[biglebowski]

Hi! For a while I have been making little sketches with the view to make some proper prints out of them in the future. I'm not a great drawer at all but I do my best... I think the concepts are better than the actual drawings themselves. 

With the GDP release I have been inspired to try and take this a bit further. I love the style of art that Banksy and Blek make, and as an amateur to creating art am hoping to understand how they do it. What is the process from taking a concept in their head to becoming a print on paper. Is it all done on photoshop? Is a hand drawn image put into photoshop and then edited to become the stencil style? How does Banksy for example create the human faces I his prints like grannies and bomb hugger? Does he photograph real people and then edit this in photoshop?

Looking forward to learning more! Thanks

[londonliam08]

Hand drawn, cut and no photo shop. This is how I believe and hope he does.

[avec art]

simple tracing paper can be a wondrous thing

[Carl Cashman]

Hand drawn, you can spot a mile off anyone that's used photoshop.

[biglebowski]

Thanks for the answers! So what sort of pencils/pens are Banksy and blek using to create that style of art? I would love to have a go at doing the same..

Also are you saying that the people Banksy uses in his images aren't based on real subjects at all?

One more question for a complete novice... How do artists turn a sketch on a piece of paper into an image ready for print as part of an edition?

Cheers

[avec art]

to do it well requires more skill than most people imagine

[drip]

While hand drawn is ultimately (probably) what you should aim for, if *if* you feel your drawing isn't up to scratch (remember, practice, practice, practice), then there's no shame in using stock images for your first/early attempts. I believe even the masters have used stock images for some of their finest works. Just cut sloppily and it'll look like style innit. Anyway, you can mix and match too, stock image with hand drawn elements. The main thing is to practice (you will get better), experiment (you will learn what does and doesn't work), and have fun (don't get arrested).

If you're wondering what types of pencils/pens Banksy uses, stick around, I have a feeling his shop might be stocking them soon

[biglebowski]

Oct 18, 2019 10:46:30 GMT 1 drip said:

While hand drawn is ultimately (probably) what you should aim for, if *if* you feel your drawing isn't up to scratch (remember, practice, practice, practice), then there's no shame in using stock images for your first/early attempts. I believe even the masters have used stock images for some of their finest works. Just cut sloppily and it'll look like style innit. Anyway, you can mix and match too, stock image with hand drawn elements. The main thing is to practice (you will get better), experiment (you will learn what does and doesn't work), and have fun (don't get arrested).

If you're wondering what types of pencils/pens Banksy uses, stick around, I have a feeling his shop might be stocking them soon

Nice one thanks! I guess it's like riding a bike... Just gotta draw draw draw and improve over time.

[Majestic]

You know what?

It's lovely to see such an innocent question in amongst all the chaos recently!

[biglebowski]

Oct 18, 2019 12:24:11 GMT 1 Majestic said:

You know what?

It's lovely to see such an innocent question in amongst all the chaos recently!

Haha yes it is rather innocent. But I am genuinely fascinated with how Banksy and blek achieve that stencil style so well. It almost surprises me to hear members saying it's completely done from scratch by pencil...i always assumed there was another medium involved like a real photo image of an actual protestor as a start point and then that's redrawn with new elements such as a bunch of flowers..

[jimbofatz]

Keep the can close to the wall for thin lines and back for fill. That's all I was told my first go.

Also, try your owns**t even if it sucks. There are already enough banksy's.

[Terry Fuckwitt]

Oct 18, 2019 19:14:28 GMT 1 jimbofatz said:

Keep the can close to the wall for thin lines and back for fill. That's all I was told my first go.

Also, try your owns**t even if it sucks. There are already enough banksy's.

Yep! 3D, Robert, Del Naja, Bob, Massive Attack... the list goes on😉

[sgolby]

Think of it like those old coloring by numbers games for kids. Each cutout represents a part of the greater image, and/or a different color... kind of like...


I am a fan of visual aids lol.  So when making the stencil for the hair, you would cutout the hair and spray in that space...

[hnkpnk]

[Dive Jedi]

It's like carving a life size elephant in marble.
Dead simple really.

Just buy a 6 x 3 meter marble block.
And just chip anything away that doesn't look like an elephant…..

[GMA]

Funny this has been brought up as it got me thinking the other day too and I spoke with the missus and said "Would you be alright if I converted the garage into an art studio for me and little'un to mess about with paints"

And she was fine with it, when I say converted, i mean moving all the crap thats in there to one area, and getting some tables or a unit, and having a mess about. But itll be fun no doubt and I enjoy messy play with my daughter.

[biglebowski]

Oct 18, 2019 19:36:45 GMT 1 sgolby said:

Think of it like those old coloring by numbers games for kids. Each cutout represents a part of the greater image, and/or a different color... kind of like...


I am a fan of visual aids lol.  So when making the stencil for the hair, you would cutout the hair and spray in that space...

Well explained... But in terms of getting from sketch to large stencils how is that done? Is it just draw the sketch, scan to computer, then print onto large paper for stencils?

[cmc]

Oct 19, 2019 13:10:23 GMT 1 biglebowski said:

Oct 18, 2019 19:36:45 GMT 1 sgolby said:

Think of it like those old coloring by numbers games for kids. Each cutout represents a part of the greater image, and/or a different color... kind of like...


I am a fan of visual aids lol.  So when making the stencil for the hair, you would cutout the hair and spray in that space...

Well explained... But in terms of getting from sketch to large stencils how is that done? Is it just draw the sketch, scan to computer, then print onto large paper for stencils?

Theres a few ways - some use projectors for enlargement - or the grid method is a simple lo tech solution: www.art-is-fun.com/grid-method


Just go for it have fun, mess around. Doing things a little different and your own way is the best technique!

[drip]

Oct 19, 2019 13:10:23 GMT 1 biglebowski said:

Oct 18, 2019 19:36:45 GMT 1 sgolby said:

Think of it like those old coloring by numbers games for kids. Each cutout represents a part of the greater image, and/or a different color... kind of like...


I am a fan of visual aids lol.  So when making the stencil for the hair, you would cutout the hair and spray in that space...

Well explained... But in terms of getting from sketch to large stencils how is that done? Is it just draw the sketch, scan to computer, then print onto large paper for stencils?

If you've got a home printer, you can stick smaller sections together. Or, the library (if you're lucky enough to have one and austerity's not destroyed it yet) photocopier can be your friend (for enlarging). You can always get free cardboard from supermarkets, and just practice cutting and painting some freehand stencils. Go for low-cost while you're practicing/experimenting.

Oh, and if you watch a few Banksy videos (Exit through.. etc) or look through his books, you'll see how he constructs stencils. 

[biglebowski]

Oct 19, 2019 13:37:43 GMT 1 drip said:

Oct 19, 2019 13:10:23 GMT 1 biglebowski said:

Well explained... But in terms of getting from sketch to large stencils how is that done? Is it just draw the sketch, scan to computer, then print onto large paper for stencils?

If you've got a home printer, you can stick smaller sections together. Or, the library (if you're lucky enough to have one and austerity's not destroyed it yet) photocopier can be your friend (for enlarging). You can always get free cardboard from supermarkets, and just practice cutting and painting some freehand stencils. Go for low-cost while you're practicing/experimenting.

Oh, and if you watch a few Banksy videos (Exit through.. etc) or look through his books, you'll see how he constructs stencils. 

Thanks mate this is all really helpful

[rebate]

Im going to guess what Banksys advice on this would be.

"dont try to hard"

[Con Art Studio]