Making stencils for creating artistic works on residential lawns

• US 7,225,733 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2006
• Issued: 06/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Grass Graffiti, LLC
• Original Assignee: Grass Graffiti, LLC
• Inventors: Bizzell, Daniel Lee, Cox, Brian, Fields, Riley C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Colilla; Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Culler; Jill E.
• Application Number:
  US11/275,929
• Publication Number:
  US 20070095222A1
• Time in Patent Office: 485 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 101/128.4
• CPC Class Codes: B44D 2/002 Kits for drawing or painting
• CPC Class Codes: B44D 2/007 using stencils in artistic drawing or painting operations

Abstract

A method of making a plurality of the same combination of lawn stencils, which combination is used to create an artistic work on a lawn, includes: simultaneously cutting a first predetermined pattern of one or more openings in each sheet of a first stack of sheets by applying a high pressure water jet, each sheet of the first stack representing a first lawn stencil of the combination; and simultaneously cutting a second predetermined pattern of one or more openings in each sheet of a second stack of sheets by applying a high pressure water jet, each sheet of the second stack representing a second lawn stencil of the combination. The first predetermined pattern corresponds to one or more design elements of the artistic work, and the second predetermined pattern corresponds to one or more additional design elements of the artistic work.

Claims

1. A method of making a plurality of the same combination of lawn stencils which combination is used to create an artistic work on a lawn, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) forming a first stack of a plurality of planar sheets;

(b) simultaneously cutting a first predetermined pattern of one or more openings in each sheet of the first stack by applying a high pressure water jet through the first stack of sheets, each sheet of the first stack representing a first lawn stencil of the combination, and further cutting anchor openings in each of the first stack, each anchor opening for receiving there through a stake for anchoring of the first lawn stencil to the lawn;

(c) forming a second stack of a plurality of planar sheets; and

(d) simultaneously cutting a second predetermined pattern of one or more openings in each sheet of the second stack by applying a high pressure water jet through the second stack of sheets, each sheet of the second stack representing a second lawn stencil of the combination, and further cutting anchor openings in each of the second stack, each anchor opening for receiving there through a stake for anchoring of the second lawn stencil to the lawn;

(e) wherein the first predetermined pattern that is cut in each sheet of the first stack corresponds to one or more design elements of the artistic work; and

(f) wherein the second predetermined pattern that is cut in each sheet of the second stack corresponds to one or more additional design elements of the artistic work.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first stack comprises a plurality of planar sheets of a film, and wherein the second stack comprises a plurality of planar sheets of a film.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the film of both the first and second stacks comprises low density polypropylene.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the film of both the first and second stacks comprises low density polyethylene.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the cutting of said step (b) is performed relative to alignment locations of each sheet of the first stack, and wherein the cutting of said step (d) is performed relative to alignment locations of each sheet of the second stack, the alignment locations of each sheet of the first stack and the alignment locations of the each sheet of the second stack being located such that the design elements corresponding to the first predetermined pattern and the additional design elements corresponding to the second predetermined pattern properly combine on the lawn to create the artistic work when the first and second lawn stencils are positioned on the lawn using the alignment locations.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second predetermined pattern that is cut in each sheet of the second stack is in a predetermined orientation and position during said step (d) relative to the orientation and position of the first predetermined pattern that is cut in each sheet of the first stack during said step (b).

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first predetermined pattern is cut in each sheet of the first stack at a predetermined orientation and position relative to anchor openings that are cut in each sheet of the first stack, and wherein the second predetermined pattern is cut in each sheet of the second stack at a predetermined orientation and position relative to anchor openings that are cut in each sheet of the second stack.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the anchor openings that are cut in each sheet of the first stack are intended to register with the anchor openings that are cut in each sheet of the second stack when the first and second lawn stencils overlay one another, whereby all of the design elements of the first and second lawn stencils properly combine to create the artistic work when the first and second lawn stencils are utilized.

9. A method for manufacturing a kit for creating an artistic work on a lawn, comprising:

(a) manufacturing a first lawn stencil by cutting a predetermined pattern of one or more openings in a planar sheet of a film using a high pressure water jet, wherein the pattern of one or more openings that is cut corresponds to one or more design elements of the artistic work;

(b) manufacturing a second lawn stencil by cutting a predetermined pattern of one or more openings in a planar sheet of a film using a high pressure water jet, wherein the pattern of one or more openings that is cut corresponds to one or more additional design elements of the artistic work; and

(c) disposing within a container contents of the kit, including folding the first lawn stencil into a small configuration that is dimensioned to fit within the container of the kit and folding the second lawn stencil into a small configuration that is dimensioned to fit within the container of the kit, the contents of the kit including,

(i) the first lawn stencil manufactured in said step (a),

(ii) the second lawn stencil manufactured in said step (b),

(iii) a first container of paint of a first color,

(iv) a second container of paint of a second color, and

(v) a plurality of stakes for anchoring each of the first and second lawn stencils to the lawn.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein each of the first container of paint and second container of paint comprises an aerosol.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the container in which the contents of the kit are disposed comprises a box that is about eleven inches in length, about ten and one-half inches in height, and about five and one-quarter inches in width.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing an illustration of an artistic work on a lawn which artistic work is intended to be created using the kit.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein each lawn stencil includes an anchor opening dimensioned to receive there through one of the plurality of stakes, and wherein a stake of the plurality of stakes includes a circumferential flange dimensioned such that, upon extension of the stake through the anchor opening, the respective lawn stencil is retained between the circumferential flange and the lawn, whereby the circumferential flange keeps the respective lawn stencil from lifting up off of the lawn.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the stake includes a plurality of such circumferential flanges.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the artistic work comprises a logo for a sports team, a representation of a sports event, a representation of a season of the year, or a representation of a holiday.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising cutting anchor openings in each of the first lawn stencil and the second lawn stencil, each anchor opening in a respective lawn stencil dimensioned to receive there through one of the plurality of the stakes for anchoring of the lawn stencil to the lawn.

17. A method for manufacturing a kit for creating an artistic work on a lawn, comprising:

(a) manufacturing a first lawn stencil by cutting a predetermined pattern of one or more openings in a planar sheet of a film using a high pressure water jet, wherein the pattern of one or more openings that is cut corresponds to one or more design elements of the artistic work;

(b) manufacturing a second lawn stencil by cutting a predetermined pattern of one or more openings in a planar sheet of a film using a high pressure water jet, wherein the pattern of one or more openings that is cut corresponds to one or more additional design elements of the artistic work; and

(c) disposing within a container contents of the kit, including rolling the first lawn stencil into a small configuration that is dimensioned to fit within the container of the kit and rolling the second lawn stencil into a small configuration that is dimensioned to fit within the container of the kit, the contents of the kit including,

(i) the first lawn stencil manufactured in said step (a),

(ii) the second lawn stencil manufactured in said step (b),

(iii) a first container of paint of a first color,

(iv) a second container of paint of a second color, and

(v) a plurality of stakes for anchoring each of the first and second lawn stencils to the lawn.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the container in which the contents of the kit are disposed comprises a box that is about eleven inches in length, about ten and one-half inches in height, and about five and one-quarter inches in width.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising cutting anchor openings in each of the first lawn stencil and the second lawn stencil, each anchor opening in a respective lawn stencil dimensioned to receive there through one of the plurality of the stakes for anchoring of the lawn stencil to the lawn.

20. A method for manufacturing a kit for creating an artistic work on a lawn, comprising:

(a) manufacturing a first lawn stencil by cutting a predetermined pattern of one or more openings in a planar sheet of a film using a high pressure water jet, wherein the pattern of one or more openings that is cut corresponds to one or more design elements of the artistic work;

(b) manufacturing a second lawn stencil by cutting a predetermined pattern of one or more openings in a planar sheet of a film using a high pressure water jet, wherein the pattern of one or more openings that is cut corresponds to one or more additional design elements of the artistic work; and

(c) disposing within a container contents of the kit, including folding the first lawn stencil into a small configuration that is dimensioned to fit within the container of the kit and rolling the second lawn stencil into a small configuration that is dimensioned to fit within the container of the kit, the contents of the kit including,

(i) the first lawn stencil manufactured in said step (a),

(ii) the second lawn stencil manufactured in said step (b),

(iii) a first container of paint of a first color,

(iv) a second container of paint of a second color, and

(v) a plurality of stakes for anchoring each of the first and second lawn stencils to the lawn.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the container in which the contents of the kit are disposed comprises a box that is about eleven inches in length, about ten and one-half inches in height, and about five and one-quarter inches in width.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising cutting anchor openings in each of the first lawn stencil and the second lawn stencil, each anchor opening in a respective lawn stencil dimensioned to receive there through one of the plurality of the stakes for anchoring of the lawn stencil to the lawn.