cutting stencils for painting

[Cmartorelli]

We have never made stencils before. I need to make stencils with a Mamaki cg-130 cutter what product to I use. I believe we will be painting on Plywood and the images will be very large about 40 ft x 8 feet.

Thanks

 

[SignManiac]

All of the vinyl manufactures make a paint mask.

 

[studio 440]

ive had good luck with 3m white paint mask

 

[OldPaint]

at that size.........why do you need a stencil? would be cheaper and quicker to do a quick layout to scale in any sign program, take measurements on each letter, and just draw them on the wall.............big stuff like that is roller work and you can even cut in with 3" rollers.

 

[JgS]

at that size.........why do you need a stencil? would be cheaper and quicker to do a quick layout to scale in any sign program, take measurements on each letter, and just draw them on the wall.............big stuff like that is roller work and you can even cut in with 3" rollers.

+1. Anything over 10' I just use a projector and trace.

 

[Marlene]

We have never made stencils before. I need to make stencils with a Mamaki cg-130 cutter what product to I use. I believe we will be painting on Plywood and the images will be very large about 40 ft x 8 feet.

vinyl paint mask will work.

 

[Gene@mpls]

And... there is a difference between stencils and paint masks, BTW.

 

[CanuckSigns]

Paint mask is very expensive for something you are going to throw away in the end. I would either do as OP suggested and hand paint it, or if you must use a mask, you can use something like oracal 631.

 

[Mosh]

++lay it out and paint it...if you can't cut in a nice line just use masking tape, 1/4" tape can make some tight curves for something that big.

 

[OldPaint]

i have done 10 foot tall, 40 foot long painted lettering on the sides of buildings......i have done it with a POUNCE PATTERN, OPAQUE PROJECTION, and just using a straight edge and measurements..........less time: involved if you just straight edge it and measure.!!!!! here is the latest one we have done and was a POUNCE PATTERN. i think that wall is 14 foot x 40 foot.

 

[Jillbeans]

Really does sound as if you would be better off using a projector.
Love....Jill

 

[Marlene]

what are you painting? you didn't say letters, you said large images. the vinyl paint mask is a lot cheaper than going out to buy a projector which may or may not work. biggest problem with a projector is distortion and why kick it old school when vinyl paint mask is cheap material

 

[Jillbeans]

If it is images, you can allow for distortion when sketching it on. A projector is about $100 and the transparencies and a sharpie maybe another 10 and you're ready to go.
No d!cking around cutting a mask that may or may not work, no expense of buying a mask, masking the mask, applying it, paper waste etc, no worries about bleeding or peeling off the mask after painting.

 

[OldPaint]

i honestly have to say..........you may not like it, BUT this is the kinda job us old SIGNPAINTERS are used to doing. something like this and some "natural art talent," this is what we considered a KNOCKOUT JOB.... because of its size, nothing has to be perfectly placed, or perfectly laid out.....you have a little "artistic freedom" doing these jobs. as i showed you the example of the 14 foot X 40 foot metal building wall, all from pounce pattern. the bob & cole, was drawn on paper by the plotter at full scale. the PERFORMANCE was also drawn from plotter with a pen instead of the blade. the same with AUTOMOTIVE. you do notice the building has ridges. the pattern for each word was taped to building, on the high ridges....the lower part WAS DRAWN in as we painted it. less then 6 hours......from start of painting till finished and it also had a drop shadow))))
i also have to say the picture is taken couple months ago..........the SIGN WAS DONE 5 YEARS AGO....the drop shadow was process blue...against the dark blue background and it really "popped!!!" iam not sure but i think we got $2200.00 for this...

 

[Marlene]

i honestly have to say..........you may not like it, BUT this is the kinda job us old SIGNPAINTERS are used to doing. something like this and some "natural art talent," this is what we considered a KNOCKOUT JOB.... because of its size, nothing has to be perfectly placed, or perfectly laid out.....you have a little "artistic freedom" doing these jobs. as i showed you the example of the 14 foot X 40 foot metal building wall, all from pounce pattern. the bob & cole, was drawn on paper by the plotter at full scale. the PERFORMANCE was also drawn from plotter with a pen instead of the blade. the same with AUTOMOTIVE. you do notice the building has ridges. the pattern for each word was taped to building, on the high ridges....the lower part WAS DRAWN in as we painted it. less then 6 hours......from start of painting till finished and it also had a drop shadow))))​

this kind of thing just bugs the hell out of me. "natural talent" like it is God given and no one would wasn't tapped on the head by God himself with a mahl stick has the right to even attemt this. the OP has not shown what they are making and yet there are assumed big simple letters. not too sure where that came from. the OP asked for materials that can be plotted to make a paint mask. there is nothing wrong with doing this with a paint mask. it is just one more excuse for talking about the good old days and new people just have no talent. this is one of the reasons I don't hang out much on signs101 any more. so if the OP would post what they are making it would be a help as it may be complex or it may be something where a combo of pounce and masks might work. who knows as we don't have a clue what they are painting at 8' x 40'. and just to be clear I've used paint masks, projectors, pounce patterns, free hand and all the ole timey methods. given the chance to use a projector over paint mask, I'd use paint mask in a heart beat

 

[OldPaint]

you may not like "the old ways".....BUT a pounce pattern is lot cheaper then VINYL MASK working at 40 FEET LONG))))) i love paint masks for small projects where it would be hard to paint or cut vinyl at small size. the god given or artist talent....most doing this today DONT HAVE ANY....sorry if your offended. all i was making reference to was..........IF YOU CAN DRAW..... and you have a "an artistic eye" .......on big projects you can connect lines without a pounce pattern or projector.....and with this talent/artistic eye.......makes the job so much easier)))))))))))))))))

 

[Commando]

I make stencils for cones, barricades, barrels ETC. I always cut from the backing of 3M EC or Control Tac film. I just don't know if I would recommend it for something that large.. Stuff aint THAT thick lol

 

[Gino]

While I agree with Old Paint's reasoning on using a pounce or just connecting the dots and paint away instead of masks...... I have to ask you Old Paint, why the mixed signals ??


You showed up a picture, which shows how easy it can be accomplished, but something on it, just struck me as one of my many No/No's. I let it go, until you mentioned it and brought it to the table. You called it a 'Drop Shadow'. When... or where have you or anyone else, ever seen a shadow that is lighter than the background color ?? Other than placement, this is not a shadow. The light blue, unless on a pastel background is just a race car gimmick. Personally, I don't like this effect, but other than creating a 3D look and using returns of the same color diminishing as they go to the back, I don't see how from a light source, a shadow can be lighter than the background in any given circumstances.

I don't mean to this thread, but it's been mentioned here and rather than start a thread on some basic drawing 101, I don't see a problem with this side/bar discussion.
​

 

[OldPaint]

with the dark blue background.....process blue shadow white lettering. the picture is recent, like may/june 2013............the actual job was done in 2008-2009!!!! so the brightness of the process blue has faded.........i know what your saying about shadows....but we took a little "artistic freedom"hehehehehehehehehe
ther also was another word ABOVE the AUTOMOTIVE, dont rememeber what it was...