Beginners Guide to Making Ikonart Reusable Stencils

[@rhondastevens2402]

Thank You so much! I believe I can do this…And it will be so much more cost effective than a single design purchase!🥰

[@ikonartstencil]

Yes you can definitely do it! We are here to help in any way :)

[@debbiesmith6703]

🙋‍♀️🙋‍♀️🙋‍♀️🙋‍♀️I love my Ikonart❣️❣️❣️cheers✌️🇨🇦

[@ikonartstencil]

Awwww… thank you Debbie!

[@elsiehaynes575]

Can this be used with a sandblaster?

[@ikonartstencil]

Yes, we do have some customers who use our stencil film with a sandblaster. Depending on the PSI and glass type, you can sometimes still see the mesh lines, and then stencil is only a one-time-use with sandblasting.

[@kevinleong4467]

Can we get the instructions that come in the kit! I don't want to buy the full kit but I DID buy the printer films and the emulsion screens. I don't understand why the instructions are only for customers who use the kit.

[@ikonartstencil]

The instructions are available to anyone. Just head to the kit page on our website and click on the "Quick Start Guide" link. It will open as a pdf. ikonartstencil.com/ikonart-custom-stencil-kit/

[@ikonartstencil]

Just keep in mind that if you are using a different exposure light and light distance, the exposure times will be different than what we recommend in our guide. You will need to do your own exposure tests to determine proper exposure.

[@tammydolan5903]

If you have a UV exposure unit for emulsion coated screens, can you expose these that way? I really just want the removable stencils and no hassle with emulsion and reclaiming screens!

[@ikonartstencil]

Yes. But every light is different. So you will need to do your own exposure testing to find out what your exposure time should be. It will be different than our light.

[@surgicaltechcrafter2169]

Love this. Thank you

[@ikonartstencil]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@bigosnation]

Is it possible to attach the finished stencil film onto a screen print screen . To make the stencil last longer and easier to use and store?

[@ikonartstencil]

Yes. We have lots of people who do that.

[@donnabuckley1155]

I am totally new to this. Can you tell me how you get the designs that you want to make the stencils? I do not have cricut design space.

[@ikonartstencil]

No problem Donna! We have a whole page dedicated to this topic on our website. Here is the link: ikonartstencil.com/artwork-faq/

[@angelk2551]

Does this print well on paper (for art prints). Would you be able to wash the stencil with an emulsion cleaner, reapply the emulsion, and reburn it?

[@ikonartstencil]

Yes our blue stencil film can be used on paper. Our blue stencils are 120 mesh and the purple are 110 mesh. The mesh is pretty flimsy without emulsion on it, but you could probably stretch it in a frame and try to re-coat it 🤷🏼‍♀️ I’m not sure how that would work. A lot easier to just buy more pre-coated stencil film though, plus then you always have your designs to reuse them later.

[@shammisultana3039]

Hello, I have the Ikonart stencil film. Is it possible to make a stencil using the design printed on 4-inch by 6-inch glossy inkjet photo paper? Do you have any recommendations for using another kind of inkjet paper/film to print the design before making the stencil?

[@ikonartstencil]

It has to be transparent film. We only recommend our printer film because it has a special coating on it to make the ink darker.

[@staciekitchen5360]

You mentioned you can use any kind of paint...but can you use silkscreen ink as well?

[@ikonartstencil]

Yes, as long as it is a water-based paint/ink you should be fine!

[@eevagirl]

Terrific video thank you (:

[@ikonartstencil]

💙💜

[@Thor_Underdunk_Caballerial]

What is the purpose of the clear sheet that comes with the photosensitive paper? Is it to just help flatten the design against the photosensitive paper?

[@ikonartstencil]

Yes, exactly!

[@sandradevan3199]

when you hang it to dry , do you leave it on the clip board or take it off

[@ikonartstencil]

I take mine off the clipboard to dry

[@sherryleggett1612]

After the stencil has been under the light the second time for 35 seconds has it lost any photosensitivity or does it need to be stored in a dark place

[@ikonartstencil]

After you washout your stencil and dry it, you should post expose for 2 minutes. After that the stencil is good to go and does not need to be protected from the light anymore.

[@leslietelles9839]

am i able to use the stencil multiple times in one sitting without having to wash it between every use?

[@ikonartstencil]

Yes! We have lots of crafters that do that and we also made a video showing it. On the onesies I used our purple stickier stencils and moved from one to the next without washing out. And on the adventure tshirts I mounted our blue stencil film in a screen printing frame to make it even easier. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nquWlGZpjp6tY7M kzbin.info/www/bejne/oH6xhYinmZx6mKM

[@lashuraj]

Can the sheets be cut before exposure to make smaller stencils?

[@ikonartstencil]

Yes, definitely! We actually recommend that to make your first stencil. Start with a small design to make sure you have your printer settings dialed in.

[@trtlshlify]

I just ordered my kit and have veen watching videoes on how to use it. In this video you say you do not have to mirror your image for inkjet but in all the videos I have watched that used inkjet they mirrored. So my question is...mirror or not when using inkjet film?

[@ikonartstencil]

I mirror all my artwork and some people don't mirror any (inkjet or laser), so it seems to come down to personal preference. The time it matters most is if you have very thin lines or fine details on your artwork. In that case mirroring your art will help to avoid undercutting (undercutting is when the light gets under the edges of your artwork and it happens on all artwork but it's not noticeable on thick bold artwork).

[@trtlshlify]

@@ikonartstencil thank you!

[@kaylamartin4899]

When you store the paper/film you printed on is there a suggested way to do it?

[@ikonartstencil]

Anywhere flat and dry should work. I use three ring binders for my smaller designs and Itoya portfolios for my larger stencils.

[@kaylamartin4899]

@@ikonartstencil I guess I should have asked this as well on the stencil once you it dries after washed and the backing out back on do you store that in a binder or back in the box for future use

[@ikonartstencil]

Before using the stencil or printer film I store it in it’s original packaging in a cool, dry place. After I image my stencils, use them, dry them and put the backer back on... that is when I store in my binders.

[@leonardomedina5934]

This is really amazing, can we put conplicated designs with gradients and halftonew too??? If so, I will get rid of my screen printing screens and emulsions wow !!!! Great job

[@ikonartstencil]

Leonardo Medina yes... any artwork that works to make traditional screens for screen printing will work for our films. Our blue stencil film is 120 mesh and our purple stencil film is 110 mesh.

[@artbycleatress]

@@ikonartstencil what does that mean? Which is for open print? Which is for halftone?

[@vijaybabu3923]

can we use this for Polymer Clay Projects?

[@ikonartstencil]

Yes!

[@preethiiyer2263]

Shouldn’t the stencil be fully dry after washing the paint off prior to adding the backing to the sticky side?

[@ikonartstencil]

No, we add the backer when the stencil is wet to protect the adhesive

[@peggyjustus2532]

I didn’t get a black poster board in my kit. Is that a problem?

[@ikonartstencil]

The new metal stand that we released last year does not require the black cardboard. So you are good to go!

[@CynergyDiva]

I was looking at another company that offers two types of stencil film; standard and hi definition. Do you have that?

[@ikonartstencil]

Which company is that? I'm not familiar with those terms when it comes to stencil film. We do have two different mesh counts. Our blue stencils have a finer mesh (120) and our purple stencils have a more rigid mesh (110). This affects the mesh openings in the film. So the blue stencils can hold slightly more detail than the purple because of finer mesh count.

[@ThamaraHolt]

Don’t go with the other company they are so bad. Also the have a really bad costumer service. I lost my money in a huge order!

[@CynergyDiva]

@@ThamaraHolt Can you expand on that?

[@ThamaraHolt]

@@CynergyDiva ok I bought a mini stencil Standar and a mini stencil HD whit EZscreenprint. When i tried the stencil or emulsiones sheet it’s doesn’t work. They look really weird after washing. I email and text them. They just blocked me for Instagram and ignored me by mail. I asked them for my money back and they sorry you used the stencil bad, and not I didn’t because I did all they show and the promotional video! It’s just their product it’s no good. I know more people like me they lost their money too and their experience with them was worse than mine!

[@stylishranchgirl]

What does the triangle hand sign mean?

[@ikonartstencil]

I'm not sure what you mean... at which point in the video??

[@stylishranchgirl]

@@ikonartstencil 1/2 doz times in the first 19 secs.

[@stylishranchgirl]

@@ikonartstencil I'm not sure what it means, either, that's why I'm asking what the meaning is. :)

[@ikonartstencil]

@@stylishranchgirl like her hand gestures?

[@stylishranchgirl]

@@ikonartstencil Yes, the repetitive, awkward, but intentional triangle hand gestures. What is the meaning of the gesture?

[@leeannsantamaria1698]

Does it matter the inkjet printer? Any one better then the other to use ?

[@ikonartstencil]

We use the Canon Pixma iX6820, but our customers use a wide variety. The important thing is to adjust your settings to print as dark as possible.

[@Rayofsongshine]

I have an inkjet printer. I've watched a couple videos using the inkjet and only one mentioned printing the image mirrored. How do I know if my image needs to be mirrored?

[@ikonartstencil]

Rachel Sizemore We recommend mirroring all artwork, just to be safe. Generally only the artwork that has fine detail needs to be mirrored, but it doesn’t hurt to mirror all artwork. Many printers will have the setting right in the print dialog box.

[@sarahspry2975]

@@ikonartstencil When placing the art work transparency on the stencil film does it matter which side is up or down? When the artwork has fine detail will the side of the transparency that has the actual printed image on it burn better to the stencil? The instructions read that it is not necessary to mirror when using the inkjet printer but does not indicate if the specific side you printed on needs to be set a particular way.

[@ikonartstencil]

@@sarahspry2975 You must print on the emulsion side of the inkjet printer film (not the shiny side). So which side is up or down will depend on if you mirrored your artwork or not. You want to be able to read your artwork. If you mirrored your art then the emulsion side of the inkjet film will be touching your stencil film. If you did not mirror your artwork then the shiny side of the inkjet film will be touching your stencil film. This blog post goes into more detail: ikonartstencil.com/blog/inkjet-printer-tips/

[@hermanarango2896]

Can I use armour etch with ikonart stencils

[@ikonartstencil]

We didn't get the best results with Armour Etch. We find that Etchall Etching Creme works better with our stencils.

[@hermanarango2896]

@@ikonartstencil thank you

[@JC-mh3ze]

I’m completely confused about the transparency. When printing on inkjet, she says print on milky side. When you place transparency on stencil, is the said milky side up or down on the blue stencil?

[@ikonartstencil]

When you expose your stencil, you want your artwork to be right-reading. So if you have text on it you want to be able to read it. Some people mirror their artwork, so in that case the milky side would be touching the stencil film. If you don’t mirror your artwork then it would not be.

[@lessfighter]

Do you have good ideas for mirroring whole designs in pdf for free. I only find programs where you pay for it.

[@ikonartstencil]

You can use Inkscape for free

[@lessfighter]

@@ikonartstencil thx for the fast answer :D

[@user-jt5vm3mi1w]

wow chalk paint

[@ikonartstencil]

Yes, so easy to make yourself with Coco's Chalky Powder

[@Thor_Underdunk_Caballerial]

How is the centre of the "O" not just falling out?

[@ikonartstencil]

Our stencil films have a silkscreen mesh embedded in the stencil and that mesh holds all the details in place. It also makes the stencils reusable!

[@Thor_Underdunk_Caballerial]

@@ikonartstencil Mental, this is really impressive. I saw a video where someone uses this combined with heat paste / heat gun and it works particularly well. I'm hyped up and would like to make some bug hotels out of logs with burnt Celtic knots. Thanks for quick response.

[@aztecagutierrez4064]

Were can order some what is the Website

[@ikonartstencil]

ikonartstencil.com/shop/

[@aztecagutierrez4064]

@@ikonartstencil thank you

[@user-jt5vm3mi1w]

wow she got new kitchne

[@ikonartstencil]

:)

[@OmarFaruk-dt3hs]

what is the mesh size of the stencil? is it 120 mesh/inch?

[@ikonartstencil]

Our blue film is 120 mesh and our purple film is 110 mesh

[@OmarFaruk-dt3hs]

@@ikonartstencil is per inch or per cm?

[@ikonartstencil]

@@OmarFaruk-dt3hs inch

[@OmarFaruk-dt3hs]

@@ikonartstencil I tried to print on the emulsion side of the inkejt film, however, the ink spelled over the design. Is it okay to print on the shiny side for making the stencil?

[@ikonartstencil]

@@OmarFaruk-dt3hs if you are using the Ikonart Printer Film then your ink won’t stick to the shiny side. It will smear.

[@corteltube]

Can I make my own designs…

[@ikonartstencil]

Yes, definitely! One of the benefits of Ikonart :)

[@innocenceportrayed]

Sometimes it doesn't transfer into the stencil, even after following these instructions to the T. What could possibly be wrong? blue textured side up on bottom of sandwich then inkjet milky side with design then clear top sheet, 35 seconds, spray with warm-hot water on clipboard... nothing

[@ikonartstencil]

Hi Ambyr. There are a few factors that could be at play but usually when someone is having problems with washout it is because the artwork didn’t print dark enough. You can always contact us so we can walk through your exact process (everyone has a different home setup so troubleshooting can be tricky) to figure out what is going on ikonartstencil.com/contact/

[@sakurauchiha03]

So you need a printer in order for this to work

[@ikonartstencil]

Yes, if you want to use graphics from your computer (inkjet or laser printer). You can also draw with a sharpie marker directly on the transparency film and make a stencil out of your hand drawings or handwriting without using a computer/printer. Anything that will block the light can make a stencil.

[@FASIGMAN]

I was surprised the light went of when you unplugged it...........

[@ikonartstencil]

Our 2.0 stands now have an on/off switch on the light

[@lessfighter]

0:24 We are missing the black hard card in our set

[@ikonartstencil]

That is no longer needed with our matte black metal stands

[@sarahspry2975]

Do you need to be in a dark room when exposing the film? This is not mentioned anywhere but a dark room is needed when developing in other processes.

[@ikonartstencil]

I expose in regular light. As long as you work quick you should be fine. And also don’t wash out in front of a bright kitchen window. Depending on where you are in the world, the UV rays from the sun will expose the film quicker.

[@elaineselesky3910]

I made a video of the tote and the letters run, one of the Ds had the middle filled out and then when I went to clean the paint off the screen, it was stuck to the clip board and ripped. Wanna tell me how easy it is to put a stencil on anything now? BS. Nice way to start off a day

[@ikonartstencil]

Did you post-expose the stencil for 2 minutes after it was dry to finish hardening it?

[@elaineselesky3910]

@@ikonartstencil the 2nd one didn't work either. Sending back bc that one messed up too. Can't afford to use once. I thought this was going to be fun but it's too frustrating so I will b sending it back. Oh yeah, 20% restocking fee plus postage? Wow. I say there's something wrong with it and shouldn't be charged either.

[@Schuelke14]

I just keep wrecking my stencils washing them out

[@ikonartstencil]

Tara W ... join our Ikonart Crafters Facebook group and post pics so we can help, or call/email us anytime! ikonartstencil.com/contact/

[@tmiddleton100]

I'm confused ikonart literally has a video telling us NOT to use HOT WATER.

[@ikonartstencil]

You can use warm water but not too hot. We have learned that everyone's definition of "hot" is vastly different, so we started saying warm instead.