The more you learn about urban culture, the more diverse and ramified it becomes. For many people, everything that they see on the wall or sidewalk refers to street art, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, if you want to be precise with the terms and get a better understanding of what artists create, you should learn more about the main types of street art and their peculiarities.
Five main types of street art
1. Stencil art
Banksy is the brightest example of a stencil art master. Using spray cans with paint and plastic or carboards stencils, he creates different pieces that later become a complete wall painting. The style is especially popular among emerging painters.
2. Murals
Murals are usually made by applying several layers of paint, to say nothing of other techniques that go before and after the main part. Compared to the previous type, murals can be of any size as long as you have the necessary equipment to apply paint on the surface.
3. Sticker art
As the name suggests, sticker art consists of stickers, a lot of stickers. Most often, you can see it as an area with sticky labels and decals that may or may not be connected. However, there are artworks made of a well-organized mass of stickers positioned in a certain way. That definitely makes it one of the most interesting types of street art nowadays.
4. 3D art
3D art is the very same stencils and murals but with additional visual effects. As a rule, you can see such artworks on sidewalks where you stand as if you are on the brink of a cham. Wall 3D works can be found less often.
5. Graffiti
Good old graffiti will always remain one of the primal types of street art because it was once a starting point for the whole culture. Nowadays, the term graffiti is often used as a synonym for murals and stencil artworks. Technically, it is not correct, but it is not a problem in the larger context.
Things are getting more contemporary
Above you see hardly the full list of types of street art. There are more, and there will be more. Hard as it may be to believe, some street artists incorporate modern technologies into their designs. Have you heard about digital guerrilla art? It is when creators make use of devices to create a singular experience. One good example is using a digital projector whereby you can translate an image onto the building without being a “vandal.” Things are changing, so make sure to say tuned!