Abstract
There has been a significant amount of interest in stencilling over the last several years. Very little research and documentation have been completed on the subject, particularly pertinent to its use as interior architectural ornamentation. During 1870–1930, stencilling was used extensively, for the decoration of residential, religious, and commercial/institutional buildings. It was applied to walls, floors, and ceilings as a means of beautifying the room interior.
Trade publications of the time indicate that there were two types of stencilling in popular useage: 1) the block or solid stencil and 2) the outline stencil, also known as infill painting or pounce painting. Identification was made by design and method of application. Several jargon terms were used to describe the various kinds of stencils employed in the stencil process. Each designation clarified a different approach or purpose: Detached, Band, Divider, Binder, All–over, and Background. The success of any stencil project depended on the planning of the composition and the selection of the designs made by the artist, and close attention was given to published rules and guidelines.
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