Stencils are often frowned upon in the art world as a form of cheating, but these stenciled art innovations indicate there is far more substance to this art form than meets the eye.
Over the past few decades street art has taken a hold of culture. Artists armed with cans of spray paint and other artistic paraphernalia take to the streets to beautify the occasionally grim urban landscape. There are many forms of street art, encompassing everything from stickering to massive freehand murals, but none of these methods have permeated popular culture quite like stencils.
Stencils are not just for school children in the midst of learning their letters, but have earned a legitimate place in artistic expression. They are utilized by countless artists, street and otherwise, to create graphic representations of the world around them. Through layering and, in some cases, the careful application of color these artist prove that even the lowly act of tracing can produce some astonishingly beautiful pieces.
Sure to change your mind about stencils, these stenciled art innovations are masterpieces in their own right.
44 Stenciled Art Innovations
From Spooky DIY Halloween Decor to Stacked Paper Portraits:
Susan Keefe — Oct 20, 2011 — Art & Design
44
Banksy Launches Website
Has the World's Most Controversial Graffiti Artist Gone Mainstream?
43
Scrubbing Stencil Grafitti
The Dutch Ink 'Flight 101' Project Cleanses Old Walls Clean
42
Sci-Fi Glitter Body Art
These 'Hunger Games'-Inspired Tattoos Are Out of This World
41
Geishariffic Street Art
Fin DAC Stencils Concubine Graffiti in a Creative and Unique Manner
40
Cellphone-Inspired Stencils
Smartphone UI Stencils are Targetted at App Designers
39
Beautiful Hardcore Papercraft
Tom Gallant's Paper Cutouts Make Adult Magazines Classy
38
Spooky DIY Halloween Decor
Haunted House Silhouettes Will Terrify Trick-or-Treaters
37
Tattooed Walls
Ink-inspired Decals by Beepart Give Your Walls a Classic Tattoo Touch
36
Graffiti Template Art
Patrick Thomas's Protest Stencil Toolkit Features Iconographic Imagery
35
Violent Art Stencils
These Prints by Irmantas Genotas are Definitely Not Children-Friendly
34
Lacy Street Art
NeSpoon's Public Art Blends Granny Prints and Graffiti
33
Stylized Stencil Art
David Soukup 'In The Moment' is Stencil Art at its Finest
32
Graffiti Quotes
Jerm IX Has Stenciled Surfaces With 2,000 Messages and Poems
31
Exquisite Cutout Art
Elsa Mora Creates Delicate Images out of Stark-White Paper
30
Street Art History Lessons
Pure Evil Pearly Kings
29
Controversial Stencils
Hitler and Chaplin Ad for Hut Weber
28
Muzzled Graffiti Stencils
The Banksy 'Gas Mask Boy' Surfaces for the Public at a Price
27
Street Artist Stencils
iBanksyMachine Lets Everyday People Become Famous Artists
26
Public Graffiti Parties
The Cans Film Festival
25
Thug Life Superheros (UPDATE)
Steve Seely Recreates Two Iconic Comic Book Heroes in Gangs
24
Instrumentalist Street Stencils
The Dude Company Showcases Artists in their Element
23
Post-Apocalyptic Romanticism
Social Commentary Street Art from Boxi
22
Fine Art Graffiti
The Work of Contemporary Painter Jaybo Monk Breaks Stereotypes
21
Rusted Wall Stencils
The C215 by Christian Guemy is Wall-Friendly Art
20
Stacked Paper Portraits
This Kris Trappenier Art is Insanely Intricate
19
Boosting Graffiti Love Via Regulations
The Best of English Street Art
18
Stop-Motion Street Art
The 'Nowhere Near Here' Light Stencil Animation Features a Cute Doggie
17
Cousin Itt Watercolors
Natalia Sanabria Uses Illustration Watercolor to Create 2D Life
16
Vibrant Yarn Graffiti
This Hot Tea Wildlife Street Art is Sure to Turn Heads
15
Subversive Street Art
Sir X Blends Whimsy & Scathing Social Commentary
14
Living Graffiti Art
Moss Invaders by Kimi Spencer and Marko Manriquez is Eco-Friendly
13
Beefy Wall Stencils
DIY Ted Perez Custom Wallpaper Lets You Have a Cow
12
Supercar Street Art
Xander Walker Stencils are Perfect for Gearhead Graff Fans
11
Shutterbug Street Portraits
Jana und JS Paints Colorful Graffiti of Photographers
10
Saturated Street Art
Taylor Gonzales Uses Recognizable Figures in His Sensational Work
9
Graffiti Phoneography
Aik Beng Chia Pays Tribute to Street Stencils with 'I'm No Banksy'
8
Imaginative Abstract Art
Artist Pearl C. Hsiung Creates Surrealist Images
7
Colossal Chalk Creations
The Chalk Wall Installation by Dana Tanamachi is Immensely Impressive
6
Giant Urban Shadows
Black Stencils by Sam3
5
Building-Sized Stencils
Sten & Lex Show Off the Versatility of an Impressive Artform
4
Crowd-Sourced Graffiti
Cape Town Election Street Art Spurs Activism Through Stencils
3
Boarded Playhouse Stencils
This New Banksy Wall Piece Takes Over the City of Angels
2
Creative Coloring Cut Outs
Foster Individuality in a Child with Kimmel Kids Stencils
1
Educational Graffiti Stencils
Golan Levin Tags Up Walls with Knowledge
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Bauhaus-Inspired Pattern Collections
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Painterly Air Purifiers
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Collaborative Art Museum Stationary
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Paper-Made Mosaic Artwork
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Denim-Resembling Painted Linen Pants
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Heritage-Honoring Artful Posters
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Street Art-Style Cookies
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Glowing Movie Campaign Murals
Paramount Creates a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mural
Artist-Inspired Dynamic Basketballs
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Skateboard-Inspired Stamp Collections
USPS Announces Unique Stamps Celebrating Skateboard Culture
Perception-Challenging Art Exhibitions
Raise the Moral Studio Presents the Becoming Familiar Show
Foldable Fitness Mat Designs
The Sculpt Society x Stakt Mat Has a Patent-Pending Design
Artificial Artwork Galleries
'Artificial Imagination' Showcases the Capabilities of DALL-E 2
Paint Brand Marker Shades
PANTONE Joins Royal Talens on a New Capsule of Colorful Markers
Burgeoning Psychedelic Art Movements
The Chambers Project/PACT Embrace the Psychedelic Movement
Playful Kid-Friendly Baking Kits
Make Bake Stands Out with Its Edible Stickers for Baking
Meticulous Paper-Stacked Chairs
Brian Thoreen Creates the Paragraphic in Four Stacks Chairs
Online Tattoo Art Marketplaces
Blackdot Debuts Innovative Technology and Art Marketplace
Playful Creativity-Focused Campaigns
Sharpie® Launches the World is Your Canvas Tour
Creative Infinite Whiteboard Apps
Apple Aims to Reduce the Use of Paper with the Freeform App
Customizable Makeup Stacks
Subtl Staks Saves Space and is Perfect for On-the-Go Functionality
Renter-Friendly Wallpaper Collections
Otto Studio & Tierney Milne Created Peel-and-Stick Decor
Global AI Art Contests
Shutterstock and the UN Partner for the Canvas of the Future
African History-Inspired Streetwear
Daily Paper Launches a New Collection for the SS23 Season
Pop Art-Style Blocked Portraits
Ai Weiwei Presents Ai in Red Made from Bright LEGO Bricks
Intricate Fiber Art Exhibitions
Threadwork: Women Redefining Fiber Arts Opens at Saatchi
Democratic Digital Artwork Apps
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Painting-Inspired Office Accessories
Guillaume Delvigne Draws Inspiration from Henri Matisse
Luxe-Jewelry Artful Holiday Cards
Tiffany & Co Celebrates the Work of Andy Warhol for 2022
Personalized High-Quality Wallpapers
Aesthy Offers Images for Device Wallpapers
Modular Typography Stamp Kits
BlockFace is a Stamp Kit to Explore Typography & More
Upcycled Sculptural Exhibitions
Madeline Continues to Grow her EPS [Expanded Polystyrene] Series
Film-Inspired Backpack Desigs
Sprayground Announced a Collaboration with Iconic Film Scarface
Anti-Anxiety Sensory Touch Stickers
NATPAT Offers an Innovative Stress Relief Solution
Spray Can Fragrances
Step Aboard's Chicago Perfumes Pay Homage to Works of Art
Street Art-Style Gummy Packaging
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Painter-Honoring Apparel Collections
JW Anderson Debuts a Collection Honoring Rembrandt
Hidden Eyeshadow Palettes
The SHEGLAM x Frida Kahlo Eyeshadow Palette Has a Dissolving Print
Hand-Painted Print Collections
Desenio and Lone Fox Home Collaborate on a New Home Decor Range
Seasonal Interactive Fashion Installations
Yoshihisa Tanaka Highlights Washi Paper for SS24
Pre-Distressed Skate Sneakers
Vans' Stressed Series Creates a Worn-Out Look of Classic Shoes
Indoor Playground Art Exhibitions
CJ Hendry Unveils Two-Storey Indoor Playground Art Exhibition
Artwork-Adorned Collaborative Boots
TATE and Dr. Martens Celebrate Ithell Colquhoun's Work
Protective Digital Art Tools
Nightshade Protects Digital Art from AI Theft
Makeup-Inspired Sticker Series
Hitotoki and Smanim Create the Coffret Series for KING JIM
Third-Party Artisanal Marketplaces
Michaels Launches the MarkerPlace Alternative Marketplace
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Professional Paint Brushes Inspired the 24/7 Inks Liquid Eyeliner
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These Fanta Halloween Projections Took Over a Busy Stockholm Street
Scratch-and-Sniff Canabis Stickers
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