TUTORIAL: How to make a basic stencil in Photoshop

Jan 03, 2010 16:27


Several years ago, I made a series of stenciling tutorials. Now, they're really outdated so I've decided to make another batch.
Here's the first of the set:
How to make a basic (one-layer) stencil in Adobe Photoshop.



I always use Photoshop to make my stencils, for several reasons.
First, I'm used to it.
Second, it's the easiest Adobe program to learn and use.
Third, it never lets me down.

Photoshop, like most Adobe programs, is unfortunately really expensive.
I, personally, used my student discount to buy the CS3 Creative Suite a couple years ago from my university for a couple hundred dollars.
If you don't have Photoshop, you can download a free trial from the Adobe website.

So here is my tutorial!
Each step comes with a screen shot, and if you need to view it larger for a better look, just click the image.
If you have ANY questions, please please please feel free to comment, message me, or email me at amandalynnfreeman@gmail.com.
Enjoy!



Open Photoshop on your PC pr Mac.



Go to File > Open and find the image you would like to make into a stencil.
Open it in Photoshop.



Maybe it's just because I'm from Texas, but bigger is ALWAYS better; even when it comes to stencils.
You never know when you'll want to use it for a large project.
In general, just don't even bother starting with a picture smaller than 300 px on the largest side.
It won't turn out well...trust me.
Start using my own rule of thumb: make your stencils at least the same size
as a normal sheet of paper with the resolution being NO SMALLER than 72 px/inch.

To change the size of your picture, go to Image > Image Size.
First, change your resolution to 72 pixels per inch.
Then change the width or height to make it the closet to 8.5 x 11 or 11 x 8.5 as possible.



Okay, this size is much better. But making it bigger blurred the image a little bit.
Let's fix that by doing some sharpening.

Click on Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask.
There's no rule for this one...just do what looks best to you.
If your image was big to start off with, then you probably don't have to do this step at all.



Clean up your image using the tool of your choice:
lasso, magic wand, paintbrush, eraser, or the pen tool. I like them all!
Just take out backgrounds or whatever you don't want in your stencil.
I took out the table he was resting on.



Now it's time to actually start making the stencil.
I always use the threshold tool as my first step.
My trick, though, is that I use it on different parts of the image separately.
Most people don't realize that's a HUGE help in making a great stencil.
Check it out -- go to Image > Adjustments > Threshold.
On my image, the right side of the face and the clothes are way too dark
while the left side of the face and the hands are too light.
My conclusion: do each hand, each side of the face, and the clothes separately.
Come up with your own gameplan for your picture then click cancel.



Use the Lasso Tool to select the part of your image you want to make black & white first.
I'm going with a hand. Click Image > Adjustments > Threshold
and mess with it until it looks right to you.



Deselect whatever you just used Threshold on, and lasso your next piece.
Again, go to Image > Adjustments > Threshold and mess with it until it looks good.



Repeat the last step until the entire image is black & white.
The pieces you select can be as tiny as they need to be--even sometimes doing each eye separately!
Take your time and make it look the best you possibly can.



Click the Magic Wand tool. In the toolbar at the top of the screen, make it look like mine:
Tolerance: 45, Anti-alias checked, and Contiguous unchecked.
Now use the magic wand and click on a black area... Everything black should now be selected.



Now you need to create a work path.
Find the Path tab in your workspace, which should be on the right-hand side.
If you don't see it, click on Window > Paths to make sure it's checked.
Click on the drop-down menu in the Paths tab and choose Make Work Path.
Make the tolerance 1.0 and click OK.



Create a new layer, then make the one you've been working on invisible
by clicking on the little eyeball next to it (or just delete it).



Make sure that the new blank layer is selected.
Now, under the Paths tab, right click on the work path you made and select Fill Path.
Under "Use", choose Black. Mode should be Normal, Opacity 100%,
Preserve Transparency unchecked, Feather Radius 0, and Anti-Alias checked.
Click OK. Right-click on the Work Path again, and delete it.



Flatten your image by going to Layer > Flatten Image.



Now, just clean up your stencil using the paintbrush, eraser, and/or pen tool, and you're finished!
Lookin' good, Tony Danza.

original image
final stencil

Questions & comments welcome.

cross-posted to stencil_swap handmade_gifts and _seethesky.

tutorials, stenciling

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