Stone Press

Stencil graffiti, made famous by Banksy in the last 5 years or so, has actually been a form of street art for 25 years. You can apply paper, cardboard or other types of surfaces (such as plastics) to make templated imagery and text. You merely cut around the shapes from your cardboard/paper/other surface, put said surface onto a wall (example), then spray or roll-on paint.

In effect, the process of stencilling involves applying paint across a stencil to form a picture on a surface below. Sometimes multiple layers of stencils are applied on the same image to add colours or give the image some depth.

So why do some individuals prefer to be a stencil artist? For a few, it is an easy method to put across a political point. Other artists treasure the publicity that their artwork can acquire. Some only wish their art to be viewed. Because the stencil stays uniform during its use, it is easier for an artist to quickly copy what could be a complex artwork at a very quick rate, when equated to other traditional tagging methods, so without question, there is also a compelling promotional reason to get involved with stencilling.

Banksy has applied stencilling as a method to make a political statement, often rather succinctly, providing the spectator to get the message themselves. This is oftentimes why people enjoy his artworks so much, as they force the viewer to meditate on the message behind the artwork. Banksy art is being reproduced as posters, t-shirts and graffiti art on canvas, such is the popularity of Banksy.