🔥 Reproduce 'The Don' - The ultimate tutorial for an iconic piece of street art

Learn how to paint "The Don" step by step, with John Beckley's exclusive video, his original stencil, and expert advice on how to create a vibrant and striking canvas.

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🎬 Full demonstration video

First and foremost, take the time to watch the video which accompanies this tutorial. John Beckley reveals, in real time, every stage in the creation of "The Donfrom the explosive background to the final stencil details.
👉 Complete immersioninspiring and educational.

🎥 It's much more than a demonstration: it's a fast-track street art masterclass!

🎨 Presentation of the work - Captivating visual tension

With The DonJohn Beckley's work provocative and elegantwhere the quiet power of a stylised gorilla takes on the exuberance of a fluorescent graffiti background.

The contrast is strong, assertive, almost theatrical:

• The background A controlled chaos of fluorescent gradations, neon streaks and electric drips, saturated with shades of pink, yellow, blue and violet.
• The subject A stenciled gorilla, deep black, motionless and charismatic. Mirror glasses, smoking cigar, firm jaw.

This face-off between the colourful tumult and the calm posture creates a hypnotic effect. Attitude speaks louder than gesture.
👉 It's the silent icon street art. A stylish, impassive figure of power.

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🖼️ The Don" stencil - A visual weapon of precision

Created exclusively for this workthis large-format stencil (100×100 cm) represents a a powerful and charismatic figureperfect for your most ambitious artistic projects.

• Clean, precise lines
• Futuristic mirrored glasses
• Textured beard
• Stylised cigar

👉 It's a visual magnet. Whatever background you choose, this stencil transforms your surface into a artistic statement.

💡 It is perfect as a centrepiece on canvas, wall, textile or street furniture.

🐅 A creation born from the crew Wild Smokers

The Don doesn't come out of nowhere. It belongs to a much larger clan: the Wild Smokers. A pack of stylised animals, each more insolent than the last. Cigars, mirrored glasses, clenched jaws - each figure exudes an instinctive authority.
It's a street bestiary. A series of attitudes. Silhouettes ready to take over any canvas or wall.
👉 The Gift is their leader. But he's not alone.
🎨 Explore the entire collection → See the stencils Wild Smokers

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🎨 Another vibe: "Tropical Groove" with acrylics

In another tutorial, "Tropical Grooveanother member of the gang takes to the stage. Same spirit, different energy. This time, the atmosphere is sunnier, more pop, painted entirely in acrylic.
Vibrant gradations, masterful brushstrokes, sharp details - it's all there. It's a more painterly interpretation, but it's still wild.
👉 Same DNA. Different playing field.
📺 Watch the Tropical Groove tutorial → Read the article

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🛠️ Materials used - Prepare your creative arsenal

Element	Details
Canvas	Cotton 100 x 100 cm
Stencil	"The Don - Original creation by Beckley
Paint	Bombs (black, pink, orange, blue, purple, yellow) + Acrylic, yellow orange for the glasses and white for the smoke
Accessories	Gloves, mask, magnets/weights, cloth, plugs, spray bottle

📦 The stencil is available in our official shop, precision-cut and ready to use.

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🧭 Stages in the creation of "The Don

🎨 1. Initial stencil application

John begins with place the stencil on the canvas, then applies a uniform coat of black spray paint to reveal the silhouette of the gorilla. This creates an initial clear structure that will guide the rest of the composition.

🌫️ 2. Creating the blurred background

Then he works the background around the character. To give an impression of depth, as in a photograph with a blurred background, he uses a nozzle. soft diffusion. The objective : less sharp contoursto highlight the subject in the centre.

🌺 3. Colouring the inside of the gorilla

John then painted Inside the gorilla bomb, using a deep, intense pinkwhich immediately gives the animal character.

🔵 4. Details in blue - To add contrast and depth

John then applies a a touch of deep blue on the chin (left) and on the top of nose gorilla.
This intense blue not only creates a subtle contrast with the other, warmer shades, but it also adds an extra sense of depth in the composition.

👉 In fact, in the language of colours, blue is a hue called "elusive It seems to be moving away, as if it were sinking into the background.
This accentuates the facial relief and prioritise volumes.

🧡 5. Adding orange textures

From orange lines are then sprayed into the coat to enrich the texture and add dynamism to the gorilla's shape.

💛 6. Adding light with yellow

John illuminates the superciliary archesthe lips and the nose contour with sharp yellowto add volume and areas of natural light.

🚬 7. Cigar paint

The cigar is then painted in orange and yellowwith precision. For a net result, John recommends mask contours with adhesive tapeThis ensures straight, clean lines.

🕶️ 8. Gradients in spectacle lenses

The mirror glasses are then sprayed in a gradient of fluorescent colours orange, green, turquoise and violet. This detail brings the whole scene to life.

🔁 9. Replacing the stencil

The stencil is carefully replaced so as to "rematerialising the gorilla and reinforce the clean lines after the interior painting stages.

🎯 10. Touching up the background around the cigar

At this stage, John masks the cigar to rework the background without altering the details. (He notes that it would have been simpler to protect the base in step 7.)

🖤 11. Stencil bridge camouflage

The "stencil "bridges (small unpainted spaces) are then filled in by hand. John sprays a little black paint into a cupwhich enables it to reuse exactly the same same shade than the original stencil.

🟧 12. Painting spectacle frames - For a stylish golden effect

The spectacle frames are then spray-painted in orange and yellowwith the aim of create a visual gilding effect.
This warm, luminous blend evokes a gilded metal structurewhich provides a touch of sophistication in the gorilla's eyes.

👉 This treatment enhances the mirror effect of the lenses and helps to accentuate the urban pop and luxury of the character, without using real metallic paint.

💨 13. Making the smoke - Dry brush technique

To paint the cigar's smoke, John uses a a simple but highly effective technique: the dry brush.

🧰 Equipment :

• Flat brush or soft brush
• White acrylic paint
• Cloth or paper towel

🖌️ Steps:

1. Lightly dip the tip of your brush into the white paint.
2. Wipe clean almost all the paint on a cloth: the brush should leave no thick traces.
3. Rub the canvas with light, rapid movementsby tracing the direction of the smoke.
4. Superimpose several passes if necessary to create density effects.
5. For sharper areas (swirls), use a slightly heavier brush, but always dry thoroughly.

💡 Tip:

Test first on a draft sheet of paper. This is a highly sensitive technique: better too little than too much!

🧨 14. Final finish

To finish, John replaces the stencil one last time and applies a final layer of black to reinforce the contours and give the work its authenticity. definitive structure.

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🧠 Technical advice for optimum results

💥 Layer the base coats to create depth (e.g. fluo → textures → splashes)
⏳ Leave to dry between steps - especially before stencilling
🎯 Fix the stencil securely with magnets or weights to avoid burrs
🧽 Customise around the character: chips, tags, personal marks

🎨 A good stencil is 30 % of work. The rest is the freedom to create around it.

🕶️ The Inescapable Presence: Let's discover The Don

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Suddenly he's there. Imposing, imperturbable. "The Don doesn't try to grab attention - it already has it. This work, by John Beckley, is a visual manifesto in which street art explodes with colour, attitude and symbolism.

The bottom, sprayed with fluorescent vapoursThe palette is almost psychedelic, with graffiti intermingling in a chaotic dance. Swarms of acid blues, intense fuchsias and burning oranges saturate the space, like a vibrant echo of urban energy. You can make out tensions, voices and beats - as if each layer carried an invisible sound wave, a visceral beat.

It is in the midst of this tumult that the gorilla's silhouette. Stenciled with almost regal precision, he imposes with his calm mass, his invisible gaze behind the mirrored glasses, and that incandescent cigar that smokes slowly - a symbol of quiet domination, of effortless power. He doesn't roar. He observes, smokes, waits. And that's enough.

The rainbow-coloured glasses act like inverted portals: they don't reveal anything with their eyes, but reflect the world in all its colourful tension. This play of reflections is a subtle way of reminding us that this Don is not a gang leader, but a woman who is not a gangster. a contemporary allegory of absolute trust - that which is not contested, that which is felt without needing to be expressed.

The cigar, almost caricatured in its exaggeration, becomes here a totem of provocative calm. It stands out, it fascinates, it imposes a slow rhythm on a visually saturated composition. For in this world of noise and excess, a leader's silence is always louder than the crowd.

👑 An ode to pure attitude

With The DonJohn Beckley delivers more than a portrait. carves a character through shapes, colours and icons. The work flirts with satire, but without cynicism. It celebrates the mythical posture of the man who has nothing to prove - natural authority, raw elegance, quiet power.

In a world saturated with images and screams, The Don chooses the path of contained tension. That's where its strength lies. And that's what makes it so much more than just a painting: a contemporary iconurban, cheeky and unforgettable.

🚀 Why is this stencil so popular?

✅ Because it's visually stunning

One look and The Don captures your attention. It's a quiet force in a world saturated with noise.

✅ Because it makes your creations instantly professional

Even if you're not an experienced artist, this stencil will give you the look you want. strong, clear and impactful.

✅ Because it tells a story

It's not just an animal. It's a attitude. A message. A silent legend.

🛒 Want to add it to your collection? Order it now in our boutique.

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📈 What this stencil says about you - without a word

The Don is not just a reason.
It is a visual totem. A posture. A way of saying things without saying them.

It speaks to those who :

• want assert their style without raising their voice
• search a quiet, assertive form of control
• like leave a strong, silent mark

This cigar-chomping gorilla doesn't need to roar.
He is there. Watching. He is imposing.

💡 Put this stencil on a wall and you won't have to explain your message. It will speak for you.

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❓ FAQ - Frequently asked questions

Can the stencil be reused?
Yes, it's made from a durable material that's easy to clean.

Is it suitable for beginners?
Perfectly. All you have to do is fix it properly and follow the instructions for a great result.

Can it be applied to clothing?
Yes, but try fabric sprays or special fabric acrylics.

Which paint is ideal?
Fluorescent spray paint for the background, and black spray paint for the stencil.

Do you deliver internationally?
Yes, our shop ships worldwide.

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🎯 Conclusion - Let your style do the talking

"The Don is more than a painting. It's a moment. An attitude.
With this tutorial, the video and the stencil, you have everything you need to create an urban masterpiece.

➡️ Be daring. Create. Show your vision. And let your art speak for you.

🛍️ The Don" stencil is waiting for you in our shop.
→ Click here to order