Theorem stencil, sometimes also called theorem painting or velvet painting, is the art of making stencils and using them to make drawings or paintings on fabric or paper.

A vogue for theorem stencil painting began in England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 at the turn of the 19th century. The art was taught to women in academies and boarding schools throughout colonial New England

New England

New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...

.

The designs are traditionally painted on velvet and the work is then framed or matted. The stencils are multiple overlays and designs are always three dimensional, primitive and stylized in nature. The resulting design is bridgeless—there are no gaps in between the overlays.