Stencils the answer? Advice please

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**Don Cooperino**

Good day all,

Currently building and painting my first ever army (Black Templars) and received
Assault on Black Reach for my birthday so incorporating most of the marines into my army.

I'm just finishing the Terminator squad but need to paint a red cross onto their right shoulder guards.

The thing is my painting skills are modest at best and not sure if I can free hand them so I was
considering making a small stencil. Does anyone else use this method or can someone suggest
something better?

Thanks for your help Dakka, knowledge is power

**MechaEmperor7000**

I personally use a pencil to draw on the design. It helps me to focus and keep the paint within the lines.

**Don Cooperino**

Thanks for the advice, pencil could work for me, only thing is the shoulder guard is black, not sure I'll see the lines...

**MechaEmperor7000**

I usually have a wide range of pencils since I work in animation, but you should be able to get a red one for as cheap as 50 cents or less.

**Don Cooperino**

Cool, I'll give a red pencil a try, thanks Mecha

**Zefig**

If that still doesn't work, you might try using painter's tape to mask off the parts you don't want painted. Just make sure you stick it down well to avoid paint seeping in underneath.

**VikingScott**

Sharpies work well. But if the shoulder pad is black to start with then they may not work.

But they would for any with the white shoulder pad.

**MechaEmperor7000**

My instructor gave us a pen that you can load up with paint or ink and draw with it on surfaces. It's largely to help us get rid of mistakes but it could be very useful here.