hurrengoa
stencils, do it yourself    Just like everywhere else, the different ways you can paint or spray graffiti on street walks has evolved, and probably faster than most other things at that, because it doesn’t suffer the commercial pressure that everything else in real estate does. The use of stencils is now more widespread than ever and they have become common tools for many artists (you see plenty of blurb about stencils at the link) and many references about their use have been made in mags in the know. The balde will now take the opportunity to show you how to make stencils in five quick and easy steps: Choose a design/picture; take the following into consideration:
• The design shouldn’t have too many black parts. Black is a gap in stencils and if you abuse, chances are the end result will be a rather weak one.
• Don’t surround any white parts with black, if black is a gap... how will you be able to maintain a white area if it’s surrounded by gaps?
• You’ll more than likely have to change the drawing or come up with something more appropriate.

Drop into your nearest printer’s and ask them for the acetate they use to make the photolithographs (it’s chucked out once it’s been used). There are no printer’s round your way you say. You’ll have to make do with a Corn Flakes box so.

Place the paper with your drawing under the acetate (if you’re using cardboard, you’re better off sticking the drawing on top) and carefully trace over the drawing. Use a really sharp knife or Stanley Knife to cut it out or you’re asking for trouble. Otherwise you’ll sweat all over your lovely piece of art work and banjax it all together.

Once your out and about, you’ll find that the stencils don’t like hanging around walls – they’re chickeny little buggers – so you’re better off lashing them up with artists’ sticky tape; cut off little bits and stick them to the inside of your jacket and you can lash them onto the stencil just before you do the deed. You don’t want nasty sticky tape ruining your super-cool clobber? You can always buy a can of spray-glue and use that instead. Make sure you buy the stuff that can be peeled off, otherwise your poor wee stencil will become a permanent part of the local masonry work.

You can carry your stencils around in any old folder, but be careful that the stencil (and the glue) doesn’t dry on you while you’re strolling around – you’ll have one hell of a job ripping the bugger out! People use all sorts of things to carry there stencils around, nice and concealed. For instance, therve’s the old pizza tray trick; you cut out the bottom and stick your stencil in (Nobel Prize for that one!), so it will look like a plain ol’ pizza from the outside. Once you get to the scene of the crime, you just lash the box against the wall, pop down the cover and get to work with the can of spray paint. Finger Lickin’ Good.

Oh, and by the way, you will say that we mentioned this to you because you were going to do up your sitting room, won’t you.