Minds On
Let’s get started!
Public murals and street art
What is street art?
Press the following tabs to check out some street art examples. As you explore, consider the themes that appear in each piece.
This mural was created in 2016 in Montreal by the artist Arno. This piece is called World Paint and is inspired by the community in Montreal where it was created, due to its strong multiculturalism. During the two days that the mural was painted, community residents were able to paint alongside Arno.
The large mural was painted on the side of a residence in Montreal. It has many diverse symbols and letters all painted in a variety of styles and includes symbols such as hearts, icons, and community symbols.
This mural was painted at the Granville Bridge, in Vancouver, B.C. The piece is entitled The Waters are Rising. It was created by Wade Baker and a group of artists involved with the Sky Spirit Studio, in the Squamish Nation. It is presenting a First Nations story from the knowledge keepers from the West Coast. It shows the thunderbird warning that the waters are rising. In the Coast Salish version of the story, the thunderbird is the creator’s messenger, telling people about oncoming events. It is a climate change message.
This street art was created by a Toronto artist named BirdO. BirdO is a multidisciplinary artist who creates large-scale mural work on walls and buildings around the world, such as this turtle created for Festival Inspire in Moncton, New Brunswick. His work depicts wildlife and rare animals in their habitats.
Reflection
What is similar about street art and other forms of art that you have studied? What is different?
Record your ideas in a method of your choice.
If possible, share your ideas with a partner.
Action
Get ready, get set…
What is street art?
Street art is a visual art that is created in public spaces. Its purpose is to educate the public with a message. It is meant to be thought provoking for the audience. These messages are often meant to inspire social activism but can include political messages, and environmental messages. Sometimes the art is meant as a tribute to the town or city where it appears or the community within that location.
Street art is different from graffiti because graffiti is illegal and is understood as an act of vandalism. Street art is usually certified by the cities where it is created. This means that there is an agreement between the city or town and the artist. It may also be an agreement with an organization within that municipality.
Public murals are the most common form of street art.
Where graffiti is typically more word based, street art is usually more image based.
Street art became more popular in the 1970s and 1980s. Common places to display street art include:
- buildings
- streets
- trains
- bridge underpasses
Some media that are used in street art design include:
- paint
- mosaic tiling
- stencil art
- sticker art
- sculpture
Reflection
Let’s return to the images and descriptions you explored in the Minds On section.
Press the following tabs to reflect on the street art examples. As you explore, consider the themes that appear in each piece.
This mural was created in 2016 in Montreal by the artist Arno. This piece is called World Paint and is inspired by the community in Montreal where it was created, due to its strong multiculturalism. During the two days that the mural was painted, community residents were able to paint alongside Arno.
The large mural was painted on the side of a residence in Montreal. It has many diverse symbols and letters all painted in a variety of styles and includes symbols such as hearts, icons, and community symbols.
This mural was painted at the Granville Bridge, in Vancouver, B.C. The piece is entitled The Waters are Rising. It was created by Wade Baker from the Sky Spirit Studio, in the Squamish Nation. It is presenting an Indigenous story from the knowledge keepers in the artist’s family from the West Coast. It shows the thunderbird warning that the waters are rising. In the Coast Salish version of the story, the thunderbird is the creator’s messenger, telling people about oncoming events. It is a climate change message.
This street art was created by a Toronto artist named BirdO. BirdO is a multidisciplinary artist who creates large-scale mural work on walls and buildings around the world, such as this turtle created for Festival Inspire in Moncton, New Brunswick. His work depicts wildlife and rare animals in their habitats.
Portfolio
Art analysis
What messages are these artists communicating through their street art?
Record your ideas in your art journal or in a message of your choice.
Press ‘Answer’ to consider a possible response.
Arno might be sending the message of inclusion through his piece. The piece itself includes this message but also the fact that residents could paint with him, this communicates inclusion as well.
The Squamish Nation piece in Vancouver is communicating a warning of climate change. This is done through the visual of the Thunderbird as well as the water appearing as if under the bridge.
The BirdO piece is paying tribute to the species of turtle and the protection of the creatures on our planet.
Use your learning about street art to answer the following fill in the blank statements.
For each sentence, select the missing word that best fits.
Banksy
Banksy is an England-based street artist, political activist, and film director whose real name and identity remain unconfirmed and is the subject of speculation.
Banksy’s works display messages of political and social observations and have appeared on streets, walls, and bridges throughout the world. Banksy uses symbols and iconography to create thought-provoking works.
What is iconography?
Iconography is the use of images and symbols to represent ideas.
Banksy creates pieces that are often site-specific. He chooses to place the image on the side of building or in a landscape that has a direct connection or adds meaning to the content of the artwork itself.
Examine the following pieces by Banksy.
As you explore the art pieces, consider the following questions:
- What symbols are being used in the following street art by Banksy?
- What are the elements of design that are used by Banksy?
What are the elements of design?
The elements of design are the basic attributes, ideas and parts of artwork that are used to create an artwork. The seven elements are line, shape, colour, value, form, texture and space.
Press the following tabs to check out the elements of design!
Lines are the paths left by a moving point, such as a pencil or a digital drawing tool. A line can be a mark, a guide, or a boundary that leads the audience’s attention in an artwork. Diversity in the type, orientation, and/or quality of lines can be used to suggest a variety of ideas, shapes, or emotions. For example, horizontal and curving lines can feel restful or inactive. Vertical and diagonal lines can create the idea of movement or action. Horizontal and vertical lines can create stability.
A shape is a form that is enclosed or outlined. For example, when three lines meet they create the shape of a triangle. A shape has length and width. A shape’s boundary can be created by line, value, colour and/or texture. Shapes may be geometric or organic.
In scientific terms, colour is the particular wavelength of light viewed by the eye when an object reflects or emits light. The four characteristics of colour are hue, value, intensity, and temperature. Colour categories include primary, secondary and tertiary. Colours can also be sorted into the temperatures of warm or cool colours. Cool colours include blue, green and purple. Warm colours include red, orange and yellow.
Value is the lightness or darkness in an artwork. Value is created by the gradual changes in the lightness or darkness of an artwork even when colour is absent. Changes in value can be created by adding white or black to a colour and/or by erasing or adding more art medium to an art piece. Value is used to create the illusion of texture and light in art.
Form is the three-dimensional shape and dimensions of an artwork, or objects within an artwork. Form can also mean the illusion of a two-dimensional object being three-dimensional. A shape can appear to be a form with length, width and height by using shading and/or perspective. Forms can be geometric or organic.
Texture is the feeling and appearance of a surface. Texture can be smooth, rough, furry or soft. Texture can be the illusion of texture or real texture.
Space can be the area around, inside, or between parts of an artwork. Space can be a physical distance between objects. Space can also be an illusion of distance in a two-dimensional piece. The illusion of space can be created by a variety of techniques, including overlapping parts, a variety of sizes, changing value or colour, the use of detail, and perspective.
Press the following tabs to explore art pieces by Banksy.
This art piece is created with paint and stencils directly on a wall. It is accompanied with the text ‘There is always hope.’ The real weeds at the bottom of the art piece become a part of the art too!
Complete the Symbols and Design Elements Chart in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts.
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Artwork 1: |
Artwork 2: |
Artwork 3: |
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Symbols |
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Element of design: Line |
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Elements of design: Shape & form |
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Element of design: Space |
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Element of design: Colour |
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Element of design: Texture |
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Element of design: Value |
Press the ‘Activity’ button to access the Symbols and Design Elements.
Press ‘Answer’ to consider possible answers to the Symbols and Design Elements Chart.
Symbols and Design Elements Answer Key
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Artwork 1: |
Artwork 2: |
Artwork 3: |
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|---|---|---|---|
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Symbols |
Heart balloon |
Red cross on chest of nurse |
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Element of design: Line |
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Contour lines in bird’s wings Allusion of depth |
Lines in shirt, hair, and overalls creates depth |
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Elements of design: Shape & form |
Child has more weight |
Symbols found on all superheroes stand out |
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Element of design: Space |
Use of positive and negative space creates depth in the child’s clothing, on skin, and in the superheroes |
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Element of design: Colour |
Absence of colour except for balloon and the wall where it appears damp causes the balloon to contrast the rest of the piece |
Orange feet stand out and grey in wings |
Absence of colour except for red cross on nurse’s chest causes the red cross to stand out in contrast to the rest of the piece |
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Element of design: Texture |
Wall is textured |
Texture created in all aspects of image |
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Element of design: Value |
Tints in the wall and in child |
Volume in wings |
Shading to create depth |
Reflection
If street art is designed to communicate a message, what messages might Banksy be sending with these pieces?
Reflection
What style is common in all three of the Banksy pieces you explored in this activity?
Complete the Banksy’s Style in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts.
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What style is common in all three of the Banksy pieces? |
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Press ‘Answer’ to check out a possible answer.
Common elements in Banksy’s style could include:
- absence of colour except in one portion of the piece that Banksy wants to draw audience’s attention too
- simple pieces using shading to create depth
- using elements of real life in his pieces, such as the seagull heading to actual bin
Consolidation
Street art design
Let’s get creative!
Imagine you are a street artist. It is your turn to create a mural piece that can appear in a public space that communicates a message to the public.
Choose a topic that you are passionate about. Consider how you will use the street art form to share your perspective about this topic. Return to the artwork shared in the Minds On and the Action section for inspiration.
How can you use symbols and the elements of design to communicate your message effectively?
Materials Needed
Materials needed
- a blank sheet of paper or an art journal
- drawing materials such as pencils or crayons
- an electronic tablet for drawing
- any other art materials you like to use
Press the following tabs to learn more about the steps to design your own street art message.
Choose your message.
Decide on the elements of design that you will include in your design:
- line
- shape & form
- space
- colour
- texture
- value
Choose a symbol that you can include in your mural design. Could you include text in your message, or will it only include iconography?
Remember that iconography is the use of images and symbols to represent ideas.
Decide whether to create your mural on paper, digitally, as an oral description, or in another method of your choice.
Plan your design and then begin. What will the title be?
Share your street art with a partner, if possible, and ask if they can guess your message.
Portfolio
Artist statement
It is time to create your own artist statement.
In your art journal or using any method of your choice, answer the following questions to help you create your statement.
- Describe your artwork.
- What inspired you to create your artwork?
- What tools or techniques did you use while creating your art?
- Is the final piece how you envisioned it? How so?
What do you think?
Banksy has been given the title of “street art graffiti artist”. What do you think this title means?
Would you consider Banksy a street artist or a graffiti artist? Why?
Reflection
As you read the following descriptions, select the one that best describes your current understanding of the learning in this activity. Press the corresponding button once you have made your choice.
I feel…
Now, expand on your ideas by recording your thoughts using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.
When you review your notes on this learning activity later, reflect on whether you would select a different description based on your further review of the material in this learning activity.