A-Infos (en) Aotearoa (New Zealand), Auckland, A Space Inside #1 - Stenciling 101

Stencils are a great way to redecorate the drab urban environment an
spread political ideas. The Nicaraguan Sandinistas and South African anti
Apartheid activists utilized stencils to spread ideas unpopular wit
oppressive governments. ---- Supplies: ---- Images - If it is your first time 
doing a stencil I suggest picking a simpl image. The templates provided would be 
ideal. I either draw my images of use Adobe Photoshop (pirated Photoshop is easy 
to find, The Gimp is free). ---- Stencils - I use Mylar ($1/A4 from an art 
store). It's a fairly thin plastic that gives good details and will survive for 
years. You can tape images to the Mylar and begin cutting. You can also use 
cereal/beer boxes. These work but at the expense of detail and life. Cardboard 
works well for larger pieces Knife and Matte - Small utility knives from the $2 
store are ideal. You want the ones with blades that break off to get a new edge. 
I like to use cutting matte ($10-15 from an art store) because it keeps the 
blade sharp and provides the right resistance. You can also use cereal/beer boxes.

Spray Paint - Cheap stuff will work ($6) but can take its toll on you
stencils. Good paint in any color you can think of will cost you about $14
Good paint drys faster, which means you can put your stencil away sooner.

Going Out:
Locations - I prefer to spray my stencils in various place. I usually see
areas during the day that would work well. Pick areas where there are other
stencils, visibility and infrequent cleaning. Sidewalks in neighborhoods can
often be good areas because they will last till the weather destroys them.
Art Runs - Going out as a pair is great, especially if it's an intimate partner
  One person can act as a lookout and if authorities or others go by you can
   hide your gear and start making out. Another trick is using pizza boxes.
  You can cut the bottom out, tape in your stencil and hide your can inside.
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