David Ratcliff is known for his monochromatic paintings, made using a stencil and spray paint process. Ratcliff compiles digital collages from .jpeg files, which then become detailed paper masks that he attaches to canvas as a template. His source imagery spans a range of subjects, including doodles, political caricatures, and street advertisements, which he sources by surfing the internet or randomly searching for terms on online search engines. Sometimes he uses one online image to create the outline or mask for another composition. Ratcliff is very attracted to the idea of using content supplied by the public: “I can’t put my finger on exactly why yet, but I’ve got this sense that if I were to start using my own drawings the work would cease to be history painting.” Ratcliff also strongly identifies with the tradition of collage.