How to Use Royal Stencil Crème Paints by Royal Design Studio and Modello Designs

INTRODUCING STENCIL CRÈME

I am so delighted to introduce our new Royal Stencil Crèmes! Over all the years I’ve been stenciling I have used many different mediums: oil-based Japan Paint, craft acrylics, metallic paints, colorants, and latex wall paints. While all of these produce great results for different applications and skill levels, I have always longed for a stencil paint option that would offer excellent coverage, flow effortlessly off the brush, and provide ease of use over a variety of different surfaces. And so, at long last, I set to work to create my signature stencil paint: Royal Stencil Crème. The Royal Stencil Crème colors were designed with both the beginning stenciler and professional decorative artisan in mind. Budding stencil artists will appreciate how EASY they make it to achieve great results! Pros will love how quickly they cover and how long they can go without having to reload the brush. Everyone will love the luscious colors! Our initial color selection features 10 shades of sophisticated and classic metallic colors, and more colors are soon to follow. I hope that you enjoy using them as much as I do!

Melanie Royals any reasons to m O S re a re e h T ncil Creams! te S l a y o R E V LO

They: • Are heavily loaded with color and shimmer. • Provide opaque coverage in just one coat. • Make it easy to create soft, translucent effects. • Have a creamy formula that glides off your brush. • Have excellent coverage and “flow”. Less reloading! • Are gel-based, which resists causing stencil “run-unders”. • Blend easily, yet dry quickly to a hard, durable surface. • Leave minimal buildup of paint on stencils and brushes. • Clean up like a dream with soap and water. • Work well on variety of surfaces, from smooth to textured. • Are the ideal medium for both stencils beginners AND pros. • Come in 10 luscious colors. Intermix for more options!

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Stenciling WITH ROYAL STENCIL

CRÈMES

Royal Stencil Crèmes can be applied with a stencil brush or dense foam roller. Using a foam roller is an ideal way to apply a solid, allover pattern to a larger surface quickly. However, you will use a LOT more paint than when applying by stencil brush. You will find that the heavy pigment load and gel formulation of Royal Stencil Crème allows you to go much further with each “load” of paint on the stencil brush. This means that in most instances, simply using a large stencil brush with an allover pattern will go quite quickly.

BASIC BRUSH Stenciling This demo uses Antique Gold Royal Stencil Crème and the Donatella Damask Stencil #3083 from Royal Design Studio

Place a small amount of Royal Stencil Crème on a paper or plastic plate. Keep in mind that the Stencil Crèmes go a long way, so you will NOT want to OVER load your stencil brush. If you do, you will waste a lot of time getting the excess paint OFF the brush. Brush just the tips of the stencil brush through the Stencil Crème and rub the brush in a firm circular motion on a clean part of the plate.

STEP 1

Offload the brush further by using a heavy pressure and a circular motion with the brush on a stack of better-quality paper towels, such as Bounty or Viva. This action will also ensure that the paint is distributed evenly on the brush. Note: The gel formulation of the Stencil Crèmes helps to resist paint bleeding under the stencil pattern (called “rununders”)when stenciling, BUT having excessive paint on the brush can cause the paint to build up in ridges around the stencil openings. ALWAYS be sure to offload the brush well on paper towels after reapplying paint to the brush.

STEP 2

Always begin stenciling with a light, even pressure and use a small circular motion with the brush as you move around the stencil edges. In this example, I was intentionally leaving a slightly lighter area in the center of the design openings. This is achieved by using a lighter pressure on the brush in these areas. If you want to achieve a solid, even coverage with the paint, simply maintain the same amount of pressure on the brush throughout.

STEP 3

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It’s always good practice to routinely pull back one edge of the stencil to check your stenciling technique and to see how the color looks against the background. When the stencil is in place, the depth of color can be misleading. You will really see the color POP when you lift the stencil back!

Note:

STEP 4

If you are stenciling with a “dry” brush, as directed, there should be no seepage of Stencil Crème on the back side of the stencil. If that DOES occur, simply wipe off any excess paint on the back of the stencil with a paper towel or baby wipe before replacing the stencil for the next repeat.

CLEANUPAnother major benefit of Royal Stencil Crème colors is that they don’t build up heavily on either stencils or brushes, and they clean up easily with soap and water. If you have done a large stencil project you will find it beneficial to spray the stencil with a cleaner such as Simple Green or Krud Kutter or Motsenbacher’s Lift-Off #5, which is a latex paint remover. STENCILS Ideally, lay the stencil on a flat surface and use a stiffbristles scrub brush to clean the stencil easily and without bending or tearing any pointy areas or bridges. Scotchbrite™ pads also work well to clean stencils, but just be careful about catching and bending pointy design edges.

STEP 5

STENCIL BRUSHES Clean your stencil brush well by using one of our Stencil Brush Scrubbers along with soap and water. I like to use Murphy’s Oil Soap Concentrate to clean my stencil brushes. It not only helps to clean them well, and leaves them soft and conditioned! Put some in a plastic container and add a bit of water. Swirl the brush around and clean immediately. Note: Don’t leave your brushes soaking for too long! This can eventually loosen the glue and cause the bristles to fall out of the metal ferrule.

GLAZING OPTIONS Royal Stencil

Crèmes can also be used as a glaze colorant when added to translucent scumble-type glazes, such as Aqua Crème from Faux Effects. For a nice, soft look mix at a ratio to 1 teas. Royal Stencil Crème with 1 cup of glaze medium. For this sample I used a positive application of the glaze by brushing it vertically over the entire surface to create a subtle stria effect.

STEP 6

The thin layer of gold-colored glaze softens the black background to a nice shade of dark brown, and helps to unify the overall look of the finish!

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MULTI-COLOR STENCIL Treatment It’s easy to work multiple colors into a stencil pattern when using stencil brushes. The amount of control that stencil brushes provide means that you can isolate different colors in different design areas by limiting the brush application to just certain design elements at one time. For this stenciled finish I chose 4 complimentary Royal Stencil Crème colors and applied them randomly through a Moroccan stencil pattern. This demo uses Antique Gold, Bronze Age, Copper Kettle, and Smoked Oyster Royal Stencil Crèmes, and the Large Eight Pointed Stars Stencil #3018L from Royal Design Studio. The background is Espresso Bean Lusterstone, a metallic plaster from Faux Effects, International.

Follow the Basic Brush Stenciling instructions for loading and off-loading your stencil brush outlined above. In order to isolate the separate colors in the different star elements, use 4 different ¾” stencil brushes; one for each color. This allows you to easily keep the different colors from traveling into the nearby “open” areas of the stencil as you work. Use a firm, even pressure on the brush as you stencil to fill in the entire open area with a solid application of paint.

STEP 1

The metallic Stencil Crème colors will naturally produce different levels of shine on the surface. This is caused by the mica particles being flipped back and forth on the dark, textured surface. The effect is similar to the “nap” that is seen on velvet or corduroy fabric as it is brushed different ways with your hands. To even the sheen level out, finish off the stenciling by stippling straight up and down over the surface with the stencil brush to get a more even effect.

STEP 2

FINAL

STEP 3

As always, lift the stencil periodically as you work to check how the colors look against the background, and to ensure that you are using the right amount of paint and pressure on the brush. www.royaldesignstudio.com

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TONING AND ANTIQUING Option Metallic colors, including the Royal Stencil Crème Metallic Collection, take on even more interest and depth when a toning or staining layer of glaze is applied over them. One of my favorite toning/staining mediums is Stain and Seal, from Faux Effects, International. Stain and Seal is a water-based gel stain designed for wood finishing. The stain properties mean that the color actually bites into the surface, producing a very rich color and effect. Stain and Seal dries VERY quickly on its own, so I always add So Slow Super Extender (up to a 1:1 ratio) to extend the “open” time of the stain and create a more translucent effect. For this demo I used American Walnut Stain and Seal mixed at a 1:1 ratio with So Slow Super Extender. I also used cheesecloth for applying and softening the stain, and used the Neon Leon Nylon Stippler Brush. All products are available on the Royal Design Studio website. www.royaldesignstudio.com.

Allow the Royal Stencil Crème colors to dry for about half an hour before toning with stain or glaze. Fill a mister spray bottle with water. Spritz water over the area you will be working in and just beyond, so that you can maintain a “wet edge”.

STEP 1

Use a piece of cheesecloth or brush to rouge on a thin layer of the stain/glaze mix, over the dampened surface, in a small workable area.

STEP 2

A Neon Leon Nylon Brush works great to smooth and spread the stain/glaze mix.

STEP 3

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STEP 4

While the stain/glaze mix is still wet, respray with a quick sharp spritz of water. This will cause the stain/glaze mix to “ciss” and bead up on the surface slightly. This will create an additional nice, random texture.

STEP 5

Use clean cheesecloth to blot out any large water drips. Continue working while blending your freshly wet areas back into areas that you have already done. Note: It’s best to start at the top of the wall and work across and then vertically. Make the size if your work areas random horizontally and aim for irregular “edges” so you end up with a very organic finish.

FINAL

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Stenciling on Plasters and Textured Finishes Royal Stencil Crème colors are IDEAL for stenciling on textured and porous surfaces because their gel formula glides easily across the surface while resisting frustrating paint “run-unders” around the stencil edges. For this demo, I used Royal Stencil Crème colors Oyster Pearl, Antique Silver, and Smoked Oyster, along with the Tailfeather Allover Stencil #3033. The background is Plastertex; a textural plaster material from Faux Effects, International.

You can easily mix different Royal Stencil Crème colors to create additional color variations. For this demo, I used a “brush mixing” technique. For this technique you can simply pick up to different colors on the brush and blend them together as you offload your paint onto a paper towel. For the first step over the off-white plaster, load your brush with a bit of Pearl Oyster and Antique Silver. Stencil with a somewhat random pressure on your brush as you move around the stencil design. This will naturally create lighter and darker areas throughout your stenciling, and gives it a more “painterly” look.

STEP 1

Before moving the stencil for the next repeat, pull back the stencil to check “the look”. If there are areas where the design fades away too much, simply replace the stencil and add a little more color in those areas.

STEP 2

STEP 3

This final photo shows how nicely light will “play” with a metallic surface. In the areas where more light hits the surface, you will get a lot more reflection. Areas receiving little light will be darker and flatter. This will change over the course of the day and as you move around the room, making the finish almost seem alive! Metallic stenciled finishes are ideal for rooms or walls that receive a good amount of natural light or are otherwise well-lit. www.royaldesignstudio.com

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Frequently Asked Questions What kind of coverage can I expect from a 2oz. jar? Coverage will vary depending on how many layers of color you apply, how porous your surface is, and the color of your background. Darker base colors will naturally produce a more dramatic and intense contrast with the Royal Stencil Crème Metallic Colors. Coverage will also depend on your chosen stencil design. Some stencil patterns have a lot more open areas to fill in than others. For reference, a 2oz. jar will cover approximately 80 square feet of space in a single coat.

What is the drying time? Drying times will vary depending on your environment (heat/humidity), the surface you are working on, and how heavily you apply the paint. Generally speaking, Royal Stencil Crème colors will dry to the touch within 5 minutes. When stenciling with a dry brush, there is no need to wait before moving the stencil to continue. The thin layer of color will be dry enough that you will not cause any paint to smear or run.

Will the Royal Stencil Crème metallic colors tarnish? No. The metallic colors are mica, not metal, based. Mica flakes are derived from stone, and the colors will not change over time. They can be top-coated with water-based topcoat of your choice, as well as oil-based urethanes and waxes.

Why do the Royal Stencil Crème colors look different over light and dark colors? It’s a matter of contrast. The colors will naturally “pop” more over a darker background. Lighter background colors may require two layers of paint to achieve a more dramatic look.

How durable are Royal Stencil Crèmes? Royal Stencil Crème colors dry and cure very quickly. You can wipe the surface with a damp rag within a couple of hours and clean the surface with a multi-purpose spray cleaner within a week. Do NOT use alcohol or bleach-based cleaners on Royal Stencil Crème stenciled surfaces that have not been sealed with additional topcoats. Topcoating Royal Stencil Crème surfaces is not necessary unless the surface will receive a lot of touching or use.

What kind of topcoat do you recommend? You can use any type of topcoat (water-based, oil-based, wax) that is appropriate for protecting your stencil work after using Royal Stencil Crème colors.

Can I tint Royal Stencil Crèmes? Yes! If you want to alter the color slightly, you can add small amounts of Universal or Mixol tints, as well as artist or craft acrylics, and colorants such as Faux Effects Faux Crème Color.

What if I want an even higher shine to the metallic colors? Royal Stencil Crème metallic colors already contain a large amount of mica flakes, and are created to product a highly reflective finish. If you want to alter the color slightly or create a more intense reflective quality, you can add 1-2 teas. of mica powder in the color of your choice to a 2oz. jar.

Can I do multiple coats? How fast? In many cases you will find that one layer of Royal Stencil Crème color is sufficient. Second coats or layers can be added almost immediately, but use common sense. If your environment is really damp and you have applied a heavy layer of color, wait longer for it to set up before applying additional layers.

Can I create soft, shaded effects? Yes! There are two ways to create more translucent effect with Royal Stencil Crème colors: Use a VERY dry brush, or add some sort of glaze medium to the Royal Stencil Crème color to make it more translucent. www.royaldesignstudio.com

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Can I use Royal Stencil Crème colors on fabric? Yes! We have tested Royal Stencil Crème color so far on natural fabrics: cotton, muslin, linen. The color did not fade at all after washing. For more durability, you can heat-set the stenciled fabric by placing in the drying on high heat for 20-30 minutes. Washing in cold water is recommended.

Royal Stencil Crème Metallic Color Collection

AGED NICKEL

ANITQUE GOLD

ANTIQUE SILVER

BRIGHT GOLD

BRONZE AGE

RENAISSANCE RED

PATINA GREEN

PEARL OYSTER

SMOKED OYSTER

COPPER KETTLE

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