Indiana began using stencils to create drawings in 1961, when he started experimenting in frottage, a technique that involves rubbing a medium such as pencil or crayon onto a sheet of paper that has been placed on top of a textured object or surface. The double LOVE, with both letter Os facing outward, of The Spread Eagle LOVE (One Star) is the same design as the artist's painting The Imperial LOVE (1966), which made its debut at his 1966 solo show at the Stable Gallery. He also translated the design into two sculptures, a Cor-Ten steel Imperial LOVE (1966–2006) and a red and blue polychrome aluminum Imperial LOVE (1966–2017).
