How to Make Digital Camo Stencils

Digital camo, or camouflage, is very popular with paintball players. Pioneered by the U.S. Army, according to the Hyper Stealth Biotechnology Corporation, it allows the wearer to blend in with his surroundings, and sneak up on opponents. Player’s guns are frequently digitally camouflaged. After taping off the areas not to be painted, simple, inexpensive painting tape camo stencils make the job of camouflaging the weapons fast and easy.

Locate and print several variations of digital camouflage. United Dynamics Corporation has numerous online pictures, or you can generate your own digital camo designs with an online generator. Print out several small and large-scale digital camo designs.

Use painters tape to wrap the edges of the glass scrap (at least eight-inches square) to avoid injury. Decide which areas of the printed digital camo made in Step 1 to make into a stencil. Cut out all the background in and around the camouflage, using a craft or utility knife, working on top of the glass for accurate and easy cutting. Cut more stencils than necessary for lots of variations for the project.

Clip a piece of waxed paper, larger than the design, to a clipboard. The waxed paper serves as a liner for the stencil until use. Cover the waxed paper with overlapping pieces of two-inch wide blue painters tape larger than the design you want to make into a stencil.

Clip or tape the paper stencil over the blue painters tape already adhered to the waxed paper, and cut out the stencil, through all layers, with the utility or craft knife.

Cut and keep both male and female (positive and negative) stencils. Repeat cutting stencils, making more than needed for lots of variations to select from while stenciling. The female stencils are the small background pieces cut out of the male stencils.

Male stencils are best for the majority of digital camo stenciling, while female counterparts are best for blending.