out by hand, or just outline them with a stabillo pencil and brush them in.
i would never want vynil letterig on my cars, but using the low tack to make a mask is quite acceptable



skull

 

Use an overhead projector, make your design, and shine it on the car to see if you like it or not.

 

that works well too. many a pounce pattern was produced that way


skull

 

for the newbs, i would stay away from hand cutting the transfer tape. its too easy for the inexperienced to cut into the paint, which will cause more problems.


the fastest way would be to cut it ouf with a plotter.