When you think of art, you think of galleries, exhibitions, painting on canvasses and other more traditions forms. However, is today’s modern society, there are a number of different forms of art that still embrace the traditional concept, but depict them through more modern means.

Depending on your own taste in art, you will have a differing opinion of street art. Some people consider it art, whereas other believe it to be a crime. While property owners have the decision whether to press charges or not as it is there property, many like the art due to not only their unique designs, but also the public attention it beings to their property.

Street Paintings

No matter where you go in the world, you will most likely come across a number of street artists on your travels. Generally, street artists use a number of pastels to create an image on the sidewalk. What the artist creates ranges from landscapes, modern landmarks to topical concepts. However, the most popular forms of street art in recent years is those than use the 2D canvas to create a 3D perception. If you search on YouTube, Facebook or any other social medium, you will see a wide range of designs that have received literally millions of views, mostly based around super heros such as Batman and Spiderman

Graffiti Art

While street art is more about creating an appealing image to engage the passing public, graffiti art is more of a modern way to send a public message. Depending on where you are in the world this could have a number of different meanings. It could be a depiction with a political message, a topical statement or just someone looking to help increase their own public notoriety. Graffiti art is normally applied using spray paint or marker pens. Before you feel the need to publicise your own personal message through graffiti art, you need to be aware than if you place graffiti art onto property where you don’t have the owner’s consent , it is considered vandalism and you can be arrested for it.

Printed T-Shirts

For many designers, printed t-shirts have become a popular way for them to promote their designs to the public and make a little money in the process. While this can be argued that it isn’t necessarily street art, it still applies as it is platform where people will gain most exposure to the designs while on the street. 

Prints can be applied to t-shirts using a number of different processes such as transfers, which applies the design to the garment with a heat press, direct to garment which works like a ink-jet printer, printing the design onto the shirt and screen printing which uses a number of screens to pass the ink through a stencil and apply the design to the t-shirt.

The great thing about using t-shirts as an art canvas is that they aren’t static. With people constantly on the move, if they buy your t-shirt, just by them wearing it throughout the day, they are exposing your design to a new audience. This may even compel them to also purchase the shirt, providing added benefits.

Sticker Art

Sticker art is pretty much exactly as you would expect, placing stickers on a number of public places that contain a message or design. This is something which is used a lot by businesses as a form of marketing called guerrilla marketing. Whether you are using it as a marketing strategy or simply for your own enjoyment, they are easy enough to create on your computer and then printed off onto adhesive stickers. They can also be used as gifts to friends, decorations or even fashion statements placing them on bags, hats and other apparel. 

Street Installations

In recent years, street installations have become a more and more popular form of street art, acting similar to graffiti art, but instead of the design being applied to a surface, they place a 3D object within a public area and use that as the art. This concept has been embraced by artists all over the world with the likes of Nsumi, Dan Witz, Mark McGowan and Banksy all producing forms of street installation art in recent years. While some artists use them as standing objects not meant to be moved, some wish for them to be moved around a specific area, creating public interaction within the art.

Just like some other forms of art, street installation art does not ask for permission before placing the objects within a public place. If the art gains public attention and appeal, it usually won’t be touched by authorities. However, they may try and remove it at the early stages before a lot of people have a chance to see it.

This article was written by John Johnston. John is part of the marketing team for Workwear Express, a leading workwear and printed t-shirt supplier.

Image credit:  samdecle on Flickr