Stencil 101

"There's this tunnel near your flat with the most amazing graffiti!" raved my friend Rohan. "You have to see it!" And so I found myself, damp London air leaking through my coat, lilting song of Rohan's South African-accented chatter in my ears, walking down Waterloo Road en route to this 'tunnel.' We turned on Lower Marsh, a street I must have walked down a thousand times. Halfway down, we stopped in front of a recessed passageway I'd never noticed. There, ... More

"There's this tunnel near your flat with the most amazing graffiti!" raved my friend Rohan. "You have to see it!" And so I found myself, damp London air leaking through my coat, lilting song of Rohan's South African-accented chatter in my ears, walking down Waterloo Road en route to this 'tunnel.' We turned on Lower Marsh, a street I must have walked down a thousand times. Halfway down, we stopped in front of a recessed passageway I'd never noticed. There, painted over the entry of an ominous-looking cement tunnel were the words, "Graffiti artists will not be prosecuted beyond this point." "Ready?" Rohan asked. "Yep," I said, shoving my mittened hands further into my pockets. Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw inside. Incredible, detailed, truly artistic images splashed over the walls. Artists clad in ripped jeans, some with gauged ears, spraying veritable masterpieces onto the walls. I was stunned. Every ephemeral work was astounding. Some of the finest works though, were the stenciled paintings. Images just like the ones you can create with this book. This book's intricate stencils - from Sumo wrestlers to mysterious owls - would fit right in on the walls of the Leake Street Tunnel. They're reusable, so the following week, when your work had been painted over, you return and repaint your images. They also come with instructions, so you wouldn't have to look like a sucker asking fellow artists for tips. Rather, you'd be one of the experts. If you can't make it to London, don't worry. Just get your hands on this book, and the awesome sights of Leake Street will come to you. -Hannah, Fashion Writer

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