Vernacularism

Stencil graffiti, made famous by Banksy over the last couple of years, has actually been a form of street art for 25 years. You can apply paper, cardboard or other forms of surfaces (such as plastics) to create templated graphics and text. You simply cut out the design from your paper/cardboard/other surface, put said surface onto a wall (example), then spray or roll-on paint.

The definitive principle of stencilling is creating outlines via cutting shapes, and spraying paint within these cutout shapes - creating unmistakable images on the surface underneath. It’s also feasible to use multiple layers of stencils to create an illusion of depth or even add colours.

So why do some people opt to be a stencil artist? For a few, it is an easy method to produce a political point. Many artists appreciate the publicity that their artwork can receive. Some only want their art to be seen. As the stencil stays unchanged throughout its use, it is easier for a stencil artist to rapidly copy what could be an involved piece at a very quick rate, when compared to other conventional tagging methods, so without doubt, there is also a powerful promotional reason to get involved with stencilling.

Banksy has applied stencilling as a means to make a political statement, often quite succinctly, leaving the witness to work out that very point in their head. This is often why people enjoy his artworks so much, as they force the viewer to meditate on the meaning behind the artwork. Banksy artwork is now being reprinted on canvas, t-shirts and posters, such is the popularity of Banksy.