When was stenciling invented

This delicate dye resist technique, or reverse stenciling, traditionally involves applying rice paste through a stencil onto silk. There is then a time consuming period of realigning the stencil and applying more paste until the pattern is repeated over the whole piece of material. The silk is then dyed, repeatedly, usually with an indigo pigment and finally the paste is removed, revealing an exquisite pattern underneath.

In the traditional Japanese stencil making process many thin sheets of mulberry bark are cured in persimmon juice. They are then stacked together and cut with a sharp curved blade. In this way the artist could cut several stencils at a time and know that the pattern would be exactly the same on all of them.

With the invention of paper artisans started cutting tissue thin sheets of paper at one time. Paper was invented in China around AD and some time between AD the Chinese started cutting paper stencil patterns for embroidery. Cut paper stencils were used to place patterns onto material and porcelain and also to dye textiles. One major difficulty with early stencils was the isolated parts of a design, such as the center of the letter O which would fall out as soon as the outer ring was cut.

The solution the Japanese came up with was quite ingenious. They would hold loose pieces in place by gluing them to the main body of the stencil with human hair. Later on they used silk thread thus forming a bridge, but a bridge so fine and strong that when the stenciling was finished it was all but invisible. This was the for-runner of Silk Screening. From Asia, the knowledge of stencils and paper cutting spread gradually along the trade routes to the Middle East, reaching Turkey by about the 8th century.

During the Middle Ages, conquests and crusades spread the art of paper cutting and stenciling throughout Europe. By the 16th century, stencilling was being used along with wood blocks and brush painting for religious pictures and illuminated manuscripts. Once the Printing Press had been invented, pattern books full of stencil designs were circulated throughout Europe.

Wood craftsmen found that these stencil patterns could be used to make veneers. In fact, until the late 17th century, many patterns used for furniture, embroidery and stenciled art could be traced back to their paper cutting origins. Stencils, at this time, were also being used to make playing cards and from there it was but a short jump for French craftsmen in Rousen during the 17th century, to begin producing wallpaper in the form of stencilled segments called dominoes.

These wallpaper dominoes were much cheaper than the expensive cloth that had formally been used to cover the walls. The wallpaper was not produced, as it is today, in 10m 33ft lengths. But, being made by hand, it came in segments The stenciling was done before the paper was hung and unfortunately the paperhangers did not seem to pay much attention to the designs or try and line them up properly. This led to a rather patchwork effect. As early as the 5th century BC, the Etruscans were using copper stencils on vases.

Examples of lettered stencils used to initial documents are known to exist as early as the 6th century AD by historical figures such as the Roman Emperor Justinian and Charlemagne.

A significant development was the first use of stencils in artistic printing. The earliest examples of this date the beginning of the 2nd century AD in China. From there, stenciling quickly found its way onto clothing and other forms of cloth.

Dating back to at least the 7th century, it was originally a print-on-paper method, as well. By the 17th century, it had blossomed and was also widely used on textiles. Pictured at left — Hand-painted ceiling stencil in a New Orleans residence.

Thanks to the trade routes that connected the East to Europe, goods as well as ideas and techniques were transmitted. It seems likely that stencils were reintroduced or, at the least, their use in the West was influenced through this mechanism.

By the Middle Ages, stencils were widely used in highly intricate and detailed fashion in church decorations and manuscripts as well as on music scores and political banners.

Pictured above — Hand-painted Damask motif stencil in a New Orleans residential hallway. Wallpaper was invented in the early 16th century and stenciling was used for its decoration from the outset, often with naturalist and floral patterns. By the late 17th century to the early 19th, stenciling was widely popular in Europe. Green could be produced from sage. Hold up the blue yarn indigo , the red yarn cochineal , and the green yarn sage — they will be learning more about sage in the herbs workshop.

Smaller paint brushes were used. Sometimes the homeowner would during the winter months, when work on the farm was slow. Most stenciling in New England was done by artists who traveled around the countryside with their stenciling kits brushes, dry pigments, and stencils. Moses Eaton, Jr. What was wallpaper made from, and why was it so expensive so that homeowners chose to stencil their walls instead? The rolls they were printed on had to be made up of individual sheets of paper glued together, and they were hand-printed with wood blocks, one block for each color of the design.

Only more prosperous homeowners could afford wallpaper. Lay several sponges next to plates. Demonstrate technique for stenciling—dab sponge in paint; dab excess paint off of sponge; hold stencil firmly on paper; dab sponge in stencil area.

If too much paint is used, the paint will run under the stencil, resulting in a smeared line. Stencils will need to be washed and dried between uses. Students should be encouraged to wash the stencils in warm, soapy water one bin , rinse another bin and carefully dry the stencils using paper towels before getting a new stencil.

Be gentle with the stencils. They break easily! Projects will be distributed to students at the end of the day. Paint-spattered newspaper may be left on table. This will be used for the morning candle making session and then the wax-spattered newspaper will be replaced prior to the start of the afternoon stenciling.

Back to the Programs Page. Sample Questions What would the stencils have been made from? Most often from heavy oiled paper, but some were made from leather. What kind of brushes were used? What were they made from?