diff --git a/assignment.py b/assignment.py
index a722a7eb26a731fd7ef5da07845b09e40c1b1ad9..9900a24e0daca19a8d0c1c706abb22988f1feaa3 100644
--- a/assignment.py
+++ b/assignment.py
@@ -15,11 +15,11 @@ def print_assignment_latex(printer, expr):
     """sympy cannot print Assignments as Latex. Thus, this function is added to the sympy Latex printer"""
     printed_lhs = printer.doprint(expr.lhs)
     printed_rhs = printer.doprint(expr.rhs)
-    return "{printed_lhs} \leftarrow {printed_rhs}".format(printed_lhs=printed_lhs, printed_rhs=printed_rhs)
+    return r"{printed_lhs} \leftarrow {printed_rhs}".format(printed_lhs=printed_lhs, printed_rhs=printed_rhs)
 
 
 def assignment_str(assignment):
-    return "{lhs} ← {rhs}".format(lhs=assignment.lhs, rhs=assignment.rhs)
+    return r"{lhs} ← {rhs}".format(lhs=assignment.lhs, rhs=assignment.rhs)
 
 
 if Assignment:
@@ -51,15 +51,64 @@ else:
         _print_Assignment = print_assignment_latex
 
 
-def assignment_from_stencil(stencil_array, input_field, output_field, normalization_factor=None):
+def assignment_from_stencil(stencil_array, input_field, output_field,
+                            normalization_factor=None, order='visual') -> Assignment:
+    """Creates an assignment
+
+    Args:
+        stencil_array: nested list of numpy array defining the stencil weights
+        input_field: field or field access, defining where the stencil should be applied to
+        output_field: field or field access where the result is written to
+        normalization_factor: optional normalization factor for the stencil
+        order: defines how the stencil_array is interpreted. Possible values are 'visual' and 'numpy'.
+               For details see examples
+
+    Returns:
+        Assignment that can be used to create a kernel
+
+    Examples:
+        >>> import pystencils as ps
+        >>> f, g = ps.fields("f, g: [2D]")
+        >>> stencil = [[0, 2, 0],
+        ...            [3, 4, 5],
+        ...            [0, 6, 0]]
+
+        By default 'visual ordering is used - i.e. the stencil is applied as the nested lists are written down
+        >>> assignment_from_stencil(stencil, f, g, order='visual')
+        Assignment(g_C, 3*f_W + 6*f_S + 4*f_C + 2*f_N + 5*f_E)
+
+        'numpy' ordering uses the first coordinate of the stencil array for x offset, second for y offset etc.
+        >>> assignment_from_stencil(stencil, f, g, order='numpy')
+        Assignment(g_C, 2*f_W + 3*f_S + 4*f_C + 5*f_N + 6*f_E)
+
+        You can also pass field accesses to apply the stencil at an already shifted position:
+        >>> assignment_from_stencil(stencil, f[1, 0], g[2, 0])
+        Assignment(g_2E, 3*f_C + 6*f_SE + 4*f_E + 2*f_NE + 5*f_2E)
+    """
+    from pystencils import Field
+
     stencil_array = np.array(stencil_array)
+    if order == 'visual':
+        stencil_array = np.swapaxes(stencil_array, 0, 1)
+        stencil_array = np.flip(stencil_array, axis=1)
+    elif order == 'numpy':
+        pass
+    else:
+        raise ValueError("'order' has to be either 'visual' or 'numpy'")
+
+    if isinstance(input_field, Field):
+        input_field = input_field.center
+    if isinstance(output_field, Field):
+        output_field = output_field.center
+
     rhs = 0
     offset = tuple(s // 2 for s in stencil_array.shape)
 
     for index, factor in np.ndenumerate(stencil_array):
-        rhs += factor * input_field[tuple(i - o for i, o in zip(index, offset))]
+        shift = tuple(i - o for i, o in zip(index, offset))
+        rhs += factor * input_field.get_shifted(*shift)
 
     if normalization_factor:
         rhs *= normalization_factor
 
-    return Assignment(output_field.center(), rhs)
+    return Assignment(output_field, rhs)