Call for Stencil Content: Stencil Nation Book Project Needs You


...................... 2. GENERAL RULES FOR SUBMISSION ..........................................

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: August 20, 2007
  • Feel free to submit art and information for any of the categories that relate to you, but make sure that you read each category's details before doing so.
  • all submitted images must be 300dpi (high resolution) to be printed in a book. If you do not submit hi res photos, your photos will not be used. (Contact me if you wish to mail content to be scanned.)
  • if you choose to remain anonymous, I will gladly use your tag instead.
  • Due to the potential volume of submissions, I may not be able to contact you directly if there is a problem with your submission. If your submission is OK, I always try to get back in touch with the community. I hope to at least give you a simple "got it" reply and a thanks!
  • Due to limited book size, all or part of your submission may not get in the book. If you are not included, I will make sure that you will be represented on the web site and in any show or event in conjunction with the book.
  • Please pass this Call for Content on to people and places you think could help contribute to Stencil Nation.


...................... 3. LIST OF 7 CATEGORIES THAT NEED SUBMISSIONS .............................

If you're interested in being a part of the Stencil Nation book project, then here are the following parts of our community that I need you all to help me cover (details for each category follow this list):

1. Fans and/or Documentarians of Stencil Art
2. Beginning Stencilists
3. Teachers who teach stencil art
4. Physical places where Stencil Nation congregates: galleries, gatherings, and fliers from these places and events
5. Your best tips for making great stencils
6. Stencil Nation seeks photographs of stencils painted on these items:
  • Stickers
  • Posters
  • Vinyl
  • Murals
  • Found Objects
  • The Cut-outs
  • T-shirts, patches, shoes, etc.
  • Skate Decks
  • ALSO: Creative buffed (painted over) stencils

7. Stencils from the past: photos and stories of stencils in the 20th century.

...................... 4. DETAILS TO SUBMIT FOR 7 CATEGORIES ............................

1. Fans and/or Documentarians of Stencil Art

Do you love photographing stencil art? Do you go to the gallery shows, post your photos online (maybe your own stencil blog), and/or make stencil art/photography a part of your lifestyle? If YES, you're an official citizen of Stencil Nation.

Fans and Documentarians are encouraged to submit at least 10 of their favorite photographs of hopefully 10 different stencils. Please only submit HiRes 300dpi versions of your photographs, and include location of the stencil (country, city, neighborhood) and, if known, who the photographer is.

Please answer the following questions:

Who are you and what do you do with your time?
When and where did you shoot your first stencil photo? Why?
Do you run your own stencil photo site? What is the web address?
Where, online and/or offline, do you go to get your stencil fix?
What does stencil art mean to you? How does it relate to your life?
Have you travelled to other places to find stencil art? What are your favorite places?
Any other comments, tips, or manifestos?

submit images and text, no later than August 20, 2007 to:
stencilnationbook[at sign]stencilarchive[dot]org

_________________ thanks _______________________

2. Beginning Stencilists

Maybe you where a fan who enjoyed photographing stencils, and decided to grab the Xacto and make a cut out. I know I did! Maybe you went online and used a tutorial you found, or asked a "How To" question on a stencil BBS. If you have made your first stencil in the past 3-6 months, then you're a welcome member of our great nation.

Beginning Stencilists are encouraged to submit at least 3-6 photographs of their first few stencils. Don't be shy! Stencil Nation will not flame you or rate you; we'll actually encourage you to keep making stencils so you can improve (and give you tips to do so).

Please only submit HiRes 300dpi versions of your photographs, and include location of the stencil (country, city, neighborhood), title of any artwork, and, if known, who the photographer is.

Please answer the following questions:

Who are you and what do you do with your time?
When did you cut your first stencil? What made you do it (an idea, boredom, etc.)
Are you putting your pieces online? What's the address?
What's your next stencil idea?
Did you use online/published tips to get started? Where?
Any great stories of getting up (doing graffiti)?
Any other comments, tips, or manifestos?

submit images and text, no later than August 20, 2007 to:
stencilnationbook[at sign]stencilarchive[dot]org

_________________ thanks _______________________

3. Teachers who teach stencil art

Are you an artist who teaches art classes? Have you ever incorporated stencils in your class programming, created a workshop for stencils, or helped kids make a stencil mural? If so, then you hold the honor of teaching the next generation the easy and fun skills of a great art form.

Stencil Teachers should submit 5-10 photographs of their students in action, and/or student's stencils (cut out or painted).

Please only submit HiRes 300dpi versions of your photographs, and include location of the stencil (country, city, neighborhood), title of any artwork, and, if known, who the photographer is.

Teachers are also encouraged to attach any manuals, educational materials, and links to workshop web sites, videos, etc. (these materials will most likely get published on the upcoming web site, StencilNation.org)

Please answer the following questions:

Who are you and what do you do with your time?
Why did you start teaching stencil art? When was your first class?
Do you work within government funded programs? Have you had problems teaching what some think is illegal graffiti art?
What tips do you have for teaching people stencil art?
Can you share a great moment in the classroom?
Any other comments, tips, or manifestos?

submit images and text, no later than August 20, 2007 to:
stencilnationbook[at sign]stencilarchive[dot]org

_________________ thanks _______________________

4. Physical places where Stencil Nation congregates: galleries, gatherings, and fliers from these places and events

Do you run a gallery that has/has had stencil shows? Have you curated a stencil show in the last 5-15 years? Have you created or been part of a convention where stencil art was featured? If so, then Stencil Nation would like to feature our physical places of congregating.

Please submit 5-10 HiRes photos and images of your gallery stencil show, your stencil gatherings, and/or fliers of any events you've attend, produced, or hosted. Please only submit HiRes 300dpi versions of your photographs, and include location of the stencil (country, city, neighborhood) and, if known, who the photographer is.

Please answer the following questions:

Who are you and what do you do with your time?
What is your gallery/gathering's name? Web address? City and country location?
How long have you hosted, curated, produced stencil events?
What do you see as a significant influence on your hosting stencil events?
Does art on the gallery walls differ from stencils on the streets?
Any other comments, tips, or manifestos?

submit images and text, no later than August 20, 2007 to:
stencilnationbook[at sign]stencilarchive[dot]org

_________________ thanks _______________________

5. Your best tips for making great stencils

We all could use a bit of help from time to time. Now is your chance to tell Stencil Nation the perfect way to make a stencil. Know how to make the perfect stencil on a T-shirt? Know how to quickly put up an amazing stencil on an alley wall? Any and all tips are welcome for this category.

Please submit 5-10 of your best stencil-making tips. They can be about anything that would help a citizen artist make a better stencil. If it involves resources (videos, long/detailed steps with photos), please provide addresses for finding the item. If you have them, please give links to examples, further research, etc.

This section may not have photographs, but if you think that your Tips MUST have photos, please only submit HiRes 300dpi versions of your photographs, and include location of the stencil (country, city, neighborhood) and, if known, who the photographer is.

Please answer the following questions:

Who are you and what do you do with your time?
What is your city and country location? Web address?

submit images and text, no later than August 20, 2007 to:
stencilnationbook[at sign]stencilarchive[dot]org

_________________ thanks _______________________

6. Stencil Nation seeks photographs of stencils painted on these items:
  • Stickers
  • Posters
  • Vinyl
  • Murals
  • Found Objects
  • The Cut-outs
  • T-shirts, patches, shoes, etc.
  • Skate Decks
  • ALSO: Creative buffed (painted over) stencils

This category is self-explanatory. Please submit up to 12 of your best photographs of stencils on any or all of the above objects. Please try to submit a different stencil for each different photo (this will give you a better chance of getting more than one photo published). For buffed stencils, the more creative the buff, the more likely it will be included. Is there a stencil on the buffed stencil? That will work too!

Please only submit HiRes 300dpi versions of your photographs, and include location of the stencil (country, city, neighborhood) and, if known, who the photographer is.

Please also submit the following for each image:

Give the artist's name if you know him/her.
Title of the stencil if you know it.
A translation of any stencil text into English if needed.

submit images and text, no later than August 20, 2007 to:
stencilnationbook[at sign]stencilarchive[dot]org

_________________ thanks _______________________


7. Stencils from the past: photos and stories of stencils in the 20th century.

Stencil Nation is hoping to rediscover the roots of our community and seeks photographs of 1960's-1980's stencils. We know of some places where stencils where used, mostly as a form of protest, but currently have little/no documentation and photos:
  • Sandanistas of Nicaragua in the 1980s
  • Anti-Apartheid Movement of South Africa
  • Black Panthers in USA
  • 1970s Punk Activists in USA, UK, and beyond
  • 1980s Anti-Soviet protests in Poland
  • Mexican Student Protests of the 1970s
  • Berlin Wall Stencil art
  • Basque National Movements
  • Anti-Nuke protests of the 1980s

If you have any leads of photos or documentation, please contact us and let us know. If you have any photos, please submit them all if you can.

Please only submit HiRes 300dpi versions of your photographs, and include location of the stencil (country, city, neighborhood) and, if known, who the photographer is.

Please also submit the following for each image:

Give the artist's name if you know him/her.
Title of the stencil if you know it.
A translation of any stencil text into English if needed.
The date that you think or know when the stencil was painted.

submit images and text, no later than August 20, 2007 to:
stencilnationbook[at sign]stencilarchive[dot]org

_________________ thanks _______________________

You've reached the bottom! Nifty....

The first 12 people who submit to one or more of the above categories and puts "sticker" in their email subject title, will get a sticker or two mailed to them. You need to give me our snail address too...

Again, you all are the reason why I curate Stencil Archive and am making this book. I hope that the world will soon discover our ad hoc nation. It may be the only nation where all you need to become a citizen is to appreciate stencil art. The rest, we can make up as we go along.

Remember, DEADLINE IS: AUG. 20, 2007

Sincere appreciation for your participation,
Russell H.
stencilnationbook[at sign]stencilarchive[dot]org