Some of you may be dedicated street art lovers, others may just stumble across my blog. Maybe you look at graffiti slightly bending your head sideways trying to figure out how a piece is made. Or maybe you see right through the different layers of paint knowing the techniques behind it. In this blog I would like to share with you the process of the making of my latest work.

Closing a period of almost non- stop travel from Australia, to Morocco and across Europe, I was invited by Bring the Paint festival to paint a brick wall in the streets of Jubilee Road, Leicester, UK. You may think I just pack my bags and hop on the plain. But nothing could be further from the truth. Preparations go weeks back. While in Australia I picked the wall of my preference; in this case I was attracted by the rectangular shape of it. I always request detailed photos of a wall itself as well as the surroundings so I can study the scene and determine what’s missing and how I can contribute to the sphere. Here I wanted to create a contrast with the grey and somewhat somber environment by using colors that seem to break out.

Then I start sketching. Anytime, anywhere: during spare hours while travelling or late nights in my studio back home. First I use a pencil and as the idea starts developing in my head I sketch with a fineliner. Then I start thinking colors. I take a color atlas and pick the ones I believe are exact right for the piece. I give every color a unique number before I add it to my sketch. Now I open my laptop and start up Photoshop wherein I upload a picture of the sketch. Here comes the digital part of DOES. Or maybe not. Let’s say I know my way around the brush tool and erase tool well enough to complete my sketch in full color.

I didn’t always use to work this detailed. Back in the days I would walk onto the game field with just a rough sketch in my head. Consequently making a piece was much more time-consuming and stressful cause I didn’t know where I was heading. I found out that both me and my art flourish when I prepare a piece in detail like this. When I don’t have to break the flow, lower the lift and take a distance to see how the work is developing.

It’s at this point in time that I actually take the stand before the wall. Now is the time to shine and execute my vision. Day 1: draw sketch on the wall. Day 2: apply a layer of white so the bricks will not absorb the colors of the paint. Day 3: apply colors. Day 4: wrap up. The sketch, printed on watertight paper never leaves my side. Whether I rumple it in my pocket, hold it between my lips when painting or stepping on it in an unguarded moment. In the end, the sketch becomes a piece of art in itself. And that’s how everything becomes circular.

Text ByFrieda