Graffiti, Printmaking, and Stencil Art

Graffiti- markings, as initials, slogans, or drawings, written, spray-painted, or sketched on a sidewalk, wall of a building or public restroom.

Printmaking-the art or technique of making prints,esp. as practiced in engraving,etching,drypoint, woodcut or serigraphy.

Stencil Graffiti- makes use of a paper, cardboard, or other media to create an image or text that is easily reproduceable.The desired design is cut out of the selected medium and then the image is transferred to a surface through the use of spray paint or roll-on paint.

What all three of these Artistic Media have in common:

-Made to be viewed by the public or mass quantities of people.

- Each process is promoting a certain message for the viewer.

-The idea behind each of these processes is to be reproduced and seen as much as possible.

The Printing Press (with moveable/replaceable type) was invented in 1436 by Johanne Gutenberg, in order to mass produce the Bible for everyone.

Over the centuries artists began using printmaking to mass produce their own work through a variety of printingprocesses.

EtchingBlock printing

Lithography Screen printing

Graffiti History in a nutshell…

Graffiti (as an underground art form) is said to have started in Philadelphia in the mid to late 1960’s, and moved to New York City around the same time. Since then it has evolved from the original look, although the principles and ideas have remained the same.

Tags

Throw Ups

Wild Style

Stencil Graffiti history in a nutshell…

One of the first StencilGraffiti artists (Blek Le Rat)Ca. 1970’s.

Stencil Graffiti is said to have originatedin Baltimore, Maryland as a communication tool between artists in the late 1960’s/early 1970’s…although there were artists doing similar work in New York City and Paris, Francearound the same time. The stencil itself has been used for centuries though. Stencil Graffiti in its early form was used to usually send a political or subversive message. Now, Stencil Graffiti has taken on various forms and sends varying messages.

Examples of Stencil Graffiti

Your Project:

- Students will make editions (5 prints ea.) based on 3 primary images.

- These primary images must be approved by the teacher. No gang, sexual, profane, drug, violent, or inappropriate imagery will be tolerated or accepted.time to be creative and use your thinking skills.

-You are trying to convey a message without being obvious…Remember when we discussed terms such as SYMBOLISM and “illustrating social issues?” You may have a serious or also have a humorous approach.

-You will have to back up your imagery choices by writing TWO-PARAGRAPHS about why you are doing what you are doing.

-We will begin printing on paper, then move into printing on fabric, then T-Shirts.

-Your Images are to be no larger than8.5 x 11 inches and no smaller than 4 x 6 inches.

-We will be using Adobe Photoshop to makeadjustments, then printing the images in order to create the stencils.

Further instruction and demos will be providedThroughout the following weeks.

Disclaimer: Legal vs. Illegal

What we are doing in this project is LEGAL.Using spray paint and marking property withoutpermission is ILLEGAL. If you are commissionedto create a piece on property that is LEGAL. The use and sale of Spray Paint in the city of Chicago is ILLEGAL. We will be using water-basedPrinting ink and Fabric printing ink, which is LEGAL.

WARNING: We will also be using X-Acto blades to cut our stencils. YOU MUST BE PATIENT AND CAREFUL.