Edit a stencil

You can modify an existing stencil by deforming it with Sculpt tools like Grab and Pinch, deforming the stencil to more closely conform to the shape of your model, then rub or project the stencil detail onto the model. You can also use the full Paint Tools set to touch up existing stencil images or paint new stencils, including tileable stencils.

You can edit stencils for temporary use, or save them to the Stencil tray to use again later.

To edit an existing stencil

1. Select the existing stencil you want to edit from the Stencil tray.
2. Select Edit > Stencil (Hotkey: R).

   The semi-transparent Edit this stencil window displays at the top left of the Mudbox interface.

   NoteIf you did not select an existing stencil, the Create New Stencil window appears instead.

   If the stencil you selected was set with Tiling (created with Tiling turned on in the Create New Stencil window), the stencil displays as a grid of 9 copies. This lets you view how the stencil tile edges meet so you can ensure any pattern you paint will tile correctly.

3. Use any of the Paint or Sculpt tools to modify the stencil.

   As long as the stencil editing window displays, Mudbox is in stencil editing mode, and any tool you select is applied to the stencil. If you apply a Paint tool, a paint layer called Edited Stencil is automatically created in the Paint Layers window.

   You can use all Paint tools except Clone for stencil editing. All Sculpt tools work, although Pinch and Grab give the most tangible results.

   Tip As you edit the stencil, use the S hotkey to navigate your stencil as usual.
4. (Optional) If you are painting to edit the stencil, you can adjust the overall color using the Edited Stencil paint layer. Right-click the layer and select Adjust Color from the pop-up menu, then set the color adjustment options you want in the Adjust Color window.
   TipYou can use existing stencils to paint a stencil. For example, while editing stencil A, select stencil B to paint the B pattern on stencil A. When applying the effect from the secondary stencil, navigating using the S hotkey affects only the secondary stencil, and the stencil being edited remains fixed in place.
5. When finished with the stencil, do any of the following:
   • To use the stencil immediately, click Done in the stencil editing window (Hotkey: R).

     Note that this does not save the stencil, so if you select another stencil, the current stencil is lost. You can, however, select Edit > Stencil again (or press R) to continue editing the stencil.

   • To save the stencil, click Save As.

     This opens the Save Stencil As window, letting you save the stencil to disk and specify whether you want it added to your Stencil tray.