Homemade banners are simply another medium for placing information in front of the public or target audience and one that the Politically Correct system can do little to regulate. They have the potential to reach a wide audience with minimal financial costs, the above banner reached thousands of early morning commuters on a Melbourne roadway into the CBD and stayed there for several days.
The positive impact of a homemade banner is not to be over-looked considering the low risks involved and potential for wide exposure. A homemade banner negates the need to use the biased and controlled mass media, and allows your audience to read your own words rather than unbalanced reporting which comes with relying on external sources for promotion.
A homemade banner over a freeway overpass is also an in-offensive way to get your message across, with minimal environmental impact.
Cheap and effective these homemade banners are used
- in combination with more professional vinyl banners at a protest or
- for leaving on main road overpasses
- draping over a corporations billboard
- wrapping a politicians car
- anything your imagination can devise
Whilst an artist has their works sitting in a studio, our studio is the world and any surface we can stretch our canvas over.
Material
White cloth/ polypropylene banner material can be purchased off the roll at arts and craft stores. Alternatively, old sheets can make for an activist ‘canvas’.
Size
We planned this banner by visualising 1 letter = 1 A4 sheet.
We planned this banner by visualising 1 letter = 1 A4 sheet.
It is approximately 3 m long x 1.2 m high. This height provided 4 rows of potential message space.
Measure the height of the overpass railing
Paint
Ensure the whole banner can be stretched taught over a ‘frame’ displaying the whole message rather than having a part of it flapping in the breeze, which would leave some of your words unreadable.
Fixing your banner
Reinforce the section of the banner where holes are to be placed with heavy duty tape. Plastic cable ties are then poked through holes made around the edges of the banner. A plastic cable tie should be placed every 20-30 cm of edging, ensuring that when pulled tight the entire banner is readable.
Stencils
Stencils in this case were made by printing on A4 card (Portrait) and then cutting out by hand with a sharp blade. Depending on how stiff your cardstock is you may have to use tape for cleaner edges to ensure that there isn’t any bleed through. Alternatively, you can purchase alphabet stencils from arts and craft stores, or other paint providers.
Paint
Any water based paint on cloth material will do and a roller or brush or spray gun can be used to apply letters to the banner. We used about 250 ml of paint.
Costs
The banner shown in the photos cost $10-$18. To reduced costs, approach local suppliers in your area, many will be happy to provide cloth off cuts or sample paint pots. Better still reduce your costs by leveraging your local networks.
