'Fileteado' translates directly into English as 'narrow strips', an iconic decorative art-form born in Buenos Aires, which is frequently used to represent the eclectic city in guidebooks. For Porteños, fileteado is more than just a decoration, it is a symbol of Argentine identity and on just my second day here as communications volunteer I got the chance to take a walking tour and a deeper look into these rich and colourful paintings.

We gathered at the Carlos Gardel and Anchorena and spent time studying an immense array of examples of fileteado: designs ranging from flowers and spiralling plant motifs to horses, dragons and tango dancers. I decided to put my language learning to the test and listen to the tour in Spanish, just asking for a few words in English when I didn't understand! Our lovely guide spoke of how the art was inspired by popular culture, images of Carlos Gardel (the most prominent figure in the history of tango), phrases and sayings 'of wisdom' that were popular with the residents at the time.

Continuing to walk through to Zelaya, we learned that fileteado was thought to have started as decoration for vehicles, but it quickly progressed to easel paintings, objects and the streets. The spirit of tango music could be felt here. Getting a little more technical, Gustavo Ferrari, fileteador, joined our group to outline the key elements that go into making this highly stylised art:

- Bright lively colours to catch the eye.

- Careful shading to create a feeling of depth.

- Gothic typography and highly ornamented characters.

- Each composition is always enclosed in a painted frame, which can take the shape of the painting surface.

- The composition is always brimming with content and symbolism, for example a horseshoe for good luck!

After being inspired by the masters, it was time to have a go ourselves (and enjoy some 'Mate'). Gustavo welcomed us to an artists’ studio where he took us through the basic steps of creating our own masterpiece, what a treat! Filling in a basic outline with paint takes a steady hand and many of us were shocked at how difficult it was to use the paints in such a controlled manner. He explained which size paintbrush works for which part of the composition, how to mix and layer the correct colours and use light and shade to bring the piece to life... The results, I don't know how, but they looked pretty good!

My tour was organised by '054 Online' I had a thoroughly enjoyable (and educational) afternoon so do check them out.