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Stencil Maker: Turn Any Photo into a Stencil

Upload a photo and get a bold black-and-white stencil as an SVG in seconds. Cut it from vinyl, cardstock or mylar, or engrave it with a laser. Make stencils online, with nothing to install.

Photo of a couple turned into a black-and-white stencil

Click or drag an image to upload

Supported formats: JPG, JPEG, PNG, WEBP. Image size ≤10 MB. Please keep the main subject centered and fully visible.

Monochrome or Full Color: Pick Your Mode

Photo of a couple traced into a black-and-white SVG

Monochrome: One-Layer Stencil

The classic one-layer stencil: solid black shapes on white. Pick the Portrait style for faces.

Photo of a couple traced with Advanced enabled

Advanced: Bolder, Simpler Shapes

Tick Advanced and AI cleans up the photo first, giving bolder, simpler shapes with fewer tiny pieces to cut.

Photo of a couple converted into a full-color SVG

Full Color: Layered Stencils

Pick 4 colors and each one becomes its own shape. Cut one stencil per color and paint them in layers.

How to Make a Stencil from a Photo

01

Upload Your Photo

Click Upload and choose a JPG, PNG or WEBP photo. You'll need a free Atomm account, and it runs in your desktop browser, so there is nothing to install.

02

Pick a Mode

Choose Monochrome for a one-layer stencil, tick Advanced for photos, or choose Full color for layered stencils, then preview the result.

03

Download and Cut

Download the SVG and cut it with a laser, Cricut or Silhouette, or open it in xTool Studio, Illustrator or Inkscape to adjust it first.

Pet Stencils from Your Photos

Turn a photo of your dog or cat into a stencil for painted signs, tote bags, mugs and memorial gifts. The image vectorizer keeps the outline and the main fur markings, so the stencil still looks like your pet.

Tick Advanced and pick the Portrait style for the clearest faces.

Upload Image
Corgi photo turned into a black-and-white stencil

Bold Silhouette Stencils

A solid silhouette is the easiest stencil to cut and paint: one shape, no tiny pieces. Pick a side-on photo where the outline says it all, like a cat sitting or a dog mid-stride.

  • Use a photo with a plain background
  • Choose a pose with a clear, recognizable outline
  • Great for wall art, car decals and spray paint
Upload Image
Photo of a cat turned into a solid black silhouette stencil

Pattern and Mandala Stencils

Detailed patterns make striking stencils for walls, floors, furniture and fabric. Trace a mandala, lace or floral motif and use it for spray paint, screen printing or laser cutting.

The more detail you keep, the more small pieces you have to cut. For hand-cut stencils, pick the General style for bolder shapes.

Upload Image
Photo of a layered wooden mandala turned into a black-and-white pattern stencil

How to Make a Stencil That Cuts Cleanly

A stencil is only as good as its shapes. Check these before you cut.

Keep the Shapes Bold

Thin lines and tiny dots tear or clog with paint. Simple, bold shapes cut and paint cleanly.

Watch for Floating Pieces

Enclosed areas, like the middle of an O or an eye, fall out when cut. Add thin bridges in your design software to hold them in place.

Size It Up

Fine details need room. Make the stencil larger, or simplify the image, so every gap is wide enough to cut.

Pick the Right Material

Use mylar or vinyl for stencils you reuse, cardstock for one-off projects, and thin wood or acrylic for laser-cut stencils.

Next Steps for Your Stencil

Next Steps for Your Stencil Image Vectorizer

Image Vectorizer

Convert JPG, PNG and WEBP images into clean SVG outlines.

Next Steps for Your Stencil Image Trace

Image Trace

Trace logos, photos, sketches, and lettering into clean, editable SVG paths.

Next Steps for Your Stencil Silhouette Art

Silhouette Art

Turn a photo into a clean, solid silhouette.

Next Steps for Your Stencil Background Remover

Background Remover

Remove the background from any image in one click.

Next Steps for Your Stencil Image Upscaler

Image Upscaler

Sharpen a small or blurry image for smoother vector paths.

Next Steps for Your Stencil Laser Prep

Laser Prep

Prepare any photo for laser engraving in seconds.

Next Steps for Your Stencil Sticker Generator

Sticker Generator

Add a cut outline and turn your design into a die-cut sticker.

Find All Atomm Image Editing Tools

Stencil Guides

How to turn photos into silhouettes and stencils, and what to make with them.

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Turning a photo into a silhouette is one threshold decision. Which photo to use, where to set the slider, and the two fixes needed before you can cut it.

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How to Screen Print at Home: Space, Stencils and Curing

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Portrait Silhouette: 40 Free Laser-Cut Ideas from Photos

Turn any photo into a portrait silhouette to laser cut, from head profiles and couples to family, baby, and pet portraits. 40 free custom silhouette design ideas.

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How to Convert an Image to SVG (Vectorize a Photo or Logo)

How to convert an image to SVG: vectorize a JPG or PNG into scalable paths for free, step by step. What converts well, and how to get a laser-ready SVG.

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Stencil Crafts and Projects to Make

Laser-cut stencils for painting, signs and crafts, shared by the Atomm community.

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U.S. State Outline Cutouts

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Kryptek Stencil for spraypainting

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Sticky Notes Holder with to-do list stencil

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Agenda Stencil Ruler - Journaling Essential

Agenda Stencil Ruler - Journaling Essential

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Inspirational Latte Art Stencils

Inspirational Latte Art Stencils

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Wooden Latte Art Stencil for Coffee Cups
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Wooden Latte Art Stencil for Coffee Cups

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56
How To Make A Bleached Out Halloween Stencil Shirt

How To Make A Bleached Out Halloween Stencil Shirt

devans1202
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Santa Boot tread Stencil

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295
Coffee Stencils

Coffee Stencils

Anzy's Art
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19
77
Coffee capsule organizer with latte stencils and engraved retro-style cup coasters

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Little Mole
Little Mole
17
92
Coffee Stencil

Coffee Stencil

SharonM63
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177
Laser Cut Hello Fall Coffee Hot Cocoa Duster Cup Stencil Set and Holder

Laser Cut Hello Fall Coffee Hot Cocoa Duster Cup Stencil Set and Holder

frenchiefirm
frenchiefirm
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How to use Canva app and create a coffee stencil to be used in XCS.

How to use Canva app and create a coffee stencil to be used in XCS.

scrapbookmemories
scrapbookmemories
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76
PostIt Holder with Calendar and To-do-list grids/stencil

PostIt Holder with Calendar and To-do-list grids/stencil

Giuls Creations
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40
Christmas Laser Cut Mega Bundle | Winter CNC Files | Christmas Mega Engraving Bundle
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$59.90
Credits5990
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139
Alphabet Stencil Pencil Box, Laser Cut Wood Case, Kids Drawing Stencil (SVG File)
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Alphabet Stencil Pencil Box, Laser Cut Wood Case, Kids Drawing Stencil (SVG File)

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49
Kids Ruler Stencil SVG | Laser Cut Geometry Shape Template (Digital Download)
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Kids Ruler Stencil SVG | Laser Cut Geometry Shape Template (Digital Download)

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171
Mother's Day Stencil

Mother's Day Stencil

Thrasher114
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Super Mega Bundle Christmas and Earrings Laser Cut | Mega Christmas Laser Bundle | Huge Earrings Laser Bundle | Engraving SVG
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$59.90
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Super Mega Bundle Christmas and Earrings Laser Cut | Mega Christmas Laser Bundle | Huge Earrings Laser Bundle | Engraving SVG

t.store.xtool
t.store.xtool
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Skull Stencil

Skull Stencil

Dirk Glaser
Dirk Glaser
9
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bgImg

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make a stencil from a photo?

Upload your photo, choose Monochrome and tick Advanced so AI enhances the photo first, then pick the style that fits, such as Portrait for faces. Preview the result and download the stencil as an SVG. Cut it with a laser, Cricut or Silhouette, or adjust it first in xTool Studio, Illustrator or Inkscape.

What makes a good stencil photo?

Can I make a multi-layer stencil?

Does the stencil maker add bridges?

What material should I cut my stencil from?

Will the SVG work in Cricut Design Space or xTool Studio?

Invite friends to register and both of you get credits.