I've been playing around with various approaches to get "underspray" on my cabinet stencils (or whatever people prefer to call it).

Like this: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/webbing-of-the-day#post-3451643

I love that color fade - it adds an amazing dimension to the graphics, kind of like Japanese woodblock prints. It immediately signals an original paint job over a sticky-masked contemporary one.

How do people achieve it these days?

(and what do y'all call this "fuzzing out" of the stencil lines. I've heard "underspray", "ghosting", "fuzziness".
Is there a standard term?)

For my part, on simple graphics I've used two layers of 20-30# cardstock, tacked-sprayed together, with the bottom layer 1/4" inside the stencil line (i.e. the "understencil" is 1/4" bigger/inside the actual stencil). The bottom layer keeps the stencil off the cab surface just enough to get a fuzzy line, and 1/4" inside the line is enough to prevent a hard stop on the "fuzz", and properly supports the stencil off the surface. I use a J roller to consistently stick things down without adhering the edge.

I also tried using 1/16" mat board on another repaint, but that caused too much overspray.

I've got some more complex graphics on my next cabinet, so I'm curious if there's a way to get overspray on vinyl-cut graphics, like from a signmaker's rig. Is there a material that's easy to cut, thick enough to raise a stencil off the surface and rigid enough for a bit of overhang?

I hear the factory used metal stencils that stood off the surface just enough, but making metal stencils for a one-off repaint ain't gonna happen.

Thoughts?

I did think about foamcore, but I've only seen 1/4" thick material, which is pretty thick and hard to cut with precision. I also don't think a vinyl cutter could handle it.

Right - "Overspray" - that's the search term I needed

I guess I'm doing what Ken already does:

Anyway, here's my version, a hand-cut stencil with the slightly larger understencil attached.
I used cheap white card stock from the kid's section at Michaels ("posterboard"). Nothing was big enough for the whole cabinet, so I judiciously pieced things together. And as Ken said, you can flip your artwork to do the other side. Montana Gold paint makes things go quickly, no drips and the results were excellent.

IMG_2504 (resized).JPG

Top side:

IMG_2505 (resized).JPG

And the result:

IMG_2503 (resized).JPG

I like the blurred line.

Someone was just asking about this, so I'm posting a pic of a previous effort with 1/16" matboard where the overspray was a too heavy (GTB SingAlong).
(In other words, having the top layer 1/16" above the surface was too high)

After spraying, I went back and wiped off some of the overspray with thinner. I prefer the 30# cardstock. The 1/16" matboard was too thick (but admittedly well suited for bandsawing a big stack of stars for a SingAlong!)

IMG_9429 (resized).JPG