How to print a big stencil at home

No plotter needed: a large stencil can be printed on ordinary A4 or Letter pages, glued together and cut with a knife. For parents and kids, school projects, signs and walls.

1. Create the stencilType your words or add a shape, pick a font, size and bridges. The check shows when it is ready to cut.
2. Split it into pagesExport → PDF → “on several pages”: A4 or Letter, a margin, an overlap and crop marks. The preview shows how many pages you get.
3. Download the PDFEach page has its number, row and column, grey overlap strips (“page 2 goes here”) and a 50 mm check bar.
4. Print at 100 %Choose “Actual size”, not “Fit to page”. Measure the 50 mm bar with a ruler to be sure.
5. Glue the pagesLay them out in rows and columns, put each page over the grey strip of its neighbour, match the crop marks and tape or glue.
6. Cut it outUse a craft knife on a cutting mat (or scissors for simple shapes) and cut along the outlines. Keep the bridges.
7. Use itTape the stencil to the surface, paint with spray or a sponge and lift it carefully.