14 May 2005

A how-to guide to stencil spray painting for those who want to join the political elite.

| johnboy
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With our Chief Minister standing by his decision to forgive his vandalising protege Aidan Bruford, and with reports that “Stanhope=Dickhead” graffiti was spreading around the city (in reference to an exciting stoush Our Brave Leader had in Darwin, as reported by the Canberra Times), here at the RiotACT we thought this would be a good time to present a little how-to guide to stencil spray painting so that you too can join the fast-tracked political elites.

(Why stencils? Because they’re very very fast, no need to be worrying about your spelling while watching for blue lights.)

Below follows a quick guide, in words and pictures, and in a short time you too can be prowling public spaces in the small hours of the morning, and legging it before the police turn up. Having said that, here at RiotACT we think you should ask permission of the wall’s owner first (try Ainslie shops, I think they’d be amenable to this one).

Finished!

[Note: The Chief Minister finally did accept Aidan’s resignation, as reported here.]

To start with we recommend you open a beer, everything is more fun with beer.

Vital supplies

Then you need to go to your favourite website. Once you’re bored there come back here to RiotACT.

Surfing the Riot

Download the stencil (or make your own if you can do better – shouldn’t be that hard – in the next little while I hope to get access to the one we actually used)

The stencil

Print the puppy out to paper (stunning Brumbies nails not required)

Print to paper

Secure it to some thick card or thin plastic, then cut away the letters using a sharp object. We used a scalpel but a box-cutter, razor, switchblade, or shiv should work just as well.

Cut the letters away

You need to exercise particular care, our team worked in relays.

more cutting

Once that’s done you’re going to need some cheap spraypaint from the hardware store (kids you’ll need to get your parents to buy this, no matter how strongly you feel about this cause, stealing is wrong).

Can of Spray Paint

Armed with the tools it is but the work of a moment to spread your message.

Spraying it on

The finished product should look something like this:

Finished!

So there you have it folks, how to join in the pastimes of the political elites in just a few easy steps.

You could get hundreds of these across town in a short night’s work if you’re quick on your toes.

Here at RiotACT however we must insist that you seek the permission of the wall’s owner before doing this. Otherwise we will never forgive you.

The Chief Minister and Attoney-General, on the other hand, is a far more forgiving man.

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Special prize for most miserable failure to get the joke goes to….

What the hell is that? That has to be the worst stencil i have ever seen. u used a computer so that means this is the first time you’ve ever done a stencil. Computers suck! A monkey with a paint brush could use a computer.
And you sprayed the paint way to close. Should be bout 8 inches or it just gets blurred. Also, Use card not damn watercolour paper or whatever it is, u morons.
If your gunna play at graffing, make a little image to go with your shit arse slogan. your a disgrace.
To quote BANKSY – “Mindless vandalism takes a bit of thought”

Oh Spiny, caught Insiders by complete accident and was amazed at two men both coming across so badly on camera.

I’ve emailed insiders to ask why it’s not on their website and am still waiting for a response.

if the person who owns the wall thinks it’s great then that’s fine with me, it’s compulsory acquisition I mind.

my favourite is the one paying out the AFP, it is (or was) stencilled just outside guses cafe near where the police park their vehicles at the garema place station. it reads ‘Neighbourhood Bacon’ with the same theme as neighbourhood watch, the logo of the police officer morphing into a pigs head is pure brilliance…

I dont generally have any quarell with the AFP (anymore, ive paid my traffic fines and i am now licensed to drive) but i still find it quite amusing

as for the graphiti outside blades and outside greater union.. i think it is pure brilliance. i think its great.. same with that mural that was at woden bus interchange (i dont know if it is still there as i no longer desire to be trapped inside a giant metal sardine can full of humans, soaking in our own oils)

either way, great work with the stencil. good luck trying to get permission to put it up around town. i say just do it illegially, slap it on government owned concrete, besides, they pay grafiiti removalists for a reason.

Spiny-Parrot9:19 am 18 Apr 05

Any one catch the extended piece of footage of an interview in Darwin with our beloved leader about the graffitti. It appears he has quite a vicous tongue when he thinks the cameras arn’t rolling.
I caught it on the insiders.
Tears rolling down my cheeks.

Yes, we had permission to paint on this wall

i can only assume u are painting on your own wall 😛
graffiti is just somethin ive never been able to understand.. the artistic stuff (think the side of those two alleys in civic, the one near academy in particular)

I’m on board!

excellent.

since this is art, i might head over to the national gallery in the wee hours.

rattle rattle rattle.

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