Making the Wall a Canvas : * Stenciling, a fashionable alternative to wallpaper, has endless variations. But the look can be very inexpensive.

For those who grew up being told to keep their hands off the walls, a first try at stenciling may feel like a small act of rebellion on a pristine vertical canvas. Or it may be far simpler-- just a fashionable alternative to wallpaper.

More and more people are stenciling their walls, according to crafts store owners and those who teach courses on the topic.

“We are very definitely seeing a trend of homeowners interested in taking courses in stenciling,” said Kathleen Bonner, department chairwoman of art and design at Learning Tree University in Chatsworth.

For some, the look comes from country-inspired interiors, with simple designs done with dry brushes that create a sponge-painted look, she said. Others are seeking to mimic the postmodernist milieu, with marble-look walls and columns. “It’s more serious than just a new craft. It’s a revival,” Bonner said.

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The variations are endless, and the look can cost little. Ready-made stencils are widely available in crafts stores for less than $5, and small brushes, acrylic paint and masking tape--all that is required--can add up to less than $10.

What’s fun, stencilers say, is that you can quickly individualize a room, adding borders around ceilings, bookcases or headboards, and it’s easy.

“No matter what, it’s a one-of-a-kind look, since no one else chooses the same color or uses the same hand,” Bonner said. “And it is play. It’s like making mud pies.”

To get a good-looking product, Bonner suggests that would-be stencilers take the time to understand color and explore what happens when different shades are placed next to each other in a stencil design. A variety of looks can be tested on paper before committing the design to the wall.

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Those who take courses in stenciling are often seeking a more professional look, said David Summer, a partner and teacher at Creative Expression in Canoga Park. Summer teaches two- to three-hour classes in airbrush stenciling, an art that is suitable for walls and fabrics. The $20 class gives each student an opportunity to try four airbrushes and learn professional tips.

Summer reviews creative design with the students as well as the more technical details of airbrush stenciling, like how to connect the hoses to the compressor and achieve color consistency.

Summer thinks stenciling is a far better design option than wallpaper. “There are thousands of stencils on the market--at craft stores and even at quilting stores--and you can also make your own, using a blank stencil, tracing paper and a stencil-cutting knife,” he said.

Almost as many men as women enroll in Summer’s classes. Some are serious about tackling their first project, while others seem to take the class as much for relaxation and socializing as for its practical value, he said.

For Summer, the joy of stenciling is the pleasure of creating something original and personal. “I like to be able to say it’s something I made, that it’s my creation.”

WHERE AND WHEN

What: Classes on stenciling and faux finishing.

Location: “Fabulous Fakes: Faux Finishes,” eight sessions, $149, and “Antique, Aged and Patina Finishes,” one session, $75. Learning Tree University, 20920 Knapp St., Chatsworth.

Call: (818) 882-5599.

Location: Three-hour, one-session course is regularly available, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Call for dates. $20, including all supplies. Creative Expression, 22107 Sherman Way, Canoga Park.

Call: (818) 348-5174.

Resource: “The Art of Stenciling,” by Lyn Le Grice (Clarkson N. Potter Inc., $17.95). Lots of full-color photos for ideas and inspiration, with a discussion of design ideas and techniques.