EXPERT ADVICE

Anyone who has stencilled before will know how frustrating it is when the paint bleeds under the stencil and creates a smudgy mess. Louise Taljaard of Formarelli Designs offers the following tips to help prevent this:

• Use as little paint as possible for each coat. It’s far easier to add more layers to a stencil you’re painting than it is to remove them. Use a cloth, newspaper or paper towel to ensure that your roller or brush is almost dry before applying your first layer.

• If you’re covering a large area, start stencilling on the part that is least visible, such as behind a door or in a far corner where bleeds won’t be as obvious.

• If you’re doing a repeat design, wash your stencil regularly in warm water to keep the edges free of paint. If you’re using a paper or cardboard stencil, wipe excess paint off regularly and leave it to dry before the next use.

• Keep earbuds and wet wipes close at hand for fine touch-ups. >>