? how to use stencil on buildings

I believe you'll have a very hard time making the stencils work on a brick building. They need more of a flat, smooth surface to keep from bleeding. You'd be better off buying some rub-on letters . Cutting out individual letters made from the stencils would work, but seems like a lot of work.

Same suggestion here - individual letters by stencil would be tough.

 

Rub-on dry transfers would be better.

 

If you really want a painted-on look or can't find the proper color lettering, paint the area the color of the lettering you want. Let dry thoroughly, then use either vinyl stick-on letters or dry transfers to apply lettering. Now spray everything with the building color. Finally, when this paint is dry, remove the vinyl or dry transfer lettering to reveal the paint below.

 

Jim

 

I meant to suggest the vinyl lettering, too. Thanks, Jim

 

This was done with vinyl letters. I painted a black rectangle, applied the letters, they are flexible enough to contour to the building, then oversprayed it with white.

 

I've used some included stencils on a couple of brick downtown deco building kits, BUT (and this is a big "but"), the words came as one stencil, not individual letters so lining th up wasn't an issue, you must spray directly at a 90 degree angle or as Vulcan says the spray will get under the edges and finally, you would have to spray from a distance and very lightly so it will look faded. if you really want sharp edged letters you are much better off with Jim's suggested technique which works like a charm. Alternately, as they both say, you can use dry transfer letters, one at a time, position how you like, remove if you make a mistake and even pick at the edges to get a well worn look.

jerrman

I should have mentioned.... the vinyl lettering is peeled off after I sprayed the white. The black lettering is from the black paint underneath.

 

Another way that works to put signs on buildings is to print the sign you want out on your laser printer on regular paper. The trick is the sand the back of the paper the sign is on. When it is very thin, especially the edges of the sign you quickly but carefully coat the back of the sign with Elmers white glue and place it onto the building wall where you want it and carefully press it into the wall surface. If you are going over a brick wall you will see the brick mortar lines in your sign.  Here is a Downtown Deco kit I recently did this on. The Angels flight Hotel sign is exactly how this was done. It looks like it is painted on the brick wall.

 

Thanks guys!!!  Very helpful.  I was wondering why it was seeming so difficult to stencil the individual letters.  I never thought of some of these ideas - but that is why I asked.  I am always amazed by the knowledge and techniques I learn on this forum (usually I am pestering the electronics guys)

 

I will give the vinyl letter/spray technique a go on a few of the buildings.   

 

I have tried the glue on paper technique with some smaller projects - and will use that on some of my DTD and Yorke structures.

 

I saw the Woodland Scenics dry transfers online.  Any other suggestions as far as which dry transfers to use?

 

Thanks again for all of your help

 

Jeff

Vulcan,

 

Forgot to mention - I love that rusting technique on the pipes of the Porter Co building.  I have been fiddling with various methods of rust, but would love to hear about the technique you used.

 

Thanks-

 

jeff

Very nice John.  Where did you see newspapers with those sort of ads?  Did you mean actual newspaper, or signs originally in newspaper, but printed by a printer?

 

Did you hit the signs with dullcote after application?

 

Thanks-

 

jeff

I use the vinyl letters method but I add one more step.  After I apply the letters I very lightly spray a clear coat on the letters (VERY LIGHT).  This seals the edge of the letters and eliminates any bleed under.  The clear if it bleeds is not seen in the final viewing.  Russ

 

PS. Love the Luck Strike ad on the building - really nice.

Thank you all for all of the advice and feedback.  I will be sure to give some of these methods a go over the next few weeks.  Never thought of the newspaper idea.  Guess I am actually going to have to look in my newspaper, besides looking at the coupons.  I don't think I will find any Lucky Strike adds - lol.

 

Thanks-

 

jeff

Posted are some photos of how the signs turned out.  I am pleased with the results - thanks for all of your suggestions.  The buildings are not yet complete.  I plan to add some images to or next to the signs (such as a pizza - for the Heron pizza building).  This was good practice for a what I plan to be a large sign on a DTD warehouse backdrop building.

 

The Patio Hotel building is a joke based on the Patio Motel on Roosevelt Blvd. in Philly.  Not a place one would want to stay.  

 

The KB Quinn Pipe Layers is based on my friend and teasing his wife - if you get the joke.

 

The Heron BD Pizza baking is based on another of my friends telling his dad he was sick on his 21st birthday due to bad pizza.

Looks great, Jeff!