4 Watercolor Stencil Techniques for Stunning Card Backgrounds

Many mixed media artists use stencils regularly with acrylics. But you might be surprised that stencils work just as beautifully with watercolor.

Today, I’m sharing 4 different ways to use stencils with watercolor paints. Once you start experimenting, you’ll find they’re incredibly versatile!

Benefits of Using Stencils with Watercolor:

  • Crisp edges when you want control.
  • Happy accidents when you want texture.
  • They work just as well for beginners as they do for seasoned artists.
  • They surprise the viewer.  Since it is more unusual to use stencils with watercolor, people wonder how you got that amazing effect!

Materials:

  • stencils (see best places to get them below)
  • watercolor paper (I use Arches cold pressed)
  • watercolor paint (I use a variety of brands, including handmade watercolors.  Try out different ones, especially smooth verses granualating).
  • white gesso (Liquitex is a solid choice)

If you are brand new to watercolor, please check out my post, Watercolor Supplies 101: A Guide to Choosing the Right tools, for a more thorough dive into supplies.

The Techniques

1. Gesso Resist

This technique uses gesso’s opacity to “reserve” a shape before you ever pick up a paintbrush, so your stenciled design magically emerges after color is layered over the entire piece.

How it works:

  • Start with a piece of clean, dry watercolor paper and lay your stencil on top.
  • Using a sponge (I use cheap wedge make up sponges), dab white gesso through the openings of the stencil, then lift the stencil away.
  • Let the gesso dry completely.
  • Once the gesso has fully set, wet the entire sheet of paper and apply watercolor freely across the whole surface.
  • Because gesso is water-resistant once dry, the paint will (mostly) slide off the gessoed areas and settle everywhere else.  Your stenciled shape will emerge subtly  and pale against a colorful, painterly background.

this shows a 5x7 stencil resist with a numbers stencil and indigo watercolor paint over the top

2. Wet-on-Wet Stencil Technique

If you love the soft, unpredictable blooms of wet-on-wet watercolor, this technique lets a stencil add structure to that chaos without taming it completely.

How it works:

  • Thoroughly wet a piece of watercolor paper, then drop color into the water until the entire sheet is covered — sticking to analogous colors (neighbors on the color wheel) keeps the blend harmonious instead of turning to mud.
  • While the paint is still wet, lay a stencil directly over the top and add a little more color into its openings.
  • Leave the stencil resting on the paper as everything dries.

Because the paint is still moving underneath the stencil, the color seeps slightly along its edges. This creates soft, feathered patterns with just a hint of definition. It’s one of the most unpredictable effects on this list, and no two results ever look quite the same.

In this particular piece, I used Cascade Green watercolor paint by Daniel Smith. It’s a stunning color, and it does all kinds of interesting things as it dries.  Can you see some the granulating effects in this background?  It’s so amazing!

this shows a 5x7 floral stencil effect with turquoise color watercolor paint.

3. Remove Paint Technique

This one works in reverse of the first two. Instead of adding paint or resist, you’re lifting color away to reveal the stencil’s pattern. The effect is soft and subtle — less about bold contrast, more about gentle texture.

How it works:

  • Wet a piece of watercolor paper and drop in color until you’ve filled the whole sheet, again favoring analogous colors to avoid muddying the wash.
  • Let it dry completely.
  • Lay your stencil over the dry, painted paper and use a baby wipe to gently wipe away paint through the stencil’s openings.

Because you’re lifting color rather than adding it, the pattern that emerges is soft-edged and understated — more of a whisper than a statement. It’s a lovely choice when you want texture and interest in a background. And it won’t compete with whatever you plan to layer on top, like a sentiment or focal image for a card.

this shows a 5x7 purple and blue watercolor paints with a swirly stencil design

4. Gesso on Top

This method mirrors the gesso resist technique. Instead of hiding the stencil shape underneath the wash, it lets the shape sit boldly on top.

How it works:

  • Wet a piece of watercolor paper and drop in color until you’ve covered the sheet, using analogous colors for a smooth, mud-free blend. Let it dry completely.
  • Lay the stencil over the dry, painted background and apply white gesso through its openings.
  • Remove the stencil and let the gesso dry.

Because the gesso goes on last, the stenciled shape reads as solid and opaque. It sits crisply on top of the color beneath it instead of blending in. This technique gives you the most graphic, high-contrast result of the four — perfect for a design that needs a clean focal shape against a soft, colorful backdrop.

this is a 5x7 pink and orange watercolor background with white rose shaped stencil design on top

Where to Find Great Stencils

A technique is only as good as the stencil behind it. Not all stencils are created equal — thin, flimsy ones warp, trap gesso in their corners, and don’t hold up to repeated use. Here are a few of my favorite sources for stencils sturdy enough for all four of these techniques.

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This means if you click one of the Amazon links in this post and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting this artist!

StencilGirl Products

Mixed-media artist Mary Beth Shaw founded this company, which now works with dozens of contributing artists. Their catalog spans everything from delicate florals and mandalas to bold geometric patterns and lettering. The stencils are made from durable 7-mil mylar. This material is heat-resistant, and it holds its shape well through repeated gesso and wet-media use — which makes it a favorite for exactly the kind of layered techniques in this post.

Tim Holtz Stencils

Stampers Anonymous makes these stencils, and Ranger Ink sells them. His designs tend to lean toward a signature vintage, industrial aesthetic.

  • Shop direct: timholtz.com
  • Here’s a link to one of my favorite Tim Holtz stencils, sold on Amazon. It’s a great size for cards and works well for lots of different designs.

Joggles.com

Joggles carries a huge selection of stencils, including its own in-house line as well as brands like Dylusions, Dina Wakley, and PaperArtsy. Prices stay low across the board. It’s a great one-stop shop if you like to buy in bulk. You can also try a wide variety of styles without committing to a single designer’s aesthetic.

The Crafter’s Workshop (TCW)

TCW makes USA-made stencils in 6″ and 12″ sizes, along with their own line of Stencil Butter and texture pastes.

Important Reminders for Stencil Work

  • Use sturdy, reusable stencils: Thin plastic stencils warp and break. Thick plastic or mylar stencils keep their shape and hold up much better than the cheap alternatives.
  • Please do NOT order from Temu: I’ve tried them, and they’re terrible. I’ve also learned that Temu steals designs from independent stencil artists and reproduces them in cheap, thin plastic. Let’s not support Temu’s unscrupulous practices!
  • Stick to analogous colors: colors that sit next to each other on the color wheel blend beautifully, while complementary colors tend to turn muddy.
  • Clean stencils immediately after use: especially with gesso or any acrylic paint. Once it dries on the stencil, it’s much harder to remove and can distort your next design.  Pro tip: When using stencils, I keep a 9×13 dish of hot soapy water on my desk to put the stencil in immediately after use.  This way the gesso will not dry on it while I keep working.  One can also keep a package of baby wipes on hand to clean them off right away.
  • Don’t be afraid to combine techniques in the same card!

I sure hope you give some of these techniques a try!  If you, I’d be delighted to see your work.  Also, I know there are even more ways to use stencils with watercolor, if you have a favorite that is different from the techniques listed in this blog, I’d love to learn from YOU!  Just comment below.

Now go play some art and spread some joy!

This is a block of my name in many different hand lettered ways all in a turquoise color.

 

 

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