Vinyl Cut Graffiti Project
Vinyl Cut Graffiti Project from Haiden Jamie
Vinyl Cut Graffiti Project

After teaching my students about the work of artists like Banksy & Robbo & discussing the validity of graffiti as an art, students were given their own graffiti-style platform.
Students discussed the legal issues surrounding graffiti as well as topics of ownership, plagiarism & freedom of expression. They also explored traditional art making methods & contrasted those with socially driven works meant to incite change.
For their own piece, they were directed to take a digital photo of themselves. They translated this photo into a design using only negative and positive space. Like graffiti which may be political but can be simply decorative, the students were instructed to use their image to inspire a particular mood or feeling in its viewer. It could send a literal message or simply create an atmosphere.
This project uses self-adhesive vinyl so students can mount large scale work directly onto any wall creating the effect of graffiti without incurring the damage of vandalism.

Fear was the inspiration for this work. The student first carefully posed and photographed herself and then selected the shadows of her image that would make the harshest, most dramatic impression. She wanted the work to ask people to confront their own fears by writing them publicly onto the surface of her face - the small black pocket contains chalk pieces.
In the original photograph, it is quite apparent that the student is laughing, but he quickly noted the ambiguity of the face once it was mounted on the wall. Playing on this ambiguity was something he considered as he carefully chose the words that are being shouted out around the corner of the wall.
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Vinyl Cut Graffiti Project

After teaching my students about the work of artists like Banksy & Robbo & discussing the validity of graffiti as an art, students were given their own graffiti-style platform.
Students discussed the legal issues surrounding graffiti as well as topics of ownership, plagiarism & freedom of expression. They also explored traditional art making methods & contrasted those with socially driven works meant to incite change.
For their own piece, they were directed to take a digital photo of themselves. They translated this photo into a design using only negative and positive space. Like graffiti which may be political but can be simply decorative, the students were instructed to use their image to inspire a particular mood or feeling in its viewer. It could send a literal message or simply create an atmosphere.
This project uses self-adhesive vinyl so students can mount large scale work directly onto any wall creating the effect of graffiti without incurring the damage of vandalism.

Haiden Jamie
Visual Artist and Certified Art Teacher Toronto, Canada