I didn't even stencil them. I copied the pic on my printer and then transferred it to the pot via carbon paper. Then I just used acrylic paints and sealed them. I've used acrylics in the garden before and it holds up as good as anything else. The main thing is to seal well so that water can't get behind the paint and make it peel off. Thanks for the compliments. I don't usually hang out indoors and paint, this was a "sick day" project.