1. The International Decorative Artisans League’s Certification Program provides an opportunity for individuals to qualify for stenciling certification by submitting work to be juried. It is the goal of the Certification Program to create a climate for the improvement of stencil artists' skills as well as to provide members with recognition of excellence in this field. Criteria for the stenciled work to be submitted is published separately in RULES AND REGULATIONS.
   
   
2. The program is open to all members of IDAL.
   
   
3. There are two entry levels of Certification, the Certified Stenciler and the Certified Stenciling Artisan. Certification candidates may only apply for and pursue one of the two levels. At either entry level the applicant’s technical abilities, measuring, placement, as well as design and color coordination is juried. Each applicant must successfully meet these rigorous standards before moving on to the Master level.
   
   
   • The applicant for CERTIFIED STENCILER (CS) must pay the required fee and submit one stenciled room containing all of the following: frieze; chair rail or baseboard; architectural or freestanding vertical; and three spot motifs. Three 8” x 10” color photos, to include one corner view, are to be sent for review along with proof sheets. One wood piece furnished by IDAL is to be stenciled and finished. One fabric piece must be stenciled and made into a pillow. Line drawings for both the wood and fabric must be cut and submitted for review by the applicant.
     
     The application for CERTIFIED STENCILER can be for:
     • All three categories: wood, walls and fabric
     • Or any one or more of the three categories
       

     
     However, all three categories must be successfully completed to be accorded the designation of CERTIFIED STENCILER. If the applicant does not successfully meet any or all of the standards in each of the categories, he/she my resubmit in only those categories needed to achieve certification in subsequent years.

   • The applicant for CERTIFIED STENCILING ARTISAN (CSA) must pay the required fee and submit one stenciled room containing a continuous border at any given height and choose at least one other design element: free standing verticals, architectural verticals, or three spot motifs OR stencil an all over wallpaper type pattern on at least two adjoining walls. Three 8” x 10” color photos, including one corner view, are to be sent for review along with proof sheets. One wood piece of choice and one fabric piece of choice that coordinate with the room’s overall design concept must also be submitted. There needs to be an 8” x 10” color photo of the wood piece in the room and an 8” x 10” color photo of the fabric piece in the room. In addition a line drawing must be cut into a stencil and submitted for review. The application for CERTIFIED STENCILING ARTISAN must be for all four categories.
     
     
4. The applicant for CERTIFIED STENCILING TEACHER (CST) must pay the required fee and have completed 200 hours of teaching in the stenciling field. Applicants must also document where and when these class hours were taught. The applicant must submit lesson plans, photos and descriptions of visual aids along with the names and addresses of twelve (12) students who will be asked to return a written critique. Of these 12 students, six (6) must be from classes with five or more students. The applicant may apply for the CST in the same year as applying for the Certified Stenciler: however, the title of Certified Stenciling Teacher, should the applicant meet the established standards, will not be awarded until the applicant has successfully completed the requirements for Certified Stenciler. Should the applicant not successfully complete the lesson portion for the CST, but does successfully complete the student critiques, the student critiques will remain on file for two years. During this period, if the applicant reapplies for CST, he/she will only be asked to resubmit the lesson portion for the CST.
   
   
5. The CERTIFIED MASTER STENCILER (CMS) level of certification allows for greater exploration of new frontiers. It has few strict guidelines or requirements and was designed to challenge each artist’s imagination. Applicants are juried on the basis of their creativity, inventiveness and skilled approach to the coordination of colors and designs. Only truly outstanding work will meet the standards of excellence applied by the judges. After successfully completing each of the following categories, the applicant will receive a Master certificate for that category. The applicant will not be recognized with the designation CMS until he/she has successfully completed all four categories.
   
   
   • The applicant for CERTIFIED MASTER STENCILER must have successfully completed the requirements for Certified Stenciler and must pay the required fee. He/she may apply for any or all of the following projects in any given year. The applicant will receive recognition for each Master category in which he/she has successfully met the standards of excellence. To receive the title of CMS, all of the following projects must be juried and successfully meet the standards of excellence. All stencil designs used for the MASTER category must be original or authentic historical designs.
     
     
     • CMS ROOM. A total concept stenciled room: walls, floor or ceiling or any combination of the three. The applicant must submit three 8” x10” photos of the room, including furnishings, along with proof sheets of the stencils used.
     • CMS FABRIC. One Master quality fabric project. This project must be sent to the Convention site. Photographs will not be accepted.
     • CMS WOOD. One Master quality wooden project. This item must be sent to the Convention site. Photographs will not be accepted.
     • CERTIFIED MASTER STENCILER CHOICE. For the final category of STENCILER CHOICE, the applicant must submit any Master quality project not otherwise covered by the other Certified Master Stenciler requirements. This project should be in the field in which the applicant excels since the certificate will be inscribed "Master of _______”. This project must be sent to the Convention site. Photographs will not be accepted.
       
       
   • The applicant for CERTIFIED MASTER STENCILING TEACHER (CMST) must have successfully completed the requirements for designation as a CS, CST and CMS, must pay the required fee and must submit lesson plans for an advanced stenciling class, visual aids and ten (10) names of students who have completed the described advanced stenciling class. The students will be asked to return a written critique on that class. The applicant must have taught 1000 hours as a stenciling teacher. The applicant may apply for Certified Master Stenciling Teacher in the same year that the applicant applies for the designation Certified Master Stenciler. Should the applicant not successfully meet the standards of excellence within the lesson portion of the CMST, but successfully meet the standards required for the student critique portion, the student critiques will remain on file for two years. During this period, if the applicant reapplies for CMST, he/she will only be asked to resubmit the lesson portion for the CMST.
     
     
6. All entries must be stenciled, using any desired medium. No hand painting is permitted.
   
   
7. It is extremely important that each applicant understand that all of the work submitted must be entirely his/her own. While working on the entry, the applicant may not seek hands-on assistance or obtain critiques from anyone, including teachers, art students or friends.
   
   
8. There is one opportunity each year to present work to be juried, just before the annual Convention. All entries must be postmarked five weeks before convention and received three weeks before convention. Entries postmarked after that date will be returned unopened. There will be no exceptions. The actual dates can be found on page one of the Certification packet which will be sent to you once the application for Certification is received.
   
   
9. Certification is conferred upon applicants whose work meets the requirements. Recognition of those who have met Certification standards is given at the banquet held during the Convention. The applicant need not be present in order to receive the recognition/designation.
   
   
10. All entries are carefully reviewed by three judges who have earned the title Certified Stenciler (CS). All entries submitted for judging are marked only by a number. The identity of the applicant is not known to the judges. The applicant receives written critiques from the three judges, whether or not the entry has successfully met the standards. The entries that have been returned to the applicant as "disqualified”, for whatever reason, will not be juried. The critiques will be returned to the applicant with the piece submitted for certification. Past applicants have felt the program has been an excellent learning experience as well as an opportunity for achieving recognition in the field of stenciling.
    
    
11. Only entries that have successfully met Certification standards will be on display at the Convention. This affords all applicants an opportunity to view successful Certification entries and allows artists to study the application of Certification standards.
    
    
12. Applications will be accepted by IDAL through July 8 each year. Please allow at least two weeks to receive the Certification Packet. Any application for Certification postmarked after July 8 will be returned.
    
    
13. An official application form (available on the IDAL web site) must be completed, signed and sent with the appropriate fees to the IDAL Certification Chairperson.

Cathy Rinn, CSA
10607 Montrose Ave #3
Bethesda, MD 20814
Email address: cathy.rinn@gmail.com
Phone number for questions: (301) 897-9376

Please provide a street address. PO Boxes are not acceptable. Duplication of the application is acceptable. Upon receipt of the application and fees, an applicant number will be assigned and sent with the Certification Packet. The IDAL Certification Packet must be used and its instructions strictly followed.