Young people spray-painted their way to some art prizes in a special mural-painting project based at Cranebrook's Fusion Youth Services.
Penrith Council funded the project, Art in a Can, which ran for six weeks.
It included art workshops and visits to murals in the Blue Mountains.
"Young people are interested in art and we wanted to provide some education in street art," Fusion's youth manager, Dorothy Knox, said.
"It is not so easy to pick up a spray can and make something look good.
"But spray-painting is a legitimate art form and creativity is an important part of being human."
The Blue Mountains Street Art Collaborative, a group of street artists and youth workers, worked with Fusion.
On Wednesday of last week the collaborative's co-ordinator, Jarrod Wheatley, awarded certificates to the participants.
"It's been a great group of young people," Mr Wheatley said. "You guys achieved a lot in the workshops."
He also backed the project's anti-graffiti message which encouraged young people to confine their artwork to legitimate surfaces.
"It's about teaching young people a cool way to express themselves," Mr Wheatley said.
"My job is also to help local councils manage graffiti; I advise them about the way that sub-culture operates."
Penrith mayor Ross Fowler congratulated the young artists and said the council could be proud of funding the project.
"This has achieved what it set out to do," Cr Fowler said.
"I think this is a great way for a partnership with the community to work."
