2D Art

Banksy Inspired / Social Commentary Project

"I just wanna make the world a better-looking place. If you don't like it, you can paint over it!" - Banksy

"People say graffiti is ugly, irresponsible and childish... but that's only if it's done properly." - Banksy

Theory

Banksy is, arguably, one of most controversial artists in the world. A large part of the mystique and attraction of Banksy's work is its apparent lawlessness. Under the cover of night, images appear on walls and objects are installed in public spaces, without permission, necessitating a level of anonymity that rarely occurs in the "Art World". In fact, a select few (mostly collaborators) know Banksy's true identity.

In the spirit of a rebellious vigilante, she/he/they makes graffiti-like works that critique the most disturbing, hypocritical and unfair (from Banksy's point-of-view) aspects of contemporary culture, commerce, politics, technology, justice, morality and religion (see the examples below).

Most often, Banksy's imagery is tinged with a sharp, dry wit that entices viewers to let down their guard, thereby drawing them toward the work. Images are clearly and cleanly executed, with unambiguous compositions that are easily read and quickly interpreted, thereby efficiently communicating the messages behind these artworks.

Samples of Banksy's Work

Project Description

OBJECTIVE: Create a stencil-like drawing that critiques some aspect of contemporary culture, commerce, politics, technology, justice, morality or religion. Your drawing must be abstracted (simplified) to a "monotone", in black and white, so that it resembles Banksy's stencil-art (I'll award extra marks if you make an actual stencil to produce your image).

TERMINOLOGY: The term "monotone" means having only one value (besides the support, which is usually white). We can also use the word achromatic, which describes a work without any colour, but achromatic works often have many values. The term "monochromatic", on the other hand, means to have only one colour, but such a work will probably also contain many values (besides black and white).

Examples of Student Work

Note

AESTHETIC: Your work must adhere to the Principles of Composition: especially Emphasis, Variety, Movement, Balance, Unity and Rhythm. You may include colour, but ONLY if it's absolutely necessary to support the meaning of your image (e.g., red to emphasize a line of text).

TECHNICAL: Although this work will be a black and white monotone, "emulated" gradations of value are still possible, but must be accomplished by means of applying a thinner (spattered) layer of black that allows the white of the support (paper) to show through. This mid-tone value must be used sparingly, so that the work remains MOSTLY monotone.

Your drawing must be stable and free of smudges, wrinkles and creases. A bit of overspray is acceptable, if you produce your image with an actual stencil. Fixative must be applied when using soft, drawing materials (like compressed charcoal or Conté).

Further Research

I would recommend these excellent resources:

Behind the Banksy Stunt (Art Assignment, Season 4 Episode 24 | 10m 23s).
Banksy Does New York (2014, low definition 1:19:18).
Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010, low definition 1:26:05).
Banksy (official website).
Banksy (unofficial website).