Spray painting was something I’d had my eye on for a while as a new thing to try, so when a session in York became available from Art Of Protest Projects, I signed up to it quicker than you can take the lid of a tin of paint.
Great Expectations.
‘We learn best when we play and have fun’. I may have paraphrased here, but the introduction to our instructors and the day hooked me in in a flash!
Whenever I create learning and development interventions for work, one of my priorities is to make it fun and engaging so that it sticks – a highlight being legal and compliance training in the format of the crystal maze!
I already had high expectations for the workshop, and as it totally tapped into my L&D ethos, I was even more excited to be part of the session!
Painting Provisions At The Spray Painting Workshop
Everything was provided; the safety gear; the canvas; the stencils and the paint. All we had to do was bring the creativity – which the fantastically enthusiastic instructors also helped with if we got stuck!
Picking our colours from the array of cans on the worktable, and choosing guides from a big pile of stencils, we were ready. In just 45 minutes, we were going to be introduced to the art of spray painting, and create our own designs.
Let Us Spray.
My finger gently pressed down on the canister valve. Little flecks of purple sprayed out in a fine mist onto the scrap paper. Pressing down harder, the paint on the paper intensified into a block of deep colour.
Spray painting is all about layering up the paint using different techniques to create different effects. It was good to get a gauge of both the speed and the force that those little particles of colour fly from the can, as it would help us to create our designs.
Getting Started.
With trepidation I applied my first spray of paint – a soft orange mist across the whole canvas as a backing colour. It looked alright! It was nice and even across the whole board. Phew!
Once the base colour was done, it was now a case of building the design step by step. I didn’t have any idea of what I wanted my finished picture to look like, so just took it a layer at a time with whatever felt right.
Watching Paint Dry - Very Quickly!
After we applied paint at each step, our instructors gave us tips and advice for the next layer. This was just enough time for the previously sprayed paint to become dry enough to apply more over the top.
Every now and then they would encourage us to take a walk around the venue to get a bit of fresh air. It didn’t seem like the paint gave off many fumes, (maybe the masks were doing such a good job of filtering it out), but it was good to walk by the other tables and see how the other novice spray painters were getting on. There were some great designs being produced!
I used a mix of stencils and tried to pick colours that would work together to create a bit of a geometric abstract image. They taught various techniques and I tried to incorporate misting and drop shadow into mine.
No Such Thing As A Mistake.
All was going well, until a pesky spray of paint found its way where I didn’t want it to be. It wasn’t an issue though! The instructors used their expertise to blend it away and cover it over. So even if you fluff up a bit, it doesn’t mean the image is ruined. Hurrah! Any rogue paint or misplaced colour should be salvageable, and several other attendees had a bit of help with some minor mishaps too.
The Gallery.
Spray cans made short sharp final hisses as finishing touches were applied to canvases, and we were about done.
In just three quarters of an hour, we’d learnt some basic steps and principles of spray painting. Now it was time to admire each others work.
Everyone had created something to be proud of. From deep colours to contrasting shades, and lettering to straight lines and curves.
I’m really pleased with how mine ended up. Someone pointed out I might have been subconsciously influenced by my jumper! Another friend commented it looked like an 80s album cover – I think she’s right, it wouldn’t have looked out of place in Our Price back in the day.
Spray It Ain’t Over
This was a great experience, and something that would be brilliant to explore more of in the future.
There is a lot of incredible street art around the world, and more and more fantastic pieces of art appearing in the streets of York.
Although I have only scratched the surface of the method, I have a new found appreciation for the work that goes into them, and maybe one day I’ll get to create another album cover!
Want To Try It Yourself?
- This spray paint workshop was run by Art Of Protest Projects in York. They were brilliantly enthusiastic and encouraging. They offer various workshops so if you are in the Yorkshire area, it’s definitely worth keeping an eye out for any if you would like to have a go.
- I found this experience on Eventbrite. Take a look and see if there are any near you.
Cost Of Experience
This 45 minute session cost me £30.77. Yep, a random amount, that’s because I booked it through Eventbrite and there was an admin fee.
The cost will vary depending on who the provider is and the length of the workshop.
Recommendations
- Wear old clothes so it won’t matter if you accidentally get any paint on them.
- Follow the guidance of your teachers, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.
- This would be a good option for a more unusual team building activity.
- Don’t worry if you don’t know what you want the end result to look like, just keep going with whatever feels right at the time.
- Take a picture of your finished work! It will be great to see what you create if you give it a go!