Banksy: How to Make Millions with Spraycan and Stencil
The studio work.
Rude Policeman
The “urban graffiti” artist known only as Banksy is renowned for his street art. With his recognisable stencils and slogans adorning the walls of public buildings, his works are known for their humour and social and political comment.
There is however another side to Banksy: that of the studio artist.
Happy Choppers
His work features the use of various mediums.
There are free hand sketches
The fall of man
Roller Rat
Welcome to London
The stencils are still a favoured medium
Media
Flowerchucker/Love is in the Air
And several are recognisable as those used in some of his outdoor work.
Flying copper
Laugh now
But whatever the medium used, the social comment is still there.
Pooh Bear
Toxic Virgin
Golf Sale
Everyone always says that they want to buy but no one does (Sharks)
Kids on Guns
Feed the World
Have a nice day
Applause
Hunters
Another medium he uses reflects the graffiti of the streets. In the same way that he puts his work onto a canvas:a building created by another person, he literally does the same with some of his studio pieces.
Carwreck
CCtv
Water Lilies
Incident
Crude Oil
His work is now being recognised by the art world and by collectors.
His screen print CND Soldiers went for £3,750. (Approx$8,000)
A screen print, poking fun at the art world, Morons, sold in auction for £5,250 (over $10,000)
In the Auction, his comment on US values, Napalm, based on the famous Nick Ut Pulitzer prize winning photograph of a Vietnamese girl fleeing a bombed village sold for £11,000 (approx $22,000
Bomb Hugger fetched £31,200
The artist’s Balloon Girl sold for £37,200,
The image of a couple embracing clad in deep sea diving helmets – which was used for the cover of Blur’s Think Tank album – went for £62,400
At the Sotherbys’ Auction House, his pictures of English pensioners bowling with bombs: Bombing Middle England was sold for £102,000 (approx$204,000)
In another Auction, Banksy’s Self-Portrait, showing an ape’s face, fetched £198,000
In the same auction, the original artwork Space Girl and Bird, was sold to a telephone bidder from the US for £288,000 (in the region of $580,000)
Bonhams specialist Gareth Williams, said at the time:
“The art market for contemporary cutting edge art is booming and Banksy’s work has become part of this culture.”
Charles Dupplin, an art expert from insurance company Hiscox, said buyers were “fascinated” by the artist.
“Today’s auction demonstrates just how much art by Banksy has skyrocketed in value. Clearly he is an artist in huge demand.
“To have the previous record set by the artist broken twice in quick succession reveals how much fascination there is in Banksy by collectors.”
But the story doesn’t end there.
In February 2008, lead singer with the group U2, Bono, with the help of UK artist Damien Hurst organised a charity auction.
Banksy donated a piece of work: Keep it Spotless, a large original canvas based on one of his street pieces.
This was auctioned for a staggering $1.8 million.
“Tonight we got serious about love, and not just the love of art, but the love of our brothers and sisters suffering from Aids in the poorest places on the planet,” Bono typically said at the auction. “I’m never going to be cynical ever again for a while,” Damien Hirst told the BBC. “We’ve helped change the world a little bit.”
(The $42.5 million raised went to the United Nations Foundation to support HIV/Aids relief programs in Africa, organized by the Global Fund to fight Aids, tuberculosis and malaria.)
So the next time you have a bit of spare time , a craft knife, a piece of cardboard and a spraycan…………
Footnote:
Neither Pooh Bear, small children, shopping trolleys or works of art were harmed during the writing of this article. It is believed that the Hunters featured returned to their indigenous way of life whilst becoming a bit savvier about supermarket bargains.
The other articles in this series on The Work of Banksy are:
- Urban Graffiti as Art: Banksy
- Banksy in Bethlehem: Art and the Barrier Between Two Nations
- Banksy Storms New Orleans: Banksy vs the Grey Ghost
- Urban Graffiti Artist Banksy Opens a Pet Shop
- Banksy Gunrat Will Double Value of British Pub
- Banksy Punked Paris Hilton: Cunning Stunts
- Two New Banksy Graffiti Artworks Appear in London
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28 Comments
s hayes, posted this comment on Nov 12th, 2008
Great article – I ususally pay very little attention to modern art – as I cannot understand it or reconcile it to the pricetag – but Banksy is different – his work is genius in my opinion.
Some funny comments of your own in there C x
Unofre Pil;i, posted this comment on Nov 12th, 2008
Very nice article. Liked it much.
geri, posted this comment on Nov 12th, 2008
Thanks My daughter is gonna love this article
thestickman, posted this comment on Nov 12th, 2008
Very kewl! 
lindalulu, posted this comment on Nov 12th, 2008
So cool !
CHAN LEE PENG, posted this comment on Nov 12th, 2008
Interesting read!
Inna Tysoe, posted this comment on Nov 12th, 2008
That was well done. Bansky seems to have a really good grasp of traditional methods and uses it to great effect to express modern concerns.
Which, I guess, is what makes him modern.
Best,
Inna
Emma C S, posted this comment on Nov 12th, 2008
Great article. I love Banksy’s street art, it’s so exciting when you just stumble across one of his pieces when you’re out somewhere.
goodselfme, posted this comment on Nov 12th, 2008
I love Banksy. great pics and well done article by you !!!
MJPatrick, posted this comment on Nov 12th, 2008
Fantastic article!
James DeVere, posted this comment on Nov 12th, 2008
The Napalm piss-take is choice. Your quick lines and styles great. Visual feast. Thanks j
Jason Savage, posted this comment on Nov 12th, 2008
Outstanding piece, I am impressed with the art, and impressed at your taste for this article.
Ruby Hawk, posted this comment on Nov 12th, 2008
What talent he has, Fantastic. It is the greatest. Take care,Ruby
Pablo the Hat, posted this comment on Nov 13th, 2008
Great article!
Ron Borg, posted this comment on Nov 13th, 2008
What makes Banksy so popular is that his message is so blatant. You don’t have to guess at what he is saying with his art and that makes his pieces more accessible to the average viewer. imho.
Paula Mitchell Bentley, posted this comment on Nov 13th, 2008
Banksy’s work is stunning! The use of common images combined with political ideologies makes for stunning masterpieces that would draw in people of all ages, races, genders, cultures, etc. etc. I also really liked your text on this article. It’s a bit hard to compete with the visual imagery you provided but I did read the text all the way through! I wish I lived somewhere where I could just stumble across art as magnificent as this. Great job.
Lost in Arizona, posted this comment on Nov 13th, 2008
I love Bansky! He’s right up there for me, next to Van Gogh, and Basquiat. I love artists that can stimulate a reaction out of people, whether negative or positive, and the fact that his identity remains a mystery, kind of leaves this mystique and wonder about him. Love the read.
chessgolf, posted this comment on Nov 13th, 2008
Now I know abit more about Banksy. Briliant images and a great article!
sue mcverry, posted this comment on Nov 13th, 2008
Really enjoyed that. I love Banksy and it was great to see so much of his stuff all at once. Thank you.
Sher, posted this comment on Nov 13th, 2008
Entertaining and informative….Well done
eddiego65, posted this comment on Nov 14th, 2008
Banksy is one cool artist. Great article. Great art!
Brian James, posted this comment on Nov 14th, 2008
Quite an interesting collection of art.
Mark Bentley, posted this comment on Nov 17th, 2008
Great article. I never realized how diverse Banksy is. Thanks!
Lasan, posted this comment on Nov 20th, 2008
I like it! I did some spray art and used stencil, not as good as Banksy 
, but it was fun and will do it again!
clay hurtubise, posted this comment on Apr 11th, 2009
WOW, great work!
Thanks,
Clay
stan wilcoks, posted this comment on Jun 1st, 2009
wonderful. banksy is one of the top artists of the modern day.
highly informative article. great job.
great job banksy too.
stop the n.w.o, posted this comment on Oct 14th, 2009
amasing art and a great way to get his political message across to the sheeplle. thanks for caring banksy
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RJ Chamberlain, posted this comment on Nov 12th, 2008
This is great. Banksy is a legend. Love his work and the way he speaks to the world through his art. Well done C Jordan.