Stickers have been with us for a very long time. Ever since applying adhesive gum to the back of sheets of paper became a practical commercial process over 130 years ago, they have become part of the world around us. Originally used as a way of marking crates for transport, stickers and labels have gained in sophistication and range of uses that match advances in printing technology that have made them possible.
One use of stickers that has gained increasing popularity in urban centres, is as a form of street art. Unlike posters and graffiti, the quick hit-and-run application of stickers has made them the guerrilla artist's secret weapon. The artwork is done in the comfort and safety of the home or studio, and then printed. If it's only a small number of stickers, they can be printed at home, or for larger numbers and a better quality of sticker, with a print shop that has sticker printing services. The finished stickers can then be taken to the part of town where the artist wants them to be seen, and away they go. They can be put on walls, public transport and around public places to display their message and meaning to anyone who sees them.
There is a distinction to be made here between commercial fly posting and street art. The first speaks for itself, as business is simply using stickers with logos and advertising copy as a means of advertising a product or event. It's usually done by event organisers for gigs, and you don't see much of it nowadays as the source of the stickers can easily be traced back to their owners, who can then be prosecuted by local authorities for fly posting. Street art, on the other hand, is an expression of an ideal or protest message and is usually anonymous. The point is to provide the public with inspiration or a provocative message, and the artwork of the sticker will reflect this.
Research has shown, and this may be disappointing news for less experienced street artists, that a great many of the stickers aren't even noticed. When people are moving through public places it can be hard to attract their attention as they go about their business, and the size of stickers does mean they can simply fade in to the background. So to have the most impact, thought needs to be given to where the stickers should go, and you see this in the imaginative placement of the stickers. Favourite are sites where people will sit and let their eyes wander, such as the backs of seats on buses, or around seating areas in public places like shopping centres.
The growth of sticker art has broadened the audience of many artists far beyond the areas where their work is covertly placed. Websites allow designs to be traded and posted, with the stickers themselves becoming collector's items. This way an artist's work can be copied and placed in cities far beyond their normal reach, spreading their work and message in an almost viral fashion.
The irony for some artists is that their work can become so popular they cross the line from subversive street artist to the type of established and commercial success they were originally protesting against.
One use of stickers that has gained increasing popularity in urban centres, is as a form of street art. Unlike posters and graffiti, the quick hit-and-run application of stickers has made them the guerrilla artist's secret weapon. The artwork is done in the comfort and safety of the home or studio, and then printed. If it's only a small number of stickers, they can be printed at home, or for larger numbers and a better quality of sticker, with a print shop that has sticker printing services. The finished stickers can then be taken to the part of town where the artist wants them to be seen, and away they go. They can be put on walls, public transport and around public places to display their message and meaning to anyone who sees them.
There is a distinction to be made here between commercial fly posting and street art. The first speaks for itself, as business is simply using stickers with logos and advertising copy as a means of advertising a product or event. It's usually done by event organisers for gigs, and you don't see much of it nowadays as the source of the stickers can easily be traced back to their owners, who can then be prosecuted by local authorities for fly posting. Street art, on the other hand, is an expression of an ideal or protest message and is usually anonymous. The point is to provide the public with inspiration or a provocative message, and the artwork of the sticker will reflect this.
Research has shown, and this may be disappointing news for less experienced street artists, that a great many of the stickers aren't even noticed. When people are moving through public places it can be hard to attract their attention as they go about their business, and the size of stickers does mean they can simply fade in to the background. So to have the most impact, thought needs to be given to where the stickers should go, and you see this in the imaginative placement of the stickers. Favourite are sites where people will sit and let their eyes wander, such as the backs of seats on buses, or around seating areas in public places like shopping centres.
The growth of sticker art has broadened the audience of many artists far beyond the areas where their work is covertly placed. Websites allow designs to be traded and posted, with the stickers themselves becoming collector's items. This way an artist's work can be copied and placed in cities far beyond their normal reach, spreading their work and message in an almost viral fashion.
The irony for some artists is that their work can become so popular they cross the line from subversive street artist to the type of established and commercial success they were originally protesting against.
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