T-SHIRT STENCILS, January 2014
After studying the history of street art and graffiti, students learned how to print a t-shirt design using a stenciling technique made popular by street artists. These original designs represent something of importance to each artist and provide a personally meaningful alternative to the logos/teams/college names that normally adorn t-shirts. Because street art engages with people differently than art hanging in a museum or gallery, students completed the project by wearing their shirts to morning meeting and then documenting at least one interaction about their design with someone in the Bosque community. See examples of designs and interactions below (7A top, 7B bottom). Please note: due to technical error, not all designs were photographed successfully.
After studying the history of street art and graffiti, students learned how to print a t-shirt design using a stenciling technique made popular by street artists. These original designs represent something of importance to each artist and provide a personally meaningful alternative to the logos/teams/college names that normally adorn t-shirts. Because street art engages with people differently than art hanging in a museum or gallery, students completed the project by wearing their shirts to morning meeting and then documenting at least one interaction about their design with someone in the Bosque community. See examples of designs and interactions below (7A top, 7B bottom). Please note: due to technical error, not all designs were photographed successfully.
ANONYMOUS MEANINGS
"My design represents that only you can make a difference and save the environment."
"The design is made up of the things I love to do. There's an ice skate for skating, a pencil for art, and even though it was accidental, the swirly thing kind of looks like a treble note for music."
"It means that I love horses and have been riding for lots of years."
"My design is pretty straightforward. I believe that life on earth is not the only life in the universe. I don't necessarily believe in little green martians with antennas but I think that there is some sort of life out there (like bacteria)."
"It's a musical reference that always makes me happy. It's random and quirky and expresses my personality."
"My design is a cherry blossom from Okinawa. It means something to me because it was the first memory I ever had."
"I like creating new stuff and many others do too. The world in chains and imagination as the key shows to me that there is always something new to make."
"The sparkle part means that it is always important to shine and be yourself."
"Sharks are killed by fishermen. . . and yet they are thought to be the killers."
"My shirt means that true friends you can count on no matter what."
"What it means is that the world is being held back by ignorance. If we get rid of ignorance by education, the population of the world we'll become better."
ANONYMOUS INTERACTIONS
"Jenna asked me what it meant and I explained my design to her. She told me it was cool and liked what it stood for."
"[Paolo] complimented me on how well the shirt turned out because my stencil failed miserably."
"My sister said is that your shirt? Wow, that's way better than mine."
"Zoe asked me what my t-shirt meant and I said I liked marine biology and turtles."
"Katherine asked me at morning meeting if I like swimming and where I swim at."
"I showed it to Ms. Lazar and she said that it always made her happy to hear Mary Poppins references."
"My design was pretty simple about what it meant so nobody really asked questions about what I was expressing. However, I did get a lot of simple compliments from people like, 'Your shirt looks cool.'"
"Mr. Guy asked what my shirt meant and I said it was my catchphrase for the year."
"A kid asked if my shirt was related to my book and I said yes."
"My design represents that only you can make a difference and save the environment."
"The design is made up of the things I love to do. There's an ice skate for skating, a pencil for art, and even though it was accidental, the swirly thing kind of looks like a treble note for music."
"It means that I love horses and have been riding for lots of years."
"My design is pretty straightforward. I believe that life on earth is not the only life in the universe. I don't necessarily believe in little green martians with antennas but I think that there is some sort of life out there (like bacteria)."
"It's a musical reference that always makes me happy. It's random and quirky and expresses my personality."
"My design is a cherry blossom from Okinawa. It means something to me because it was the first memory I ever had."
"I like creating new stuff and many others do too. The world in chains and imagination as the key shows to me that there is always something new to make."
"The sparkle part means that it is always important to shine and be yourself."
"Sharks are killed by fishermen. . . and yet they are thought to be the killers."
"My shirt means that true friends you can count on no matter what."
"What it means is that the world is being held back by ignorance. If we get rid of ignorance by education, the population of the world we'll become better."
ANONYMOUS INTERACTIONS
"Jenna asked me what it meant and I explained my design to her. She told me it was cool and liked what it stood for."
"[Paolo] complimented me on how well the shirt turned out because my stencil failed miserably."
"My sister said is that your shirt? Wow, that's way better than mine."
"Zoe asked me what my t-shirt meant and I said I liked marine biology and turtles."
"Katherine asked me at morning meeting if I like swimming and where I swim at."
"I showed it to Ms. Lazar and she said that it always made her happy to hear Mary Poppins references."
"My design was pretty simple about what it meant so nobody really asked questions about what I was expressing. However, I did get a lot of simple compliments from people like, 'Your shirt looks cool.'"
"Mr. Guy asked what my shirt meant and I said it was my catchphrase for the year."
"A kid asked if my shirt was related to my book and I said yes."