The technique behind the ‘Holy Fatcap’ stencil!

• Format: A2

• Layers: 6

• Colors:1 – Bronze2 – Black3 – Red + Brown/Beige4–6 – White

The “Holy Fatcap” stencil was designed for use on the street — fast, effective, and precise. To achieve a sculptural, three-dimensional look despite the limited time on site, I used a fake halftone pattern. This technique allows you to translate three brightness levels into a single color — in this case, white.

The source image was a sketch by an art teacher who kindly gave me permission to use it. The drawing already contained everything essential — especially the distribution of light and shadow, which was spot on. For the final version, the little angel received a fatcap in its hand, while a circular background element frames the figure visually. By that point, the color palette was already set:

• Figure with black silhouette

• Fabric in red

• Hair in a light brown-blonde tone

• Light and volume across three white layers

• Bronze circle

PAPER & PREPARATION

The motif was printed on 300 g paper – plain, sturdy, and matte. The same printout was used for every stencil: six times in black and white, with no prior color separation. The color areas were separated directly by hand with a cutter. This technique is not only faster but also more precise, since you can react intuitively to tonal values while cutting. At the same time, the handmade character of the stencil remains intact — and the final result doesn’t end up looking like a Photoshop filter.

LAYERS 1–3: THE BASE COLORS

Layer 1: Bronze Circle

The bronze circle is sprayed in a solid coat. The figure remains masked out in this layer, completely covering the area beneath it – only a small amount of overprint (trapping) ensures clean edges. The original surface (ideally a dark one, in my case dark brown) stays visible and provides some creative flexibility for the next step.

Layer 2: Silhouette

This layer defines the figure’s shape. Depending on the background, it’s worth adding a light shading in black or dark brown to create more depth. The layer doesn’t have to be fully opaque – quite the opposite: if the background slightly shines through, you get interesting visual effects, especially when combined with existing tags or surface textures. The only important part is the transition area (trapping) toward the bronze circle – that edge needs a bit more paint so the copper doesn’t show through.

Layer 3: Red and Hair

Red for the fabric and brown/beige for the hair share the same layer but are spatially separated. Both colors are applied loosely – spattered rather than filled, leaving parts of the surface open. This creates vibrancy and depth. The golden rule: less is more.

LAYERS 4–6: THE WHITES

Here begins the real fine-tuning. The white layers replace a traditional halftone pattern and model light, volume, and texture.

Layer 4: The largest cuts define the darkest tones up to the mid-range values. Only the deep blacks remain untouched. The white is applied softly – this stage is mainly about building the first, darker brightness levels.

Layer 5: Now come the mid-tones. Spray lightly at first, then add a second coat, directed mainly from the light source. This creates smooth transitions toward the darker color fields.

Layer 6: The final step: highlights and brightest spots. The light areas get just a touch of paint, while the highlights are accentuated slightly more for contrast.

FINAL DETAILS

After the last white layer, the artwork is technically finished – almost.

Hidden in the third layer is a small pink dot, originally placed beside the red areas. It was gradually covered by the three white layers and nearly disappeared. That’s why this layer is used once more: the fatcap receives its final pink dot – the iconic detail of the “Holy Fatcap.” Done.

Holy Fatcap Stencil auf einer alten Tür gesprüht. April 2025

Here is the wip Video:

Wip Video

A limited edition of the motif will be available in the store soon.