Hot-Glue Gun Stencils Tutorial
Learn a new mixed-media skill with Kim Dellow’s fantastic step-by-step guide to hot-glue stencils
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The hot-glue gun isn’t just a handy tool for sticking things together – you can use it to make your own DIY stencils too! You can use the hot-glue gun to draw out any patterns or shapes, let them cool and then use the glue pattern as a stencil or mask on your project.
To get started, plug in your hot-glue gun and once the glue is coming out easily and is flowing well, you are ready to draw with it on a craft sheet. Keep the flow as steady as you can. The pattern can be as simple or as complicated as you like.
For more complicated stencil designs, it is a good idea to try and interlink areas to make one whole design and not lots of little bits of design. Once you have the design drawn out on the craft sheet in hot-glue, let it cool completely then peel it off the sheet. If you aren’t sure if it is ready, press it lightly with a finger protector and if the glue sticks or bends then it isn’t ready and you should leave it for longer. It is ready when the glue feels solid.
You can then use the hot-glue stencil in the same way as you would a normal stencil. Place it on cardstock and spray paint or ink through it. It is a little lumpier and more uneven than other stencils so it will not work quite as well with pastes or gels, but it is perfect for sprays. You can also paint the flat side, which was on the craft sheet, with paints and press them into the surface to make printed patterns too!
Heat up your hot-glue gun, grab your finger protectors and craft sheet and get ‘drawing’!
Draw out a pattern or a shape using the hot-glue gun onto a craft sheet. Refill the glue gun and go over areas again as necessary.
Let the glue cool on the craft sheet until it has solidified again – it doesn’t take long but don’t be tempted to touch it without your finger protectors just to be sure
Once it is cold, peel off the stencil, place it over cardstock and spray colour through it just as you would any other stencil. Clean with cold water
You will need
- White cardstock
- Red 13.5x15cm card blank
- Stix2 Hot Melt Glue Gun & Glue Sticks
- Stix2 Craft Finger Protectors
- Stix2 Non Stick Crafting Sheet
- Jet Black Ranger Archival Ink
- My Favourite Things All Occasion Sentiments stamp set
- Lemon Zest, Squeezed Orange & Fresh Lime Ranger Dylusions Ink Sprays
- Red glitter
- Heat tool
- 3D foam pads
You will need
- White cardstock
- Green 12x15.5cm card blank
- Stix2 Hot Melt Glue Gun & Glue Sticks
- Stix2 Craft Finger Protectors
- Stix2 Non Stick Crafting Sheet
- Jet Black Ranger Archival Ink
- My Favourite Things All Occasion Sentiments stamp set
- Lemon Zest, London Blue & Fresh Lime Ranger Dylusions Ink Sprays
- Blue acrylic paint
- Paintbrush
- Heat tool
- 3D foam pads
You will need
- white cardstock
- red 17x15cm card blank
- Stix2 Hot Melt Glue Gun & Glue Sticks
- Stix2 Craft Finger Protectors
- Stix2 Non Stick Crafting Sheet
- Creative Dies Plus Stitched and Pierced Stars dies
- manual die-cutting machine
- Jet Black Ranger Archival Ink
- Lemon Zest, Bubblegum & Squeezed Orange Ranger Dylusions Ink Sprays
- gold acrylic paint
- paintbrush
- heat tool
- baking paper
- red glitter
- 3D foam pads
You will need
- White cardstock
- White 13.5cm-square card blank
- Stix2 Hot Melt Glue Gun & Glue Sticks
- Stix2 Craft Finger Protectors
- Stix2 Non Stick Crafting Sheet
- Jet Black Ranger Archival Ink
- My Favourite Things All Occasion Sentiments stamp set
- Bubblegum, Squeezed Orange, Lemon Zest, London Blue & Fresh Lime Ranger Dylusions Ink Sprays
- Heat tool
- 3D foam pads
You will need
- White cardstock
- Green 15x17cm card blank
- Stix2 Hot Melt Glue Gun & Glue Sticks
- Stix2 Craft Finger Protectors
- Stix2 Non Stick Crafting Sheet
- Jet Black Ranger Archival Ink
- My Favourite Things All Occasion Sentiments stamp set
- Bubblegum, Squeezed Orange, Lemon Zest, London Blue & Fresh Lime Ranger Dylusions Ink Sprays
- Heat tool
- 3D foam pads
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