Spray Paint Art

Spray paint art is very modern art form using spray can paint, traditionally on poster board, but can be done on any non-porous material such as treated canvas, wood, metal, glass, ceramic or plastic. It differs from graffiti art in that graffiti is performed on buildings, trains and the like, as opposed to more traditional art surfaces.

The Substrate

The artist usually paints onto the glossy surface of white poster-board, such as the kind found in large retail stores. This poster-board is relatively inexpensive, usually under a dollar per sheet. This artwork however has and can be done on any flat surface preferably glossy. As such, though rare but catching on quickly, it is possible to find pieces of artwork in this style on anything from canvas to skateboards & hoods of cars.

Tools

Spray paint

Joint compound spatula (spackle or palette knife) - metal scraper usually used to remove paint from the painting in the creation of buildings, bridges, lightning and other effects.

Assorted clay modeling scraping tools - used to remove paint from the canvas in the creation of trees, bushes, shrub, grass and other effects.

Magazine paper - used to remove paint in a random fashion from the canvas for adding texture.

Stencils - used to paint stenciled areas onto a canvas.

Round bowl, lid or plate - used as stencils and are especially good for making planets.

Latex gloves - to keep artists' hands from getting painted and sticky.

Round flat objects such as ice cream tub top, soda bottle cap, trashcan lid etc.

Face mask to prevent inhalation of fumes.

Paper towels and sponges for cleaning utensils and achieving different textures.


Process

The poster board is usually taped down with painters masking tape. Taping the edges of the painting is done to ensure a white border around the painting area. The tape is removed after the painting is finished.

Using several different colors spray upon each other in a small area of the canvas lightest to darkest, the artist will remove some of the layers of paint creating a texture to the paint. Using a magazine page to remove the paint in layers, the artist places a magazine page over the top of the paint that was just painted on the canvas. With a gentle wipe on top of the magazine page, some of the paint will adhere to the magazine page. Removing the magazine page will randomly remove layers of paint and generate a texture. This method of paint layering and paint removal allows the artist to create several different effects from the creation of planets to creating landscapes.

However, over the years some Spray paint artists have discovered new ways to control where the textures of their planets will appear and in what form.

Background summary

The Spray paint art form, also known as Aerosolgrafia or Sadotgrafia is thought to have originated in Mexico City in the early 1980’s. This is a unique form of art that is generally performed on the street in large metropolitan cities creating surreal landscapes of planets, comets, pyramids, cities, nature scenes as well as simple one-colored backgrounds or even multi-colored backgrounds where the paint swirls together or fades from one color to the other through a series of differing values of each color. An important aspect of this art form is the music that often accompanies the performance. This inspires the artist and is an integral part of the experience for the spectator. Due to the ready availability of the minimal tools necessary, how quick a work could be produced, and the possibility of making good money at it, many are trying their hand at this art form.

More Details and its Origin

As mentioned earlier, this art form is thought to have originated in Mexico City in the early 1980’s. The first spray paint artist and founder was Ruben Sadot Fernandez, who also came from Mexico City. Ruben Sadot Fernandez first painted experimentally in public in front of his studio but soon moved to the streets of La Zona Rosa, around 1982, and began attracting crowds. Sitting in a lotus position surrounded by aerosol cans he created human figures and faces, and natural landscapes on paper, cardboard, or canvas. He did not use a brush. Sadot wrote poetry, made mosaics, and did art in a number of traditional art media, but became most renowned for his work with aerosol spray paint. Sadot listened to classical music, rock, and pre-Hispanic Aztec beats while painting. He often shocked those watching with his strong opinions on politics and government, and mystified the crowd with his metaphysical observations of culture and the human condition. Though Sadot was the first, many followed his lead venturing into the world of Spray paint art. Within a few years, the techniques began to spread throughout Mexico's cities, before finally gaining some popularity in the United States and Europe in the late 80s and early 90s. Failing economic conditions fueled an exodus of the Mexican spray paint artists. As the form spread north, the subjects of the paintings took on a more cosmic feel, moving away from the original, Aztec-inspired imagery. Still, the original influences can be seen today, as pyramids, temples, and ruined cities stand underneath ringed planets, comets and galaxies.

Spray Paint Art is a very modern art form. Relying on nothing but aerosol spray paint cans, simple stencils such as jar lids, scraps of paper, straight-edges, knives, and scalpels, spray paint artists are able to create highly detailed, deeply textured paintings depicting fantasy and science-fiction inspired landscapes in mere minutes.

Because of the speed of the painting process, the flashiness of the techniques, and let's face it, the downright awesomeness of the art form, spray paint art is just as much a performance art as it is a form to be admired passively, long after the artist has produced his painting. The artists take to the streets, pumping out painting after painting for admiring spectators. It's like ice-carving, except faster, more colorful, more futuristic, and more engaging.

It is very difficult to convey just how cool the rapidity and the brilliant ingenuity of the art form is. One can find many YouTube videos capturing the brilliance but they certainly don't do it justice. When you see it for yourself, you can't help but be amazed at how brilliantly simple some of the techniques are.
Comets are formed simply by pushing the nozzle of a can of white spray paint against the canvas - the jet comes out perfectly shaped.

Magazine paper is crumpled to create ripples and bands in gas giants.

Putty knives are used to create textured pyramids and mountains.

Scalpels uncover lower layers of paint, for bright lines and rings.

A flick of the hand, dripping with wet paint, delivers small spots of white for randomly-placed stars.

Lid jars are used to create flares around the outlines of planets.

An impromptu flame-thrower, made with a lighter and a can of clear spray paint, is used to heat-dry the paint, so it can be sold right away.

How cool is that. The first time I encountered a spray paint artist was in Malta, on a day out with my family, about 2 years ago. It was mid-afternoon, about 2 or 3 pm. We heard some loud music and applause emanating from a crowd gathered around an artist's tent down the street. Curious, we walked closer, to see a man wearing a gas mask, rapidly painting with his tools and spray paint cans, canvas after canvas.

When one was done, he'd put it off to the side and begin another right away, seemingly oblivious to the crowd. His partner handled the business end of things, off to the side - while the artist painted, the partner negotiated with the spectators for the sale of the latest creation.

The artist alternated between black and white paintings and full color. After watching for about an hour, we tried to purchase one of the newly made color paintings. Just as he had finished his latest masterpiece and had handed it over to his partner, I could not believe what I had just witnessed. The painting was beautiful but the best part of it was that I had seen it being done and knowing how it was formed, and seeing it created in front of my very eyes in less than 10 minutes somehow makes it even more special. I wish I knew the artist's name, he signed it but I can't make it out. In the past 2 years I have been to several European cities, but I have not been so fortunate to encounter any spray painters, most likely because I always travelled during winter.

Your best bet is Mexico and other American cities, of course. Barring that, pretty much any of the larger cities in Mexico will feature such street artists, as they're fairly easy to find down there. And all of the major American cities (Los Angeles, New York, Miami, etc.) have at least one or two at any given time. The further south you are, the better your chances are of finding one, six or a whole movement of them. I tried to cover as much as possible regarding the fascinating world of Spray Paint Art and I hope that you find this information useful in some ways. This form is too new and is not regarded as an acceptable medium by many (probably still associated with graffiti), but it is definitely catching on as more and more people are trying their hand at it. Deep down I know that it’s only a matter of time before it is fully recognized as a modern art form, a form where imagination is the most important tool and the reason it is often referred to as - The World of Spray Painting Art.