If you've ever tried to wrap an adult-sized stencil around the arm of a small child, you'll know what a great innovation the kid series of stencils was by Wiser. Created in groups of kid-friendly themes, like Adventure, Ocean Fun, and Small Things, many of the stencils still appeal to teens and adults as well. One of the nicest aspects of these stencils is that, being a smaller size than their larger adult-sized counterparts, they are much easier to handle while airbrushing, so if you're new to airbrushing, these stencils are a good way to introduce yourself to this type of airbrush tattoo.
Before you try airbrushing a person, get a large pad of sketch paper at your local art store and practice on paper. It will be easier than airbrushing on a person, because paper is flat, but plenty of practice is crucial as you're learning to use your airbrush.
For this video, I'm assuming you already have your own airbrush setup, but as far as basics go, you'll need at least the following.
• An airbrush (top or bottom feeding)
• Air source (compressor or CO2 tank with regulator) with hose, moisture trap, teflon tape, etc.
• Black airbrush ink (hybrid or alcohol, although I prefer alcohol)
• Non-latex gloves
• Paper towels/wet wipes
• Black towel or cloth to protect clothing of person you are airbrushing
• Wiser Kids Series Stencils
What you'll notice right away with the kids' series stencils, is that they are smaller. If you've ever had a child with tiny arms ask for a huge tattoo, you'll really appreciate the size difference because these stencils fit on a child's arm much better.
Another great aspect of the kids' series stencils, is that as far as their subject matter, Wiser has chosen things that kids like. Such as unicorns, mermaids, dinosaurs, and bandaids. What I've discovered at events, however, is that teens like these tattoo choics also. So don't think that they're just for kids.
The tropical flower, unicorn, and spider are frequent choices by teens when I'm doing these. If you're new to airbrushing stencils, you will also appreciate the kid stencils because they're small and easier to handle. Again, you're going to follow the same way of doing it. Do the main stencil, do some freehand shading, and then, if you want to make it look a little more elaborate, you can go in with one of your textured stencils and add something around it for fun.
If you've been on the fence about whether the kids' stencils are worth it, I'd highly recommend them, because in my experience, many of them are popular with kids, teens, and adults, and because they're smaller, they're also easier to work with, and they can help you provide more tattoos per hour.
As you can see, the Wiser Kid Stencils are smaller, and that means they're great for use on kids' arms. They also come in themes that are a little more popular with children, although I found that teens and adults also like some of those smaller sized stencils.
Beth MacKinney is the owner of and primary face painter for Face Paint Pizzazz in Elgin, Illinois, and her artwork has appeared in The Colored Palette and SkinMarkz magazines. She services the western and northwestern Chicago suburbs, Chicago’s north side, and the eastern and southeastern suburbs of Rockford. Stop by Clownantics.com to enjoy more of Beth’s face painting tutorials.
