GB2168650A

GB2168650A - Masking stencil for air brush technique

Info

Publication number: GB2168650A
Application number: GB08432450A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Dunford
Original assignee: Dahle Design Ltd
Current assignee: Dahle Design Ltd
Priority date: 1984-12-21
Filing date: 1984-12-21
Publication date: 1986-06-25
Also published as: GB8432450D0

Abstract

Drawing equipment comprising a masking stencil (1) of magnetic or magnetised material eg plastics is located on a drawing surface (2) which in turn is located on a magnetised or metal base (3), the stencil being provided with accurately machined cut-out portions (4) to allow the shape to be reproduced on the drawing surface (2), the magnetic stencil and the magnetisable base allowing the stencil to be retained in position with respect to the base member (3) by magnetic attraction such that no seepage of material beyond the edges of the cut portions of the stencil and no under spraying of the drawing surface will occur when using air brush techniques. (Fig. 1). The stencil may be hingedly secured to a transparent film having cut-out portions accurately aligned with the same cut-out portions of the stencil, the film being provided with a grid to allow the shape to be reproduced repetitively on the drawing surface in accurately spaced relationship. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in and relating to stencils templates and like drawing equipment This invention relates to stencils, templates, masks and like drawing equipment and is particularly, but not exclusively for use by persons employing air brush techniques to produce graphic designs and illustrations.

With such techniques to be effective, it is necessary for some form of mask to be used to ensure that the material being sprayed is confined to specific areas of the drawing surface. The most commonly used method of masking is by the use of Frisket masking film which is essentially a 'low tack' transparent film which can be applied to most drawing surfaces. Before any particular shape or area can be air brushed, a time consuming hand cutting operation to cut out the shape is required. Unless the cutting is extremely accurate, the finished work will obviously be adversely affected.

Another method of masking is to use cut card masks but again such masks have disadvantages in that because the card is manually held in position on the drawing surface, it is difficult to prevent movement of the card over the surface, and because the edge of the mask tends to lift away from the surface, under spraying of the area intended to be masked, occurs.

Drawing templates, such as ellipse templates have been used but adjacent areas of the template have to be masked with tape which is a time consuming, messy and costly procedure.

An object of the present invention is to provide a masking stencil having extremely accurate pre-cut shapes and which provides such an accurate registration and position hold with the drawing surface that the material applied to the surface is confined only to the limits of the pre-cut portion of the stencil and does not extend therebeyond.

According to the present invention there is provided drawing equipment comprising a masking stencil or template of magnetic or magnetised material having accurately machined pre-cut portions to allow the shape of a pre-cut portion to be reproduced on a drawing surface located intermediate the masking stencil or template and a base member formed of a material which allows the masking stencil or template to be retained in position with respect to the base member by magnetic attraction.

In one ènibodiment of the invention the masking stencil with the pre-cut shape formed therein is provided with a transparent film hingedly secured thereto and provided with the same pre-cut shape accurately aligned with the pre-cut shape on the masking stencil. The transparent film is provided with a grid or graticule to allow the cut-out shape on the stencil and film to be reproduced repetitively on the drawing surface in accurately spaced relationship using the grid or graticule to determine the spacing of the individual items of the pattern produced on the drawing surface.

Because of the magnetic attraction between the base number and the masking stencil or template, movement of the stencil or template over the drawing surface will occur only in response to manually applied force. That is to say, the magnetic attraction between the base member and the magnetic masking stencil inhibits any shift or movement of the stencil once it is located in the required position on the drawing. Because the stencil or template is accurately and firmly held in position on the drawing surface by the magnetic attraction exerted between the base member and stencil or template no seepage of material beyond the edges of the pre-cut portions will occur and for air brushing, no under spraying of the drawing surface will occur; the spraying being confined only to that portion of the drawing surface delineated by the cut-out portions of the stencil or template.

The stencil or template may be formed of magnetised paper or card or of magnetised flexible plastics material e.g. PVC such that the pre-cut shapes can be reproduced on a curved surface such as a vehicle body. The base member may be of magnetised board or a metal plate. The stencil or template may be provided with one or more accurately machined or die cut shapes such as geometrical shapes e.g. ellipses, circles, squares, rectangles, isometric cubes or decorative borders, screw threads or decorative shapes such as stars, flowers, trees, etc.

The actual pieces cut from the stencil may be retained in position until the stencil is required to be used, and in the case of concentric circles, for instance, only part of the precut shape may be removed and part retained as required. The piece cut from the stencil may be used separately or in combination with the stencil to produce a required pattern or shape.

Such stencils or templates can be used over and over again and can be applied to many drawing surfaces where Frisket film cannot be used. The adhesion of the stencil or template to the drawing surface by reason of the inherent magnetic attraction between the stencil or template and the base member means that the stencil or template is extremely rapid in application and use giving positive advantages regarding time and cost savings.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with particular reference to the accompanying informal drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of the drawing aid of the present invention; Figure 2A is a perspective view of a modi fied drawing aid; Figure 2B is a sectional view on line B-B of Figure 2A; and Figure 3 is a perspective view of a support member for the stencils of the drawing aid of the present invention.

Referring to the embodiment of Figure 1, the magnetised masking stencil 1 is shown located on a drawing surface 2 which in turn is located on a base member 3 which is of a material capable of forming a magnetically attractive bond between the stencil 1 and the base member 3. A cut out portion 4 is formed in the stencil 1.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 2A, 2B, the stencil 5 has hingedly secured thereto a transparent film 6 formed with a graticule as shown. The stencil and film are placed on the drawing surface 7 and are magnetically held in position by magnetic attraction between the magnetised stencil and the base member 8. A cut-out portion 9 in the shape of an arrow is formed in the masking stencil 5 and a similar arrow 10 is formed in the film 6 in accurate alignment and registration with the arrow 9 in the stencil. The hinged portion of the stencil is shown at 11 and spaced holes 12,, 122 are formed in the hinged portion 11 and arranged to engage over the pins 12A, 12B of a plastics support 13 located on a magnetic base 14.

The graticule formed on the film 6 allows a repetitive pattern of the arrows to be produced on the drawing surface 7, at accurately spaced intervals; the spacing being determined by the dimensional characteristics of the graticule.

The masking stencil 5 may be of any suitable magnetised material, but it has been found that magnetic flexible PVC is particularly advantageous in combination with paper covered foil as the base. The pVC can be easily cleaned using water, colour remover, air brush cleaner, and any sort of thinners. The flexibility of the PVC masking stencil allows the stencil to be used on surfaces having slight curved contours such as vehicle bodies.

The invention is applicable to all areas of graphic design, textile design and to vehicle surfaces and other metal products and is capable of considerable modification and is not deemed applicable only to use with air brush applications.

By using a combination of mounted masks and various cut-out shapes, infinite overlay shapes provide for originally and creative design patterns. Sprayed areas can be masked off by using the cut-out part of a mask when spraying adjacent areas.

A particular set of equipment for use by illustrators as described would include a base member of metal or of magnetic material e.g.

foil positioned beneath a drawing surface or material, together with a magnetised paper or board stencil or template or a flexible PVC magnetised masking stencil having any number of pre-cut shapes such as ellipses, triangles, arrows etc., associated with, if necessary a graticuled film as shown in figure 2A for the purpose described.

The advantages of the drawing aid of the present invention can be listed as follows: 1. No cutting of the masking materials is necessary.

2. The masking stencil can be applied to any surface that is thin enough for magnetic attraction to occur.

3. The masking stencils can be used repeatedly.

4. A positive retentive hold is achieved with the masking stencil on any art surface and shifting of the masking stencil with respect to the drawing surface is inhibited.

5. The masking stencils are easily and quickly applied and used.

6. The masking stencils may be used as drawing templates.

7. The masking stencils can be easily stored for use to provide easy access to any required masking stencils.

8. When using a flexible PVC masking stencil, this can be applied to other than flat metal surfaces because of the inherent flexibility and magnetic properties of the stencil.

Claims

1. Drawing equipment comprising a masking stencil or template of magnetic or magnetised material having shape of the pre-cut portion to be reproduced on a drawing surface located intermediate the masking stencil or template and a base member formed of a material which allows the masking stencil or template to be retained in position with respect to the base member by magnetic attraction.

2. Drawing equipment as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the masking stencil or template is provided with a transparent film hingedly secured thereto and provided with the same precut portion accurately aligned with the pre-cut portion on the masking stencil or template, said transparent film being provided with a grid or graticule to allow the cut-out shape on the stencil or template to be reproduced repetitively on the drawing surface in accurately spaced relationship using the grid or graticule to determine the spacing of the individual items of the pattern produced on the drawing surface.

3. Drawing equipment as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 wherein the stencil or template is formed of magnetised paper or card or of magnetised flexible plastics material eg PVC.

4. Drawing equipment as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the base member is a magnetised board or a metal plate.

5. Drawing equipment as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the hinged portion of the stencil is provided with a plurality of spaced holes arranged to engage with correspondingly spaced pins formed in a support located on the base member.

6. Drawing equipment substantially as hereinbefore described and as shown in figure 1 or figures 2A, 2B and 3 of the accompanying drawing.