Photo to stencil maker — free, in your browser
Upload a photo and get a clean black-and-white stencil for spray paint, wood signs, cake art, pumpkins or tracing. Make one solid layer, 2–3 tone layers with registration marks, or an outline, and download a PDF, PNG or SVG.
In short: Linecraft’s photo to stencil maker converts a JPG, PNG or iPhone photo into a stencil in your browser, so the photo is never uploaded. Choose one color (a threshold with an automatic starting point), 2 or 3 tone layers for multi-layer spray paint, or an outline for tracing and tattoo transfer. Smoothing and speck removal clean up the cut. Download a print-ready PDF with registration marks, a PNG, or an SVG for Cricut, Silhouette or laser software. It is free with no watermark.
More photo crafts: turn a picture into line art with the photo to coloring page converter, or into a chart with the photo to cross stitch pattern maker.
How do you turn a photo into a stencil?
A stencil is a photo reduced to areas that are either cut out or left solid, so the first step is to throw away the in-between grays. Upload the photo, pick a stencil type and move the threshold until the face or subject reads clearly in pure black and white; the Auto button starts from the level that best splits the picture into dark and light. Raise smoothing to round off jagged edges, and raise speck removal until tiny dots disappear, because every speck is a piece too small to cut. For spray paint art, choose 2 or 3 layers: each layer is a separate sheet, printed with the same registration marks so you can line them up. Then print the PDF on card stock or download the SVG for a cutting machine. Photos with strong light from one side and a plain background give the cleanest stencils.
- Three types: one color, 2–3 tone layers, outline
- Downloads: PDF (one page per layer, registration marks), PNG, SVG (one file per layer)
- Free, no account, no watermark; the photo is processed on your device
- Works with JPG, PNG, WebP and iPhone HEIC photos
How to make a stencil from a photo
Upload a photo
Choose a JPG, PNG or HEIC photo, or start with a sample. A clear subject, side light and a plain background work best.
Pick the stencil type
One color for signs, shirts and pumpkins; 2 or 3 layers for spray paint portraits; outline for tracing, wood burning and tattoo transfer.
Tune the threshold and clean-up
Move the threshold (or press Auto), then raise smoothing and speck removal until the shapes are bold and there are no tiny dots.
Check islands
Look for paper areas fully surrounded by ink, such as the inside of an O or an eye. Add a thin bridge when you cut so they don’t fall out.
Download and cut
Print the PDF on card stock or acetate, or load the SVG into Cricut Design Space, Silhouette Studio or laser software.
Which stencil type to choose
| Type | Best for | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| One color | Signs, T-shirts, pumpkins, cake and cookie stencils, walls | Aim for 30–60% ink; under that the subject falls apart, over that it turns into a blob |
| 2 layers | Pet and portrait spray paint art | Spray the lightest color over the whole area first, then the dark layer on top |
| 3 layers | Detailed portraits, banksy-style street art | Use the registration marks: tape each sheet so the corner crosses line up |
| Outline | Tracing, wood burning, embroidery transfer, tattoo stencils | Lower line detail for bold lines, raise it to keep hair and texture |
Layers are cumulative: layer 1 holds only the darkest tone, and lighter layers also cover the darker areas. That way each sheet is a sturdy shape instead of a lace of tiny pieces, and you can spray light-to-dark without gaps.
Photos that make good stencils
- Strong light from one side: shadows give the face shape once the grays are gone. Flat, front-lit photos turn into a few dots.
- A plain background, or crop it out: busy backgrounds become noise that has to be cut.
- High contrast between subject and background, such as a dark dog on a light floor.
- Big shapes over fine detail: hair, fur and text need a large stencil to survive.
- For outline stencils, a sharp photo matters more than lighting.
If the stencil looks patchy, try raising smoothing first, then move the threshold a little darker or lighter. Invert swaps ink and paper, which is useful when you want to spray the background and leave the subject bare.
Printing and cutting
For hand cutting, print the PDF on card stock, or print on paper and tape it to acetate or a file folder, then cut the black areas with a sharp craft knife on a cutting mat. Freezer paper stencils for fabric can be printed directly: iron the shiny side onto the shirt after cutting.
For a cutting machine or laser, download the SVG. Every black pixel run becomes part of a filled black shape at the stencil’s working resolution, so it imports as a single cut layer; set the size in Design Space or your laser software. Multi-layer stencils download as one SVG per layer.
Before cutting, find the islands: paper areas completely surrounded by black, such as the center of an eye or the letter O. In a cut stencil they would drop out, so leave a thin bridge of paper (2–3 mm) connecting them to the rest, or use the outline type for tracing instead.
Free stencil makers compared
Many photo to stencil tools online are AI image generators that need an upload, an account or credits, and some add a watermark to free downloads. Linecraft takes a different approach: it does the threshold, layer split and clean-up on your device, so you can adjust every slider live, download as often as you like and keep your photos private. If you want an AI redraw instead of a direct conversion, the photo to coloring page tool offers one.
Frequently asked questions
Is the photo to stencil maker free?
Yes. Every stencil type and download (PDF, PNG and SVG) is free with no account and no watermark.
Is my photo uploaded?
No. The stencil is made in your browser, so the photo never leaves your device.
Can I use the stencil with Cricut or Silhouette?
Yes. Download the SVG and import it into Cricut Design Space or Silhouette Studio as a cut file, then set the size you need.
How do I make a multi-layer spray paint stencil?
Choose 2 or 3 layers. The PDF has one page per layer with registration marks in the corners; cut each sheet, spray the lightest layer first and line up the marks for each darker layer.
Can I make a tattoo stencil from a photo?
Use the outline type for clean transfer lines, then print it or trace it onto stencil paper. Ask your tattoo artist about thermal stencil paper and sizing.
Why does my stencil have tiny dots?
Those are specks from noise in the photo. Raise Remove small specks and Smoothing until they disappear; it also makes the stencil easier to cut.