Stenciling on Wood

(chairs, boxes, cornices, etc.)

(Applicants may choose either a wood project or a tin project for the stenciling requirement.)

1. DESIGN

Choose typical, well-balanced design, composed of many different units shaded one behind the other. One piece stencil designs will not be accepted. If it is a scenic design, for judging it must contain sufficient different units, shaded one behind another.

2. CUTTING OF STENCIL

Clean cutting with no rough edges, angular curves or broken areas. Veins must be free and fine but discernible. Ovals and circles must be true.

3. STENCILING AND OVERALL FEELING

Must show skillful stenciling with bronze lining powders and create the illusion of a third dimension by skillful, smooth shading of unit behind unit. Highlights must be well polished.

Overall feeling must be pleasing without conspicuously brilliant or harsh areas or dull or weak ones. There must be no loose powder adhering to the background.

Central motif must be well placed; relationship of the lesser units should be made meaningful by careful placement and shading; all other decoration must bear a relationship to the whole with a good balance of light and shadow. All repeated motifs should be of the same brilliance. Avoid overcrowding or obvious blank areas. Any Metal Leaf Painting will be judged here according to the Requirements for Metal Leaf Painting.

Suggestions: The theory of all stenciling is highlight to shadow with powders smoothly blended. Often more than one shade of gold powder was used in one motif or design.

4. BACKGROUND

The background must be smooth and appropriate to the article, either grained or solid color.

5. STRIPING

The decoration must include a wide bronzed, metal leaf or painted band, as well as a line-stripe placed along the lines of construction; it must be straight, sure, of even width and of good opaque color. Turnings will be considered a band.

6. FINISH

Finish includes application of background paint and varnish finish. Both must be free from specks and brush mark ridges. Final finish must have a smooth, hand rubbed finish, with or without high gloss.. Raw (not rubbed) varnish, dull-type varnish and sprayed finishes will not be accepted. All work must be done by the applicant.

All articles to be decorated must be either old pieces of the period or authentic reproductions.

Designs traditionally used for stenciling on tin will not be accepted for stenciling on wood.

All work, including background paint and final finish, must be done by person submitting article.

Pieces to be judged MUST have a hand rubbed finish. Pieces without a hand rubbed finish will not longer be acceptable for judging.