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Stencil and preparation

My stencil prints grey from Procreate

A simple preflight for Procreate stencil exports: visible layers, black linework, opacity, format and a small print test.

Updated: 22/08/2026 3 min
Contents

Short answer: if the stencil prints grey, check the file before blaming the printer. The usual cause is a mixed export: low-opacity linework, visible sketch, texture, soft shading, background or layers that should never be part of the stencil.

On screen, a line can look dark enough. On paper, that same line may reveal every soft edge and grey layer underneath. A stencil file needs less beauty and more certainty.

Why it happens

Procreate is great for building a design with layers, opacity, textures and presentation effects. Those same tools can pollute a technical stencil export.

The mistake is treating the client preview as if it were the stencil file. They are different outputs. The preview can explain the idea; the stencil must carry only what helps place and read the tattoo.

Build a stencil export group

Create a group called EXPORT_STENCIL. Put only the transfer-ready linework inside it.

Hide references, old sketches, soft shading, paper texture, color, background decoration and anything that only belongs to the presentation. If a layer does not help the tattooer place the design or follow the structure, it stays out.

This gives you one switch: turn on the stencil group, export, then turn the full design back on without damaging the master.

Black-line preflight

Before export, check the simple things:

  • Final line visible.
  • Brush color set to solid black.
  • Layer opacity at 100 percent.
  • Blend mode set to Normal.
  • Sketch and texture layers hidden.
  • Background hidden or kept plain only if needed.

The stencil should not depend on subtle grey value. If a line matters, make it a clear line. If a soft shade is only a shading reminder, keep it in a separate reference output.

Small print test

Do one small test before the final stencil. Export a PNG and a PDF, print both at the same physical size, and compare the line.

Keep the format that gives your setup the clearest result. The point is not to prove one universal format is always better; it is to build a repeatable shop habit with your iPad, app version, printer and paper.

When to simplify

If the stencil becomes a dark fog when viewed small, do not fix it by exporting bigger. Simplify the design.

Remove unnecessary inner lines, separate crowded shapes with skin breaks, and keep the main silhouette readable. A clearer stencil usually creates a calmer appointment.

What dirties a clean stencil

  • A grey sketch left under the final line.
  • Textured brushes used for transfer lines.
  • Decorative shade exported with the stencil.
  • Low layer opacity.
  • A client-preview background still visible.
  • Too many tiny details fighting for the same space.

Most grey stencil problems are really export-control problems.

Readability review

Before printing, look at the stencil as if you had never seen the finished illustration. What reads without explanation? What is just noise?

A good stencil does not try to show every beautiful part of the design. It shows the information needed to place, orient and work with confidence.

Official references checked

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Use this as a decision guide, not a substitute for supervised training

Follow the product manufacturer's instructions, your studio protocols and the rules that apply where you work.