Cutting a Banksy stencil with a laser cutter

This video shows me cutting a Banksy stencil out of cardboard using an Epilog laser cutter. The image was downloaded from the web, turned into a line vector drawing using corel draw, then printed on a 45 watt Epilog CO2 laser at 90% power and 25% speed.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• banksy
• epilog
• laser
• laser cutter

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[b5isalive]

my blistered fingers and dull exacto knives are impressed!

[OnlineIsland]

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

[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.

[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.

[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.

[OnlineIsland]

@Lundrana91

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

[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?

[LetsMakeMusic4You]

(AlanRockefeller) Do you do any custom stencils?

I have the images Picture ready in a flashdrive.

[rmysterio80]

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

[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?

[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.