Street painting is a constant reminder that art is about process rather than product." -- Kurt Wenner Asphalt Renaissance brilliantly recounts the re-imagining of street painting by innovative artist and Internet sensation Kurt Wenner. Wenner revolutionized this ancient art by creating a technique that produces astounding images in 3-D--images that reach out of the pavement toward the viewer and appear perilously deep.Featuring photographs of hundreds of his paintings, this volume spans Wenner's career and captures his thoughts on art and the ephemeral nature of his work.  Includes a free poster!

    This is the first comprehensive popular survey of the art movement around the world. Organized thematically, it explores the origins of the movement and its evolution, the relationship between street art and the urban environment, its interactions with (or rejection of) the market and the world of commercial galleries, and the culture of street art online.The book features a wide range of artists working in different media and styles across multiple countries. It explains the terms and language of street art—from tags and throwies to culture jamming and subvertising—as well as its multiple influences and sub-genres.

    This art form originated in Italy during the 16th century, with vagabond artists who painted religious pictures directly on the paved public squares, using chalk and charcoal. Thanks to the International Street Painting Festival in Grazie di Curtatone in Northern Italy, the art form has been revitalized, and festivals such as Absolut Chalk in Pasadena and the Italian Street Painting Festival in San Rafael, CA, attract up to 600 exhibitors and 60,000 visitors annually. Part folk art, part performance art, this fascinating genre, where chalk is substituted for paint and asphalt or concrete for canvas, is growing in popularity in the virtual world too, with online blogs and video streams celebrating the art. Packed with vibrant examples from the author and other leading international street painters, Sidewalk Canvas includes magical 3-D illusions, original amusing twists on the old masters and works by artists famous in other media. In addition to a gallery of the best street painting from around the world, there are insights into how it is executed, where to find it, and how to create your own work. As well as appealing to practicing artists, art educators and the hundreds of thousands attending festivals worldwide, the book will also interest those commercial organizations seeking to commission street paintings for promotional purposes.