What is the best way to: How do you paint a stencil?

Pick from:
(A). Put the stencil down flat on a surface. Hold the stencil down to the surface. With a paint of your choice, fill in all of the shapes, applying one even coat of paint.
(B). Place your stencil flat on a paintable surface, like a canvas or wood block. Hold the stencil down to the surface either with your hand or by using tape. Using any paint of your choice, apply one coat of short, even strokes of paint with a paintbrush to fill in all open cut-out shapes of the stencil.
Answer:
(B).