Where Wombats Roved, and Aborigines Sketched
By Jane Perlez, New York Times
Dateline: SYDNEY, Australia
Since 2002 (updated often), your old-school website for all things stencils. Photo, video, links, and exhibit info submissions always welcome. Enjoy and stay curious.
On the walls! 8/22 to 9/10, SF, CA :: CELLspace PopUp :: IG :: Invite
Donate any amount to support this DIY site.
Buy Stencil Nation or take a tour
Our best photos on Instagram and flickr.
Cut a Stencil out of Department Store Clothes Boxes
I was searching for card stock at home today and was having trouble finding anything sufficent. I was digging through my walk in closet and found clothes boxes.  Like the ones JCPennys wraps clothes in at Christmas time. Ha, so anyway I created some sick stencils just using that. If you unhinge the corners and flip em up they act as a cool "tray" and catches unwanted paint from transfering.... I don't know if that really helps but it's one of those items lying around the house that kids could easily access. 
Stencil Art: A Revolutionary Meme
This essay was originally written for Josh MacPhee's Stencil Pirates book. Parts of the text were used in the book's final run, but here it is in its entirety. Note: this is in no way a comprehensive history of stencil art. Hopefully it is the beginning of the artform's history.
"We need to learn how to spread the vision of liberation and life everywhere in humble, small, invisible ways. Like grass slowly growing up through the cracks in the concrete, perhaps our counterinformation can eventually sneak up on the mighty machine and topple it."
- PB Floyd, Slingshot, Summer 2003
"We need to learn how to spread the vision of liberation and life everywhere in humble, small, invisible ways. Like grass slowly growing up through the cracks in the concrete, perhaps our counterinformation can eventually sneak up on the mighty machine and topple it."
- PB Floyd, Slingshot, Summer 2003
Books about Stencils from 1986 to 2004
Pre- and Early Street Art Books about Stencils
Paris Graffiti; James Huber; Thames and Hudson, publisher, 1986.
Pochoir a la Une; Solange Pierson, Kriki, et al; Editions Paralleles, publisher, 1986.
Soho Walls; David Robinson; Thames and Hudson, publisher, 1990.
Pound the Pavement (zine series); Josh MacPhee (with Nicolas Lampert and Colin Matthes), Just Seeds, publisher, 2000-2008.
Banging Your Head Against a Brick Wall; Banksy; Weapons of Mass Distraction, publisher, 2001.
Existencilism; Banksy; Weapons of Mass Distraction, publisher, 2002.
Stencil Graffiti; Tristan Manco; Thames and Hudson, publisher, 2002.
Stencil Pirates; Josh MacPhee; Soft Skull Press, publisher, 2004.
Cut it Out; Banksy; Weapons of Mass Distraction, publisher, 2004.
Stencil Project - Paris 2004 (with DVD); Collectif; CRITERES, publisher, 2004.
The Materials
Another classic by Stencil Pirates author Josh MacPhee
INTRODUCTION
Stenciling is the poor persons' printmaking. It is the easiest and cheapest way to print the same image over and over on different surfaces and in different places. To start off, the three most important things for making a stencil are an idea, something to cut with, and something to cut the stencil out of. I can't help with the idea part, but you shouldn't feel like you have to be an artist to do this. One of the great things about stencils is that since each print looks the same and consists of only a positive and negative, it makes almost all designs look really sharp and good.
Interview with Lord Hao
Due to a language barrier (Hao speaks broken English and I don't speak any French), StencilArchive.org wrote out a list of questions that a friend of Hao's interpreted into French. His friend then interpreted Hao's answers into English. I have made the best possible effort to clean up the English, but some things would be best left to Hao's own words. In an ideal situation, I'd get to ask him to clarify his phrasing, but it didn't go down that way.
SA: How long have you made stencils?
LH: I started to paint with stencils in 1985.