Cutting a Banksy stencil with a laser cutter

[USRNSF1]

@OnlineIsland. Depending on how you use a stencil you still have alot of hand work to do to finish the product. So your statement that something like this doesnt take any skill is not neccesarily true. I use free hand stencils in every piece of art I do with an airbrush and often times static stencils as well. But everypiece is unique. Not only because alot of it is still freehand but because with each piece my skill level improves so each one is a little better than the last one.

[LetsMakeMusic4You]

(AlanRockefeller) Do you do any custom stencils?

I have the images Picture ready in a flashdrive.

[AlanRockefeller]

Not at kinkos, try techshop or your local hacker space.

[AlanRockefeller]

I did a google image search for banksy and used the banksy shoe thrower image. I removed the shoe so I can make him throw anything. Once you have the image, in Inkskape you go to Paths -> Trace Bitmap to make it into a vector image. Corel Draw has similar functionality.

[ClickGoesBoom]

@AlanRockefeller That info helped me a ton. Was about to give up on trying a laser cutter for stencils because I thought I would have to trace all the stencils myself in a program Im not too familiar with. Inkscake Paths-> trace bitmap is a life saver here.

[you0are0rank]

how did you get the drawing of the stencil,,,i have corel draw and i tried doing it on a couple of silhouettes and i couldn't find any tools like the ones you stated , please help

[TequilaTommy]

Colour me impressed

[ugforthewin]

Banksy's main love in life is his massive BANKsy account from all his shit he has made.

[AlanRockefeller]

@ugforthewin I think he deserves his large bank account.

[ElSenorPoopyPants]

@ugforthewin he doesn't get any of the money from his pieces. it goes to the auction houses were it is sold illegally without him profiting from it. he doesn't do it for the money.

[rmysterio80]

@ugforthewin not like you did anything to deserve a BANKsy account now did ya?

[AlanRockefeller]

The cost per sheet is very low. The laser tube needs to be replaced occasionally but that is about it. Techshop charges between 75 and 150 per month for access to the laser. I am in San Francisco, California. I can do some custom work for you if you want.

[Yikkon14]

@OnlineIsland i've never found stencils that artistically talented, so i'm not sure what all the fuss is about, i'm sure he just did that as an example as well, so if anything it just adds more credit to the BANKSY name. Cutting it by hand would be nice if you could be bothered, personally i'd laser it.

[fatwallet13]

Great idea cutting with laser. Is it easy to use & get an image ready as I am not experienced with computers, so if it was a complex thing to do i'd have no chance. Any advice would be welcomed.

[frankly1970]

I'm glad someone like onlineisland has the art education to explain to me what real art is. i assume there must be years of art education behind that well formed statement. Maybe work on your grammar as well.

[MrSaven1177]

That's awesomeness

[AlanRockefeller]

They cost about $30,000 new, less for some of the lower end models. Or if you have a TechShop near you it costs about $125 per month to use it. This laser is at TechShop in Menlo Park. You can find them cheaper on ebay, also check out epilog.com.

[mrskullcandyz]

how much do they cost?

[verderocks]

Holy Crap! I love it and hate it at the same time!!! I am SO conflicted! I have to go have a moment now and discuss this with my x-acto scarred fingers....

Ok, I'm back. Fingers won the argument. Out with the dark ages. I need to get one of those evil little things. ASAP.

[happyorangeanimation]

Don't think I have to tell you; THAT IS AWESOME!

[xqz0ne]

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[AlanRockefeller]

I can not draw so no one would not want to see stencils that I make myself. Cutting intricate stencils by hand is a huge waste of time and it is much more fun to use a laser.

[twojake]

@AlanRockefeller learn to draw lol

[OnlineIsland]

Sad you copy a stencil from Banksy, make your own stencils, and second real art is made by hand, not by a printer.

[fullboxxskater]

@OnlineIsland banksy states "good artists seal, bad artists imitate"

So you should just copy his work. Also Banksy uses computer technology to help him make his stencils

[OnlineIsland]

@fullboxxskater

To help him, that's correct.

But he cuts his stencils by hand, i've seen the movie: Exit through the gift shop, and there is a part in where you see he cuts everything by hand.

And what this guy is doing doesn't require talent, or work, it's just pushing a button and you got a stencil.

[TroyvAnGo]

@OnlineIsland stop bein such a hater dude. hes just showing an exampleof the laser cutting cause that stencil is a detailed stencil. to quick to hate man

[vinejuli311]

@OnlineIsland I cab understand not using banksy's art is bad. But not using a printer? Wouldn't a artist not using all his resources or tools be limiting his creativity?

[Lundrana91]

@OnlineIsland Art is different things for different people. You are fully entitled to your opinion and I respect because I once shared it but in an age where technology rains supreme you adapt. Why suffer when you can do something like this?

[OnlineIsland]

@Lundrana91

Because 'something like this' doesn't take any skill... Everybody can do this.

[Lundrana91]

@OnlineIsland That is true but it doesn't make it any less of a piece of art. All things like this cutter are doing is opening up the ability to make art to the masses and I don't see that as a bad thing.

[tbenefi33]

A vinyl cutter plotter is a lot cheaper, and you can do a bigger area.

but that awesome though.

[TheThirdLetter]

How much did you pay for the laser cutter?

[jorburn00]

Thats just plain lazy, I did that exact stencil by hand and it took about half the time, a knife and some crafty skills are alot cheaper than a laser cutter man... Lmao

[burgerboy143]

@jorburn00 bull shit

[ichewtoast111]

wow....Where can i get one of thoes? :)

[AlanRockefeller]

They come up for sale from time to time on ebay.

[MrGoodygumdrops]

vinyl plotter's...the type used by signmakers will do the same only the're quicker & cheaper to buy. Did you cut straight from corel or do you use an add on?

[bwiddup1]

@AlanRockefeller how much is the cost per sheet for printing? do you comercially print custom designs? are you based in the uk? thanks for your time.

[b5isalive]

my blistered fingers and dull exacto knives are impressed!

[111Wolverine]

ditto