Graffiti Saturday!

This weekend, Liam had a job painting a shipping container for a company in South Melbourne.

The weather in Melbourne has been fairly miserable and unpredictable lately (of course, we're in Melbourne!) so when the forecast for Saturday showed clear skies for the morning, we took the opportunity to head down and get the job done. 

Getting started!

The container is located on an old tram platform, so many would-be taggers are often scouring the area for a canvas.  Liam's job was to cover up all the scrawl and create a design to try and prevent graffers from painting on the container. 

While he got started, I wandered down the platform and found plenty of empty spray cans...

...which had obviously been used to create these pieces under the bridge!

While Liam worked, I got artistic in the form of my iPhone and its camera! Papping from behind the cover of little shrubs and grass and whatnot.  I am clearly not the creative one in this relationship!

It was a gorgeous day, and although I didn't have much else to do except play photographer, it was lovely to sit outside enjoying the fresh air, soaking in the sunshine, and exploring the little area!

A work in progress.

Painting with an audience!

Trams would frequently whizz past, and curious faces would peer out at us.  One tram driver even slowed down the tram on each trip by to survey the progress, and by the end we had a few of them waving enthusiastically at us every time they drove past!

Lunch time!

We must have been a peculiar sight to tram travelers - seated on the edge of the platform scoffing dumplings while surrounded by scattered cans of paint, as well as books, radios and other paraphanelia I had brought along to keep me entertained!

After lunch I went for a bit of a wander down the other end of the platform, and came across this professional graffiti at the South Melbourne tram station :

It's funny how graffiti culture has become so popular these days.  You can hardly go anywhere without seeing it all over the walls of businesses, or down alley ways.  Melbourne is famous for its graffiti-lined streets, and apparently it is also one of our popular tourist attractions!

I decided to wander across to the other side of the tram platform and have a look at Liam's handi-work.

Almost complete, just a bit of stenciling to add the finishing touches!

Liam was basically given free reign with the design, and was just told to incorporate the company's logo into it somewhat.  He didn't have a whole heap of time, so he came up with something simple and presented it to them and they seemed happy with it.  The big panda (which looks more like a little mousey-bear on the container, due to the colours he used!) is something he came up with a while back when we first started dating to do with something I'd said.  And the rest is a mixture of his old graffer's tag to create part of my Chinese name so... I now have a shipping container with my name scrawled across in giant letters!

The view for travelers waiting for their tram!

On the other side of the tram tracks is actually a child care centre.  While I was exploring, I managed to find little bits and pieces which had been dropped through the fence from the kids' play area.

My loot!

There was also a little squishy cow toy which had dropped down onto the tracks, but Liam would not allow me to jump down and get it! :( Boo. I suppose for good reason.

No matter - I managed to make a good breakfast for my new little friend with what I had -

Grapes, fried egg, and Liam and I argued whether that other thing was a pancake or a sausage roll! He still maintains it is a sausage roll, but I see no meat in it. PANCAKES!

Aside from arguing with me over pancakes and sausage rolls, Liam also had work to do.  Here he is adding the final stencil to the design...

Finally, it is complete!

At that moment, the sun breaks through the clouds and shines down on the finished work...

What do you think? :)