Graffiti
Showing posts with label Graffiti. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Graffiti. Show all posts

Monday, February 1, 2010

Banksy Graffiti Art: 3D Painting Art On The Walls


Banksy Graffiti Art: 3D Painting Art On The Walls. Graffiti that has meaning behind an image

Monday, October 19, 2009

Tips For Your Drawing Graffiti Art

In particular the use of the bold style lettering is really distinctive to graffiti art. The images themselves will usually be hard hitting, and be painted in stark colours utilising strong shadows and outlines to add depth and definition. Images usually depict social or political issues close to the artist's heart.


Before you start a piece of graffiti art, you should draw a small scale version of the large piece you want to create first, then when you begin your actual piece, its a simple task of just scaling up your graffiti sketch.

If you need ideas for a graffiti font to use, there are plenty of sites online that have examples for you to copy. For the outlines, use a fine marker pen. In order to produce a 3D effect, shade around the letters you've outlined with a different colour. Then use permanent markers to colour in your letters.

Once you are ready to paint your sketch on to your larger canvas or wall, you need to draw a reference grid over your small drawing. Sketch a full size replica of the grid on to your wall or canvas that you are using for your scaled up graffiti piece. Use either chalk, charcoal or diluted paint to draw the large grid. To make marking the grid out easier, the simplest thing to do is to use a piece of string.

Use chalk or charcoal to transfer your small drawing on to you larger canvas. Use an aerosol can to paint the background in using diluted paint, keep the layer thin and allow it to dry before you start your colouring. When you've finished the outline and the background, it's time to add the colours and detail. Again use aerosols to add the colours. Start with the lightest colours first and the largest sections, and then move on to the detail and the smaller areas last.



When you've coloured your work in, you can add the fine definition with a brush to enhance the fine lines and borders around your figures and letters. You can preserve it for years to come with a thin layer of varnish.


These are all the steps you need to master if you want to paint impressive graffiti art.




Saturday, July 25, 2009

Death Note: L Black and Red Graffiti Wallet

This is a wallet from the popular anime and manga series, Death Note! This wallet features the popular characters, L! L is featured on the front and back of the wallet in front of red graffiti relating to the series. The wallet itself is black.




See Price: Death Note: L Black and Red Graffiti Wallet



The interior of the wallet is black with white accent stitching, and it contains a total of 7 pockets; 1 window pocket (for your ID), 4 misc./credit cards pockets, and 2 bills pockets.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Element Stanton Graffiti Complete Skateboard

ELEMENT 8" COMPLETE SKATEBOARD STANTON GRAFFITI - This Complete Skateboard includes only Premium Name Brand Components, which we've carefully selected for this board to ensure your maximum satisfaction.



See Price: Element Stanton Graffiti Complete Skateboard



This Element Complete Skateboard is 8 inches wide. And custom complete skateboard ships fully assembled with Bones MiniLogo Wheels, MiniLogo bearings and Black Trucks.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Useful and Fun : GRAFF: The Art & Technique of Graffiti

I bought this book for my 11 year old son who was interested in the art of graffiti. He experimented with it a little but after he received the book he was able to do so much more. It sale on Internet Shopping Store. Although he probably looks at the pictures (which are numerous and varied) more than read the text he has still learned a great deal about the various styles and techniques.



I even began to read it and was pleased with the easy to understand language and explanations throughout. It is a great learning tool.

Once viewed as merely a blemish on the urban landscape, graffiti today has evolved into a legitimate art form in its own right, influencing entertainment, advertising, fashion and other creative industries worldwide.

In this unprecedented book, master graffiti artist Scape Martinez shows how he does his thing, offering streetwise advice to help other "writers" create maximum-impact, legally sanctioned work. Step by step, he lays out the philosophies and realities of the genre. From picking a "tag" and developing letterforms, to the logistics of prepping a wall and working a spray can in a painterly fashion, Graff will help you find your style and leave your mark--large and loud.

- A breakdown of the fundamental elements of graffiti style letters, character, backgrounds - and how they work together and intermingle with arrows, symbols, quotes and tags
- From paper to wall, a start-to-finish approach for creating graffiti in various styles
- 5 on-site step-by-step demonstrations show the creation of various types of compositions, from throw ups to full-blown pieces.

Complete with a glossary and a timeline tracing graffiti history, Graff is the bible for street artists looking to elevate their work, graphic designers wanting to expand their vocabulary, and anyone interested in giving their work an edgy, urban look.

Monday, June 8, 2009

Is Graffiti An Art?

Graffiti is a medium. It is like paper,canvas or pencil. You can use things to make art or you can use those thing to make a grocery list, it's all up to you and what you choose to express using those tools.


A lot of artist today and in the history of art have done graffiti (Kith Harring and Basquiette pops into my mind right now), with Swoon selling pieces to Momma and Shepard Ferry, Fail and Banksy having huge shows (as well as a lot of other artists that are a little less known but are getting there), I don't think that this is ever a question - street art, is art.

Does that means that every person who write their name on the wall is an artist?! not really, just like not everyone who write a grocery list in an author. I think that has to do more with the intention of the artist then with the medium they work in.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Graffiti and Real Estate Investments

As graffiti is usually a vandal's attempt at attracting attention to themselves, removing it as quickly as possible eliminates the satisfaction they receive knowing that people are viewing their name or whatever usually rude message they have left behind. If left alone, graffiti tends to multiply, as other vandals see the area as an easy target.


Therefore, especially in urban areas, but potentially anywhere, it is important that a property owner keep a can of paint on hand that matches their building's exterior color. Conducting a regular tour of the outside of the building, and requesting employees or tenants to inform you immediately if any graffiti is visible, will make sure you can nip any problem with this form of property vandalism in the bud before it becomes a major problem.

It is sometimes controversial whose responsibility it is to clean up graffiti: a property owner or city officials. While many cities conduct graffiti clean-up programs, these often happen only once or twice a year.



In addition, the volunteers or city staff responsible for the effort will likely only choose one or two colors with which to paint over graffiti, leaving an unsightly paint mark that isn't much better than the original eyesore—the graffiti. Therefore, while I would encourage any city to go forward with such graffiti clean-up measures, I assert that any responsible property owner will take removing graffiti upon themselves, and do it in a timely and affective manner.



Thursday, February 26, 2009

Louis Vuitton Brand is Drawing Graffiti

As for the brand new Louis Vuitton collection, Marc Jacobs the head designer of LV group made a command, saying that in the last days, I was told that I can not make any change from the classic monogram style, therefore, I tried my best to design just follow the rule. Until the season, I realized that I have to make something new. I hope I would be younger, cooler and more stylish. I clearly know what I really want so that I take the advantage of Graffiti style of Stephen”.

As a fact, since it has released, there comes with so many topics about fashion. Without any question, the Graffiti idea is another great success. At the same time, Terry Richardson screened series of photos of the collection that published on Harper’s Bazaar, Jan 2009, among which Marc Jacobs showed his stature with Graffiti all over the body. Very eye-catching!

Since 2001, the House of Louis Vuitton first cooperated with Stephen Sprouse and created the Graffiti collection. While, it is a great pity that Stephen Sprouse died in 2004. Till now, five years have past, Marc Jacobs released the collection again in order to momorialize the friend. In the collection, the colors of the Graffiti print against the classic Monogram Canvas background are all neon (lime green, shocking pink and bright orange) and there is also Rose-tattoo collection inspired by Sprouse’s past work.. Louis Vuitton is now drawing graffiti, what about you?

What is Graffiti? It is recognized that Graffiti origined from Philadelphia and Pennsylvania of America in 1966. At the first beginning, graffiti is simply a symbol. Graffiti writers during that time just tag their nickname, doorplate number and the like. From 1971 to 1974, more and more writers began to make effort on the tyle and effect of the words. Maybe you cannot describe very well toward the Graffiti, we have to admit that now Graffiti has developed into a form of art which has received a great deal of recent attention.


Besides Louis Vuitton, there still are so many brands which have special favor toward Graffiti.


Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Graffiti 2009 Deluxe Wall Calendar

Graffiti Wall Calendar: Graffiti is as old as cities—from the political slogans that were scribbled on public buildings in ancient Pompeii and Herculaneum, to anonymous spray-can art that began to appear on city walls on the streets of New York


See More Detail : Graffiti 2009 Deluxe Wall Calendar





Sunday, January 18, 2009

Graffiti Art Doesn't Just Mean "Sprayed on Walls"

Graffiti art has a loose feel about it. There are no strict rules to creating graffiti art, except a few distinct characteristics that always make graffiti art appear stylish. Let's see what those characteristics are.


First, graffiti art are usually loose forms. But these forms are usually just clear enough to represent what they're supposed to represent. The shapes are loosely created, and the subjects overlap one another in a rather random manner. Highlights are applied to the image if needed but again, these are loosely applied.

Second, texts are usually visible, and drawn in an embossed manner that gives a 3D impression. These texts usually form a few words or a short phrase, and makes up a part of the entire graffiti artwork.

And finally, graffiti art is usually created with a wide variety of colors. Bright and luminous colors like red, orange, yellow, green and blue are preferred. There's little or no intention for color harmony and the goal here is to create a dazzling array of colors that draw attention to the graffiti art itself.


Due to these characteristics, it's no surprise that we see so many teenagers being drawn to graffiti art. But once you recognize these characteristics, you'll also come to understand that it's not all that hard to create a piece of graffiti art, even if you know little about drawing.

For a start, you may want to look up some tattoo images to use as reference images or to draw inspiration. Images like skulls or roses make great subjects for graffiti art.

Once you have your image ready, you'll need some magic markers as well. Try out the same image using different colors and see which end result you prefer. You may also wish to add in some texts.

Glittering markers make an excellent drawing tool for graffiti art. I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun with these markers. And don't forget, never draw on public property without permission!


Sunday, January 4, 2009

Don't Look Past Graffiti Art

Ever since I was little I have loved going to different cities and countries to learn from people and places that were different than what I was familiar with. My love for travel and for learning about different cultures only grew as I got older and eventually I went to university to study Urban and International Development. I chose this major simply because it would teach me about two of my favorite things: cities and other countries. I will never forget entering my first urban studies class and looking at the chalk board that said "Don't Look Past Graffiti Art." on it.


I rolled my eyes and wondered what kind of crazy situation I had gotten myself into with this class. I was intrigued that any real professor whose expertise is in urban studies would encourage let alone mandate that his students pay attention to the graffiti art that practically ruined the look and feel of many major cities in our country and around the world.

After a brief introduction of himself, the professor of that class began the semester by showing us a slide show of graffiti art from around the world. He played the entire show without saying a word of explanation. When it was finished he simply walked over to the chalk board and wrote another line underneath what he had already written about paying attention to graffiti art. He wrote: "Because it reveals the major issues of that culture's youth."

I got out my notebook for the first time that semester and wrote those two phrases onto the top of the first page. I was still hesitant about where the professor could possibly be taking an introduction like this, but I was more intrigued than before after watching the slide show of graffiti art and realizing just how artistic it truly was.

Our first assignment for that urban studies class was to find a photograph of graffiti art that was from a major U.S. city and to write a two page reflection on what we thought the graffiti art revealed about that particular city's youth. I had no idea when I chose a picture from Chicago and wrote about it just what I was doing to shape the rest of my life.

To make a long story short, that urban studies class and specifically our discussion of graffiti art revolutionized my thinking about the peoples of the world. I learned that a culture is revealed by small things like graffiti art that we usually take as annoying when we visit somewhere. All that to say, the next time you travel don't discount a city's graffiti art as something ugly or offensive. Instead, see what you can learn about the youth of that city through the graffiti art because I guarentee there is much to be learned.


Sunday, December 21, 2008

Write In Graffiti

When most people think of graffiti, they think of outdoor murals and tags created with spray paint. While the street is the most popular place to write graffiti, the truth is that writing in graffiti can be done with virtually any writing utensil and blank canvas.


Before graffiti artists start bombing the streets, they typically learn how to write graffiti with pencil and paper. The following steps are intended to be an introduction to writing in graffiti.

Step1 Choose a word to write in graffiti. Many graffiti artists use their name or pseudonym.

Step2 Choose a graffiti style. There are dozens of unique styles for writing in graffiti. You might consider becoming familiar with different styles by taking note of professional pieces of graffiti in your city or online. One of the most popular graffiti styles for beginners is bubble letters.

Step3 Once you have found your graffiti style of choice, keep an example of it on hand for reference. Put your pencil to paper and make light strokes to mimic the style of your example. Erase and rewrite as necessary until you are satisfied with your pencil drawing.

Step4 Add details such as shading or graphics. Use your creativity. Keep it relatively simple until you grow comfortable writing more complex graffiti.

Step5 Use trace paper or a photo copier to make a copy of your completed pencil drawing. This will make it easy to start over in case you make a mistake in the next step.

Step6 Use a marker or pen to darken the pencil marks. Make them permanent. Use colored markers or crayons to fill in your letters and compete your graffiti writing.

Step7 Keep practicing and experimenting with graffiti to develop a unique style you can call your own.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Excellently Executed - The Secret Drawings of Graffiti Writers

The Secret Drawings of Graffiti Writers has successfully compiled a who's who of writer's writers in a format that looks so legit, you'd swear you could feel the grooves in the pages left by pencils and pens... as authentic and realistic as possible, there are even a few blank sheets to get up yourself! I even tried to peel the sticker off the inside cover!


Way before there were all these electronic networks, there was piecebooks. And within the confines of the book's covers, writers explored styles and studied up on the art. With that in mind, Sacha "SHR" Jenkins and David "Chino" Villorente have compiled dazzling pages from the real sketchbooks of graf legends like Zephyr, Lady Pink, Dondi and Sane for Piecebook: The Secret Drawings of Graffiti Writers (Prestel).

"Piecebooks are also used to collect work from other writers we respect/admire," says Villorente. "There are very few items a writer might buy at 14 years old that they'll still be purchasing and passing around at 41." Through close attention to design detail--simulated duct taped spine, illustration proportions and texture over 200-plus pages--the two have triumphed, where most have failed, in capturing graf's authenticity in book format. --Mass Appeal, Issue # 51

Before it hits the wall, graffiti is often painstakingly planned out in a sketchbook or piece book. Well-worn and dog-eared, these books are passed along from artist to artist as a way of sharing ideas and offering instruction. Here hundreds of drawings, most of them never before published, are reproduced on uncoated paper to resemble the pages of an authentic piecebook. Bold and beautiful works from graffiti history s most important sources or seeds Zephyr, Dondi, Daze, CRASH, Lady Pink, T-Kid, CAP and Ghost, among others represent a dizzying array of techniques.

The authors, former graffiti practitioners themselves, offer biographies of the artists and an introductory essay on why piecebooks have become such valuable historical records. Fans of graffiti will find this an irresistible inside look at how their favorite artists perfected their talents.

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Graffiti Breaks Free From Wall

The Hip-hop theatre pioneer Jonzi D explores the issue of whether graffiti really is an artform or merely vandalism. He directs a team of six of the UK's best break- dancers and body-poppers, who become "physical calligraphy" alongside specially commissioned graffiti "sculptures" and on-stage video animations.

The dancers, representing paints and colours, move within large, sculpted graffiti-style letters made of wood, steel and upholstery, all created by the British graffiti artist Prime, of Sculptural Graffiti. The dance theatre piece, set to a score by DJ Pogo that combines hip-hop break-beats and scratch patterns, charts the story of an obsessive graffiti writer.

"We're not trying to define whether graffiti art is a crime or not: we know that it is," Jonzi D says. "But it is also an artform. We are having a creative discussion on the vandalism and the criminality and the artistry of the form."

The graffiti artist is played by John Berkavitch, a performance poet and breakdancer who is also a graffiti artist. "Like a puppet master, he shapes the bodies of the dancers with an imaginary graffiti wand into images that come to life," Jonzi D says. "He is exorcising his personal and creative demons in the only way he knows how."

Since graduating from the London Contemporary Dance School in 1993, Jonzi D has dedicated himself to hip-hop theatre, creating Lyrikal Fearta in 1995 and Aeroplane Man in 1999. He was an associate artist at The Place, London, and has performed dance theatre all over the world. He is also the creator and host of Breakin' Convention, the annual hip-hop festival at Sadler's Wells in London.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Graffiti Law Tagged Out

A LAWSUIT spurred by the fashion and video game designer Mark Ecko has at least temporarily won back for young New Yorkers (ages 18 to 21) the right to purchase spray paint and broad-tipped markers.


Some stern adults in the city are certain that the only reason any youngster would want to possess such art supplies is to add to New York's graffiti. The law, spearheaded by City Councilman Peter Vallone Jr., went into effect in January and was suspended in early May by a judge pending the outcome of Ecko's lawsuit. The ban still applies to New Yorkers under 18.

For Vallone and other fans of the law, such as Mayor Michael Bloomberg, it's part of their war on the classic image of New York as a gritty, filthy playground for the lawless. The young plaintiffs in the Ecko-funded lawsuit argue that such restrictions on artistic tools, which do not distinguish between legal and illegal uses, are pre-emptive assaults on the right to free speech.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Writing Graffiti Style

You see it everywhere these days, from the fronts of T-shirts to the underside of bridges. You can buy coffee table books on the subject and even download fonts for your computer that attempt to emulate it. Graffiti art is everywhere, and there are as many different styles as there are individuals who use a can of spray paint and the side of a building as their medium. But there are some basic tag styles that can be emulated if you are trying to learn how to write graffiti style.



The most basic style of graffiti writing is also the simplest and most unornamented. The letters are usually shaped much like you would write them with a pen in a Roman type font where the letters don’t touch each other. This kind of work is commonly seen in long written works or as a signature on a larger piece of graffiti. It is the perfect place to start when learning graffiti writing, though, because anyone can do it.

The next step up in difficulty would be “throw-up” style, which incorporates the outlines of letters into the design.

This kind of tag can be done very quickly with practice because the letters can be squished together such that you can form a whole word with one fluid line. (It is probably best to practice on paper with a pen or pencil before getting out your airbrush gun.) A commonly appearing form of this style is the bubble style (which you’ve probably seen if you’ve ever known a teenaged girl who doodled in her notebooks), where the outlines are large and look like bubbles, much curvier than a standard outline. Sometimes bubble style takes a little longer than other outline forms, and it can be more ornate than other types of outlining.

Once you have mastered these basics, you’re ready to move on to “semi-wild” style. This is where the fun of graffiti writing comes in, where you can really show off your personality in your designs. This is a style where the letters begin to get squished, stretched, tilted or twisted. There is a lot more ornamentation (arrows, bars, starbursts, etc.) surrounding (and as part of) these letters than in the more simple styles. The letters are usually still readable in semi-wild style, even for people who are not well-versed in graffiti writing.


If you want to try semi-wild out for yourself, pick a simple word (like your name). Write out the letters as you normally would (not in cursive, just in block letters or a plain style). Write it again in an outline or bubble style. You may want to try several different kinds of lettering, from big and bubbly to straight and blocky. As you do this, think about how the letters fit together, or how they might be made to fit together. How would it look if you tilted the first letter out and laid it on top of the second letter, then put the third letter a little higher on the page but just touching the second? Then you could place the fourth letter under the third on its side, just sliding into that hole you made.

Maybe you could break up the letters (if you want to see how this could work and aren’t sure you can draw it, take simple outlines of the letters and cut them up, arranging them in different ways running in and out of the other letters. Maybe you could add an arrow to the end of the last letter of your name, or a starburst instead of the dot over one of the letters. You can embellish any way you want, that’s part of the fun.

From “semi-wild” style the classification moves to wild style, which is similar to semi-wild only with even more ornamentation and twisting of the letters. This style of tagging can be hard to read and looks more like a random, wrecked pile of letters than an easily distinguishable word. These pieces skirt the line between words used for the purpose of communication and letters (or the basic building blocks of letters, anyway) used more as art. (Of course art itself is a means of communication, but a different, less direct level.)

Obviously it takes a lot of practice to be able to do graffiti art with any skill, but once you get the basics down there are all sorts of variations and designs you can add to make a simple word into something a lot more beautiful. We already talked about using stars to dot letters. They can also be seen inside circles as a stand-in for an O or as part of the decoration. Hearts can also be used in place of O’s, and crosses in place of T’s. Serifs (or “tails” on the letters) can be exaggerated by being made into arrows, daggers, airplanes or other simple shapes.

You can draw shapes that look like holes or “chips” in the graffiti to make it look like it’s been chipped off or destroyed somehow. You can put different symbols inside the letters, or put the word inside a larger symbol or design. And of course when you outline the letters you can use different colors and patterns to fill in the letters. There is no end to the creativity and interesting forms you can express when working with graffiti writing.

On the streets you will find many different variations on these themes (though we don’t recommend you practice your new skills on public property). Depending on where you live, you are likely to see a dominant style. Whole books have been written about different styles such as the Latino “Old School Cholo” style of upper case, square letters, which has been popular in the Los Angeles area since the 1930s. New York’s style is bubbly like Broadway (said to be result of lax supervision), which Philadelphia’s is scratchy and rushed (because cops cracked down on taggers in the old days).

Whenever you visit a new city you will likely see some different kinds of graffiti. Many cities are less concerned with covering up graffiti these days and instead view it as a kind of public art (and a kind of museum art, in some places). As you practice you will develop your own style, certain embellishments you like and perhaps a whole new way of thinking about those simple letters and words that are all around us. Give graffiti writing a try and see if it doesn’t change the way you think about those who would choose to express themselves this way.


graffiti style graffiti style graffiti style graffiti style

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Amazingly Enduring Street Artist

This is a snapshot of an amazingly enduring street artist known as Above and his travels across North America and Europe. This guy gets up in mad quantities and with the most unique styles.

Street artists such as Banksy, D*Face, , Swoon, Twist, 108, Ellis Gallagher, Neck face , and Os Gemeos have earned international attention for their work and in turn migrated the showing of their works to the museum or gallery setting as well as the street. It is also not uncommon for street artists to achieve commercial success Shepard Fairey, Faile, WK Interact, Kaws and Buff Monster doing graphics for other companies or starting their own merchandising lines.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Graffiti Art Takes Wrong Turn

When graffiti got to be a problem for Mark Schachner. a dell owner in Brooklyn, N.Y., his solution was not to report it, Out to encourage it. He painted his boarded fence white and then posted signs inviting local graffiti artists to come and paint one panel each.


There were rules posted for the artists to follow, one could not paint beyond each flame and they could not dirty the floor or the surroundings. The idea came about when Mark Schachner and son, Jordan, were talking, "We were discussing some great graffiti artists like Jean-Michael Basquiat and Keith Hating, and we were looking at how ugly our fence looked. So I put up the sign and it was like wildfire.

The first night, according to Schachner, seven to nine street artists showed up with about four friends each, ranging in age from teens to early 20s. His motivation was to turn a nasty, ugly fence into a beautiful work of art.

Unfortunately, the idea turned sour. Some street artists went beyond the allowed frame and even painted over some of the nicer pictures. Schnachner says he is committed to talking with these deviant artists in an attempt to change their behavior. If he is unsuccessful, the fence will come down.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Obama Graffiti - Under Investigation

This news form whbc.com - Vandals with a political message have struck in Canton Township. Stark County Sheriff Tim Swanson says early Friday morning, someone spray-painted a message reading "Obama Rules" on the garage door of the home's Republican owner.

Swanson believes it's the work of some juveniles who think they're being funny or smart. Homeowner Georgianna Gaskins, a former Canton Township clerk and school board candidate, calls the incident a hate crime.

She says the vandals also stole a political sign for a Republican candidate for Stark County Commissioner. Swanson says such activity is common in the period leading up an election. The matter is under investigation. Deputies have no suspects.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Light Graffiti Ideas

One of the coolest ideas is to make sweet light graffiti with the camera. This video show you about how to do a cool form of art called light graffiti.


Using LED glowsticks, flashlights, even fireworks, combined with time-lapse photography, light graffiti artists create a unique tagging that wraps around objects dimensionally, allowing them to tag in a way they'd never be able to with spraypaint. Very cool!