Q&A: How can I create a graffiti stencil effect?

Question: I’d like to create the effect of a can of spray paint being sprayed onto a wall using a stencil, so I can fake my own digital graffiti to create a flyer for a band. How do I do this in Photoshop? (I’m using CS.)

Maggie Rochester

Answer: A stencil is a sheet of paper or card that has a design cut into it. The holes in the stencil enable you to quickly and accurately spray text or a logo onto a wall. This is a handy tool for street artists who want to spread a signature or message that looks consistent (plus it stops hanging around and being nabbed for criminal damage…).

Step 1:

Select the Horizontal Type Mask tool (hold down the mouse over the Horizontal Type tool to get a pop-up of tools in that section). Pick a suitable font, such as Stencil. Type your text. Areas outside the mask will turn red, leaving your text clear.

Step 2:

Select the Brush tool (B). Set Mode to Dissolve to mimic dots of paint. The red mask will vanish to be replaced by the ‘marching ants’ marquee in the shape of the text. Pick a foreground colour for the text. Click the Create a New Layer icon. Start spraying!

Step 3:

Sometimes the stencil lifts from the wall, creating a softer letter. In Select>Feather, set a value of 3 to soften the stencil and give a realistic edge to the lettering. Change the brush mode to Normal to give a stronger spread of ‘paint’. Use the Smudge tool to fake a few drips!