DIRECTIONS
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1.Make several photocopies of your stencil with color paper behind it. Roughly cut out the copied leaves.
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2.With painter’s tape, temporarily attach the leaves on the wall in different positions to get an idea of where you want your final design placed. Also trying adding or subtracting pieces to determine how many you will want. Once you’ve made those decisions, you’re ready to begin stenciling.
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3.Spray the back of your stencil with Stencil Repositionable Adhesive Spray following the directions on the container.
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4.Replace a photocopied leaf with a stencil, placing the tack side to the wall. Press firmly, especially into small spaces. Look for lifted edges and press them down so caulking doesn’t go under the stencil edges.
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5.Squirt tub caulking into a shallow, disposable container. With a putty knife, apply the caulking to the open areas of the stencil. When the open areas are covered, gently glide a straight edge over the entire stencil with one pass, to create a uniform surface. Don’t dig down with your tool or too much caulking will be wiped away which will create a less dimensional leaf.
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6.Remove the stencil, being careful not to smudge any edges. With a wet towel, wipe away all traces of caulking on the stencil and you’re ready to create another leaf. The adhesive on the stencil will allow you to reapply it many times. The caulking should be allowed to dry for 24 hours before painting.
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Painting the leaves: We chose to use the same paint used on the walls of the room for the basis of our leaf color. On top of that we used a blend of the wall color and a gold paint in a slightly darker and warmer shade.
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7.Begin by painting all the leaves the color of the room’s walls. Using brushes in two sizes - one for larger areas and one pointy end brush for detail work, apply the blended paint to the top surface of the caulked areas and their bordering edges.
