How is the best way to paint your lettering and numbers?

Does anyone provide a stencil service that can make me a stencil?  I would like to paint the letters and numbers rather than decals.

Thoughts?

David

I make my own, but people like Callie Graphics, https://callie-graphics.com/ .

Quote from: DJohnson on March 16, 2026, 07:56:05 AMHow is the best way to paint your lettering and numbers?

Does anyone provide a stencil service that can make me a stencil?  I would like to paint the letters and numbers rather than decals.

Thoughts?

David

What you are looking for is often called a "mask". Works like a stencil. These can be cut with those CriCut machines that have been mentioned a lot for cutting lettering from vinyl and Monokote, and also balsa. Masking material will be less aggressive on the adhesive so they can be removed easier. There has probably bee a ton of info posted here through the last 5 years that may be of help, just exercise the search function. Cali Graphics is also top notch and pretty reasonable.
  Type at you later,
  Dan McEntee

Howard - Thank you for the response.  I checked out Callie Graphics website and they have some cool stuff on there.  I'm such a beginner at this, I'm not sure what I need.

Dan - Thank you and good info.  I wasn't sure what the things were called.  I do not have a cricut machine but it sounds interesting.  I will do some searches and see what happens!   

If you want to hand cut your own mask use shelving liner from the dollar store. Just make sure it's removable.

Quote from: Paul Taylor on March 22, 2026, 06:22:47 AMIf you want to hand cut your own mask use shelving liner from the dollar store. Just make sure it's removable.

I do this most of the time.  I use a removable shelf liner I get at Walmart from "Duck" like the tape. You can find stickers for letter and number sets there or Hobby Lobby.  Put the stickers down on the shelf paper however you want them to look.  Then with your Xacto cut around the stickers and remove those sections.  Now you have a removable stencil.  For more complex things or logos you take a picture,  size it then print it off onto water slide decal paper.   Now you have custom decals however you want.

Dave

If I am doing something simple, I typically create my own mask. If I am doing something more complex, I go to Callie Graphics.  Callie will work with you to create whatever you need.  For my Islander scale model, Callie created the tail graphics (left photo) from the actual aircraft (right photo).

Thanks everybody! These are some good tips.