Paste up art

Paste up art Paste up artwork Street artist Urban Art Wheat pasting

Check out my series of paste-up art paintings on canvas. Some are new, some go back a few years. I love using screen-printed images and working them into these paintings — it's a technique that sits right at the crossover between pop art and street culture.

Shine On You Crazy Diamond paste-up art painting by Barrie J Davies Shine On You Crazy Diamond paste-up art painting by Barrie J Davies Shine On You Crazy Diamond paste-up art painting by Barrie J Davies Shine On You Crazy Diamond paste-up art painting by Barrie J Davies

Shine on You Crazy Diamond — Mixed media on canvas, 50cm x 100cm

Cushty Wonderwall paste-up art painting by Barrie J Davies Cushty Wonderwall paste-up art painting by Barrie J Davies Cushty Wonderwall paste-up art painting by Barrie J Davies Cushty Wonderwall paste-up art painting by Barrie J Davies Cushty Wonderwall paste-up art painting by Barrie J Davies

Cushty Wonderwall — Mixed media on canvas, 67cm x 60cm

Gold You Will paste-up art painting by Barrie J Davies

Gold You Will — Mixed media on canvas, 25cm x 30cm

Happy Lady paste-up art painting by Barrie J Davies

Happy Lady — Mixed media on canvas, 25cm x 30cm

You Will Post No Bills paste-up art painting by Barrie J Davies You Will Post No Bills paste-up art painting by Barrie J Davies You Will Post No Bills paste-up art painting by Barrie J Davies You Will Post No Bills paste-up art painting by Barrie J Davies

You Will Post No Bills — Mixed media on canvas, 50cm x 50cm

Kitschy Cat paste-up art painting by Barrie J Davies Kitschy Cat paste-up art painting by Barrie J Davies Kitschy Cat paste-up art painting by Barrie J Davies

Kitschy Cat — Mixed media on canvas, 40cm x 40cm

The Greatest paste-up art painting by Barrie J Davies 2018

The Greatest — Mixed media on canvas, 28cm x 35cm

Tom paste-up art painting by Barrie J Davies 2018

Tom — Mixed media on canvas, 28cm x 35cm

Paste-up art is an art form that reflects how far street culture has come. Emerging alongside the boom of pop art, it uses modern printing techniques to apply original artwork quickly to flat surfaces — walls, hoardings, anywhere people pass by.

What Is Paste-Up Art — And How Does It Actually Work?

Paste-up art is often lumped in with graffiti, but it's its own thing. Graffiti generally means drawing or applying work directly onto a public surface — usually without permission. Paste-up follows similar principles but is a more specific sub-category: the work is prepared in advance, at home or in the studio, then taken out and applied.

The process starts with a design — made traditionally or digitally using software like Photoshop or Illustrator. The design is then printed or applied onto paper, board, or another base material. Once out in the world, it's fixed to walls and surfaces using strong adhesives like wheatpaste.

Is Paste-Up Art Illegal? Here's the Real Answer

For many artists, paste-up offered a smarter way to work in public spaces. Because the piece is prepared beforehand, there's no need to spend risky time creating on-site. You can take your time in the studio, get the work exactly right, then put it up quickly — same visual impact, far less exposure.

Some purists argue it removes the thrill of traditional graffiti. But most artists have embraced paste-up for exactly that reason — the quality you can achieve when you're not rushing. All of my paste-up inspired work is very much legal — see the paintings here.

Why Artists Love Paste-Up: The Advantages Nobody Talks About

One of the biggest perks is reproducibility. Because most pieces are printed digitally, an artist can produce multiple copies and place them in different locations — same image, city-wide reach, with a click of a button.

Paste-Up Meets Pop Art — Where Street Culture Gets Seriously Creative

From iconic celebrities to mashups of fictional characters on adhesive backgrounds, paste-up opens up possibilities that traditional graffiti simply can't match. It's a genuine pop art wonder of modern street culture. Find out why fun pop art is everywhere right now, or browse original street pop art prints here.

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