Essential Elements of Street Art

1. Social Commentary

1.1. Social commentary is basically the issue they want to talk about. What messages are you giving about. Social commentary is also often the reason behind making the street art piece, and the message you are trying to spread through it.

1.1.1. For example, in his street art piece Girl Hugging Bomb, Banksy talks about how the media depicts war as a positive thing, when in reality it distorts the perception of reality of those that are around it regularly.

2. Stencils

2.1. A Stencil is a template used to draw or paint identical letters, symbols, shapes, or patterns every time it is used.

2.1.1. Many street artists use stencils to create their art pieces, since they are quicker and easier to put together within a short timeframe.

3. Physical Space

3.1. Street art is literally dependent on Physical space. For example - Street artists may make use of sewers and pillars to create a unique way to further their message.

4. Trompe L'oeil

4.1. Trompe l’oeil is a technique of painting that gives the viewer a false sense of depth. It is about as popular with street artists today as it was with the French aristocracy in Baroque times. Among many others, mural painter John Pugh is known for his extreme use of trompe l’oeil.

5. Definition

5.1. Unsanctioned artwork outside the context of traditional values

6. Situational Irony

6.1. Situational irony is a literary technique in which an expected outcome does not happen, or its opposite happens instead. Situational irony requires one's expectations to be thwarted and is also sometimes called an irony of events.

6.1.1. Some everyday examples of situational irony are a fire station burning down, or someone posting on Twitter that social media is a waste of time or a broken sign with the title of perfection. These may be depicted through a visual medium in street art.