Five Techniques to Add to Your Sign Making Repertoire

These five techniques, added to your list of sign making ideas will help your work stand out. Practice these techniques and use them for so many different stenciling or sign making styles and ideas.

In this post, I want to share with you, a collection of video tutorials where I teach advanced techniques such as:

• Creating a weathered look board using wax or hemp oil
• Creating a blended background for signs
• How to dry brush to create a weathered look
• Using a drop shadow effect on stencils
• Embossed or raised stenciling

1. weathered look board using wax or hemp oil:

For this method you will need:

• board (whatever size you’ll be using to make your sign)
• dark coloured water based paint such as Mineral Paint, Chalk Paint or Milk Paint
• light or white paint as above.
• hemp oil or a clear wax
• light grit sandpaper to finish

Watch this replay of a live tutorial here. You can pause or fast forward the video at any time. Stencils used in this video are from Essential Stencil. (Use my ambassador code: IRESTORESTUFF for 10% off stencils – USA shipping only)

2. Creating a blended background for signs:

For this colourful technique you will need:

• a sign board OR a canvas (I use a canvas in the video)
• two paint colours of similar tone but different shade, that will blend nicely. eg. dark green & light green, dark blue & light blue.
• a good quality flat paint brush – I use Cling On Brushes, or Staalmeester brushes, but any good quality synthetic bristle brush with tapered bristles will work.

Watch this replay of a live tutorial here. You can pause or fast forward the video at any time. Stencils used in this video are from Essential Stencil. (Use my ambassador code: IRESTORESTUFF for 10% off stencils – USA shipping only)

3. how to dry brush to create a weathered look

These next three techniques can ALL be found in the one video tutorial below, and I have the time markers here for each of the different techniques if you prefer to skip to those sections that you are interested in.

Dry brushing is a painting technique where you use a very “dry” brush that has been dipped gently into paint, wiped off on the side of your container of paint, then offloaded onto a piece of card or paper until there is barely any paint left on the bristles. It almost appears that the paint has dried out on the bristles.

See dry brushing in the video below at time marked 9:35 mins – dry brushing to create weathered look.

4. Using a drop shadow effect on stencils

One of the most frequently asked about stenciling techniques I get is how to do a drop shadow using stencils. In the same video below, I show you at the time marker 17:19 mins – Drop shadow effect on words. You can use the same technique for stencil images too, not just words.

5. embossed or raised stenciling

The last technique I want to show you in this post is how to create an embossed or raised stencil. In this video I used a product by Fusion called Smooth Embossing Paste. If you’re in Australia you can find it (or Artisan’s same product called Emboss) in my online shop HERE. If in USA, try HERE. You can also use Fusion’s Fresco, or a number of other embossing mediums on the market today.

Here’s the time marker where you can start at to watch this technique of embossed stenciling using an Angel Wing Stencil from Essential Stencil: 30:15 mins – embossed or raised stenciling.

Bonus Technique!

Want a bonus? At the end of the above video, you’ll find yet ANOTHER great technique – how to use glaze over 3D or raised stencils. Skip to time marked 39:30 minutes to follow along.

For glazing, you’ll need a glazing medium such as Fusion’s Clear Glaze or Antiquing Glaze OR Artisan’s Glaze in Clear, Charcoal Black, or Antique. The clear glazes can be mixed with any water based colour for an abundance of optional effects, including metallic as I show in the video.

Essential Stencil – USA

If you’re new to my blog, you may not know that I am an ambassador for the U.S. company, Essential Stencil, where I go live on their Facebook page weekly to teach stenciling techniques and provide inspiration for using their top quality stencils.

Use my code IRESTORESTUFF and save 10% on any of their stencils and brushes here:

NOTE: At the time of writing, Essential is only shipping to the USA due to shipping delays that have been great affected by the current covid pandemic.

Paint & DIY Supplies

In these tutorials, I have used mainly products that are available in my online store here in Australia. Also available in Brisbane, in my shop booth inside the Camp Hill Antique Centre.

If you are reading my blog, and are from the USA, I have links to some of the supplies I use in my Amazon affiliate storefront.