info on stenciling professionally

[sjh]

Hi, I've stenciled for myself and would really love to start doing it professionally - but need advice on how to start. Any advice would be great!

[lsbdesigns]

Hello, Lynn Brehm, www.natural-accents.com, replying to your question.
The best way to get started is to do a room (or several) for yourself or a friend, take some great pics, and make an eyecatching portfolio. You don't need a lot of pics, just enlarge them to 5 x 7 and mount them on black paper in a nice album. Then take the best print you have and make postcards (see Modern Postcard) with your contact information on the back side. Deliver some to local paint supply stores --- not Home Depot but the local dealers such as Ben Moore or Sherwin Williams. Get names and addresses of local Interior Designers and mail them a card. Take some to local Pediatrician offices to post on the bulletin board. Hand deliver to people in your own neighborhood. IF you have children attending school, donate stenciling for a school auction/fundraiser. Join your local chamber of commerce and pass out your business cards. Go to open houses and leave your cards with real estate agents.
Gosh, the list is endless!
And be sure to attend the SALI convention (see SALI.org)  in Chicago July 17 - 22 to learn all you can about latest materials, techniques and stencils!
GOod luck and let us know how you do!
Lynn B

[sjh]

Thank you so much Lynn for all the great ideas!!  How do I figure out what to charge for this service?  And do the stencinling companies have books for your customer to look at and order the stencils from -- how does this whole process work?

[justpaint]

And do the stencinling companies have books for your customer to look at and order the stencils from -- how does this whole process work?

Many stenciling companies do have printed catalogs available for purchase.  (See Stencil Designers for a list of stencil companies).

A really good resource for getting started is Lynette Harris' s out of print book:
Making Money With Your Creative Paint Finishes

Used copies are sometimes available at Amazon.com.  You might also try eBay.