Printing tattoo stencils
Every stencil from the studio is laid out at the size you chose. The only thing that can change it is the print dialog, so the first rule for every printer is the same: print at 100 %.
Before any print
- Scale 100 % (“Actual size”). Turn off “Fit to page” and “Shrink to fit”.
- Pick the paper you loaded (A4, Letter, A3, Tabloid or thermal) in Print & export, so the sheet layout matches the tray.
- Mirror is on by default for transfer: the design reads backwards on paper and the right way on skin.
- Measure the 5 cm bar at the foot of the sheet. If it is not 5 cm, the dialog scaled the page.
Thermal stencil printers
Choose Thermal 4×6 or Thermal roll 80 mm in Print & export. Start at a medium darkness (about 6–8 on a 1–10 scale), feed the stencil sheet with the printing side facing the print head, and remove the protective tissue first. Raise the darkness one step for faint lines; lower it if fine lines merge. On a roll, the page length follows the design.
Inkjet with stencil ink
Use stencil ink in the black cartridge and plain or transfer paper. Print in black only (not “composite black”), at standard or high quality, and let the sheet dry before transfer.
Laser printers
A laser print on plain paper works as a reference or for tracing onto transfer paper by hand. Print at 100 % and use the PDF, so the size is exact.
Large pieces
Designs bigger than the printable area are split into sheets automatically, up to 25, with a 10 mm overlap, cut marks and labels (A1, A2…). Trim on the marks, line up the overlaps and tape the sheets on the back.
Questions
Why does my stencil print smaller than the size I chose?
The print dialog is scaling the page. Choose 100 % or “Actual size” and turn off “Fit to page” or “Shrink to fit”, then measure the 5 cm bar at the bottom of the sheet.
Do I mirror the stencil before printing?
Yes for transfer paper and thermal stencils: the design reads backwards on paper and the right way round on skin. Print & export mirrors by default; switch it off for a reference print.
My thermal stencil is too faint or blotchy.
Faint: raise the darkness one step or slow the feed. Blotchy or blurred: lower the darkness, and check the stencil paper is fed the right side up with the backing sheet removed.
A design is bigger than my paper.
Print & export splits it across sheets automatically, with a 10 mm overlap, cut marks and A1, A2… labels. A3 or Tabloid paper needs fewer sheets.