Stencil Experiment

[warmcanofcoke]

I'm still planning on trying out the stencil to make the sign but I also printed out an wall decal using my spoonflower account.


OK ... back on track - Today there are winds in the range of 60 mph so I was stuck in the house.




I've decided I would like a slightly darker blue for my sign so as soon as the winds let up I'm off to the Home Despot to get some new spray paint.

[evil bob]

Very nice!   

[warmcanofcoke]

paint experiment





there are three bands of spray paint on the right of this piece of plastic. The further most band of paint is the same Rustoleum Gloss Blue I used before.
The Band next to that is True Blue Gloss from Krylon - it is closer to the blue I want - it is darker - but there appear to be more air bubbles in the mix. (*also the blue tip on the far left is this color)
The innermost band is Krylon Oxford Blue Satin - and I don't think it works for the Signs. Though it may be right for the police box wood.

I may have to wait till the morning to see what the colors look like in the AM.

I'm trying to make this Tardis :
TYJ

Though I may want to use the color scheme from the Newbery here -

don't want to mess up again - but I must move forward.

[evil bob]

I used "True Blue" for my lamp.

[warmcanofcoke]

These are the various stencil experiments in different stages of completion. I also have a panel that is just painted blue on one side and I'm thinking of hand painting the letters on to it.







- Krylon doesn't go on as evenly as Rustoleum does. When light is shown through the sign it looks a little derpy. (photos later) I have decided to try a slightly different approach. I have purchased Acrylic paint and intend to hand paint the sign - with the aid of stencils. More on that later.

[warmcanofcoke]

Just finished my new - hopefully reusable - stencil. You may note that that this stencil has connecting bits to the centers of letters like for O, B, P etc. And that the instances of the letter "A" are incomplete.

This is because I intend to Finnish off the details by hand painting. This stencil is just to start the process - it will save lots of initial work and hopefully let me repeat my results.

This will save my hands for getting so tired if this doesn't work out the way I want it to. Hopefully.

[evil bob]

My hands hurt just looking at it. Great job! 

[Volpone]

In college I did woodcut prints. In junior high(?) school it was linoleum block prints.  I wonder how that would work instead of a stencil?  Then you wouldn't need the bits that you hand paint.  And printing on glass instead of on paper, you should get a pretty clean transfer. 

[warmcanofcoke]

Nice idea - it may work better

because this full page stencil doesn't work very well - I tried spray-painting it with it with the card loosely on the plastic and got this


(I also used acrylic paint in the color of Ultramarine Blue)

still wasn't happy with it.

so I tried using water to attach the stencil to the plastic and that was a disaster.

so I tried using rubber cement to attach the full page stencil to the plastic and it still wasn't perfect - the stencil has warped a little due to using the water method.

essentially - this is what not to do to make a sign - lesson learned. 


Right now I have at least 1 passable Pull to open sign from the first method of stencil. I've learned a lot. Hopefully this will help others in the future.

All plastic sheets used in these experiments were obtained by dumpster diving so these experiments have only cost me time, glue and paint. - You learn by doing.

I think the wood block idea sounds like a good approach - however those experiments are for those with the materials and skills that I do not possess. 

[warmcanofcoke]

The main problem as I see it - the larger the letter the better it will turn out. So for Top Signs Most People will not experience too much in the way of problems - the smaller and more detailed the letter the ore problems will arise.

The issues I have found with glue sticks are that the glue is an excellent medium for spray paint - the paint will travel along the capillaries of the glue and will sneak under the letter.

I have a jar full of used letters from previous attempts so I'm going to try another experiment but - I don't want to make this my life's work.

[domvar]

Have you considered using sticky backed vinyl e.g electricians tape on the glass as this should cut down the seepage

[warmcanofcoke]

not sure how to apply it - is it used to keep the stencil in place by tightening the stencil to the plastic/glass? Or do you mean that I cover the glass/plastic with electricians tape and cutaway the letters? (sorry for the delay, just got back from a business trip)

[warmcanofcoke]

Now to finally justify all this research, and reconcile it with the topic header Top Signs

I am taking all my experience gained with the above experiments and applying it to actually making some Top Signs.

[Elvis Gump]

This might be easier on you if you would try silk screen printing instead of all these frisket style masks. There's probably in every town on Earth someone who silkscreens t-shirts that could make the screen for you for less than the money and time you've spent on all these experiments so far.

[Rassilons Rod]

Good Grief, Nate... You have TWO TARDIS Key To Time VHS sets?