Street artists are a dime-a-dozen, but there are some that stand out from the rest. One of these is Ben Wilson, who is known for his chewing gum art in England and around the world. Here are five tips on how to paint like an English street artist:
1. Paint small pictures on gum. Wilson is famous for painting tiny pictures on pieces of discarded chewing gum. His tiny masterpieces depict people, scenes, animals, and so forth. This isn’t as easy as it sounds. You have to paint quickly before someone steps on your work of art!
2. Use bold colors and simple shapes. Wilson’s work is bright, cheerful and eye-catching because he focuses more on color than detail. In fact, his paintings usually just depict a single object rather than an entire scene. Start with something simple such as an apple or a banana before moving on to more difficult subjects like people or cars.
3. Think about what you want to communicate with your painting. Unlike traditional artists, street artists use their work to make statements about society or current events rather than just expressing themselves through painting alone (although this can be part of it). Some street artists even use their paintings as advertisements for businesses or political campaigns!
4. Find
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, English painter, sculptor and photographer Banksy became one of the most well-known street artists in the world. His graffiti art has appeared all over England and in other parts of Europe. Banksy does not reveal his identity and remains somewhat mysterious. Still, many people have tried to copy his style. In this blog post, I will share with you five tips on how to paint like an English street artist.
1. Draw a black outline showing the shape of your object or scene.
2. Paint details and colors inside the outlines. Use a reference photo if you need it.
3. Add shadows by painting darker shapes within your drawing or painting. For example, if you are painting a tree, a shadow would be painted under the tree trunk where it touches the ground.
4. Add highlights by painting lighter shapes within your drawing or painting. For example, if you are painting someone’s face, highlight their cheek bones with a lighter color than their skin tone.
5. Outline your final drawing or painting using black paint and then erase any pencil marks left behind from step one above when you were sketching out your subject matter.*
1. Position yourself in a tourist area.
2. Paint a recognizable London landmark.
3. Paint in primary colors.
4. Paint with a limited palette (preferably just black, white and red).
5. Don’t use shading or perspective.
1. Start with a blank canvas.
2. Keep your paint thin and use only primary colours.
3. Work quickly and with confidence. Think of your painting as an extension of you, not an object you’re creating.
4. If you want to be taken seriously, don’t tell anyone you’re from London.
5. Don’t stop until it’s great!
The English street artist Banksy is the most famous and celebrated graffiti artist on the planet. His satirical street art and subversive epigrams combine irreverent dark humour with graffiti done in a distinctive stencilling technique.
The elusive artist rose to prominence for his provocative stenciled pieces in the late 1990s. He has developed a distinct iconography of recognizable images such as rats and policemen, and his work is often satirical and conveys social and political messages.
Banksy’s work was born out of the Bristol underground scene which involved collaborations between artists and musicians. According to author and graphic designer Tristan Manco, Banksy “was born in 1974 and raised in Bristol, England…he trained as a butcher but became involved in graffiti during the great Bristol aerosol boom of the late 1980s.” Observers have noted that his style is similar to Blek le Rat, who began to work with stencils in 1981 in Paris, and members of the anarcho-punk band Crass, which maintained a graffiti stencil campaign on the London Tube System throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s.
His early work was mostly graffiti, featuring striking and humorous images occasionally combined with slogans. The first reported instance of Banksy’s work appeared at
1. Be prepared for rejection
This is so important I’m going to write it twice, because I want it to sink in.
Be prepared for rejection
I’ll write it again: be prepared for rejection. You are going to get rejected. People aren’t going to buy your paintings and they’re not going to stop and talk to you about them. Some people will tell you that’s because you’re terrible and should give up painting forever and go home to your family. Some people will try and help you by telling you that’s because the location is bad; others will try and help by telling you that’s because the location is good, but the weather isn’t right, or the time of day isn’t right, or you’re standing too close to another artist, or you need a bigger easel…
The truth is, none of these things matter as much as how much time you spend painting on the street. The only way to get better at something is by doing it a lot and making mistakes; if your expectations are too high then you’ll never put in sufficient effort. Learn how to accept rejection gracefully, then move on and try again later.
1. Be able to paint quick, loose and lively.
2. Keep your brush and palette clean.
3. Paint with a warm yellow ochre, burnt sienna and ultramarine blue.
4. Use a thick impasto of paint on your canvas or board, no thinner than the consistency of toothpaste.
5. Make sure you have nice white highlights in your painting when finished.
