Graffiti

[this is an invasion]

Anyone else into graffiti? I may or may not write, but I find the culture to be basically the coolest thing ever. Not to mention that graffiti is one of the few almost purely broke-as-fuck activities, and says a lot about resistance within poor communities.

[Os Cangaceiros]

Most graffiti I've seen is incredibly ugly, being tags and all. There are some abandoned bunkers near where I live in Alaska that are leftover from WW2 and some of the graffiti on those are really cool, though. Probably because people could take their time with it, I guess.

[this is an invasion]

Tags are some of the coolest pieces.

[F9]

I like it, cant do it though..

[Chambered Word]

If the urge seizes me, I'm not above drawing on walls.

[bailey_187]

Most graffiti I've seen is incredibly ugly, being tags and all. There are some abandoned bunkers near where I live in Alaska that are leftover from WW2 and some of the graffiti on those are really cool, though. Probably because people could take their time with it, I guess.

ahaha everyone who isnt a writer says this. "i like the big ones but the tags are horrible".



I used to write, cba now, too much hassle from police etc. it just doesnt seem worth it anymore when people start going to prison for it (i guess this means the police have won)


Everyone should watch this documentary (its not Style Wars):
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2180346201335297111#

[Pirate Utopian]

Every should see Style Wars as well as Wild Style.

[Chambered Word]

ahaha everyone who isnt a writer says this. "i like the big ones but the tags are horrible".


I've written on walls before, does that make me a writer? :p I think alot of 'tags' are shit but I've seen some really good looking graffiti before.

[SocialistCatisSocialist]

It depends on the graffiti. I'm all for NOT vandalizing property, but if something just happens to catch my eye (something politically/sociologically charged and beautifully crafted), I gotta say I appreciate it.

Though I'll admit it's kind of d**k when people decide to graffiti over already beautiful artwork. I've seen newly placed vehicle wraps completely obliterated. :(

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

I don't like seeing the same stupid, boring and unimaginative tag repeated over and over again on the same fucking wall. I much prefer the big, colourful ones where you can see some considerable physical and creative effort has gone into it, but unfortunately those too get fucking tagged to hell.

Fuck taggers.

[bailey_187]

I don't like seeing the same stupid, boring and unimaginative tag repeated over and over again on the same fucking wall. I much prefer the big, colourful ones where you can see some considerable physical and creative effort has gone into it, but unfortunately those too get fucking tagged to hell.

Fuck taggers.

Any twatty art student can do a big colourful peice. Most will still have shit letters.

All the actual good "big colourful ones" are only good because learnt how to actually structure letters from doing tags.

Having a good tag take years to master.

[bailey_187]

I've written on walls before, does that make me a writer? :p I think alot of 'tags' are shit but I've seen some really good looking graffiti before.

No. Most people who arent writters dont appreciate tags; you seem to all be impressed by the twats who go buy £5 a can Montana Gold cans from some West end art shop and do some awfully structured letters in nice bright colours at a skatepark.

[Angry Young Man]

I'm in the UK's graffiti capital :cool:

[bailey_187]

I'm in the UK's graffiti capital :cool:

Where?

[this is an invasion]

Any twatty art student can do a big colourful peice. Most will still have shit letters.

All the actual good "big colourful ones" are only good because learnt how to actually structure letters from doing tags.

Having a good tag take years to master.

This. Tags are the essence of graffiti. Without them, there wouldn't be anything.


And what's with this respect for property? Fuck that shit. Fuck objects.

[mikelepore]

Paint graffiti only on a surface that's already ugly. Paint something on the wall of a bank. Leaves the trees and rock cliffs alone.

[Aesop]

Where?

probably Salford:p

[Angry Young Man]

Bristol.

[Chambered Word]

Any twatty art student can do a big colourful peice. Most will still have shit letters.

All the actual good "big colourful ones" are only good because learnt how to actually structure letters from doing tags.

Having a good tag take years to master.

As long as you don't fuck up nice areas with them, I'm not too fussed about where you write stuff.

[Aesop]

Bristol.

I always thought that bristol was just full of the 'rah' types.

[Angry Young Man]

West Bristol is. But Bristol's where Banksy comes from

[bailey_187]

blah, fuck banksy


anyway, i been thinking about graffiti more lately (i become a communist pretty much around the time i stopped writing), and what socialism would mean for graffiti (i mean proper graffiti, going out bombing etc).
legalising all graffiti would mean that it is no longer the same. what fun are missions then? being up a lot is also not as impressive either.
So do we keep it illegal? Would the punishment be less than these days? Would it just be ignored?

I need to find a Maoist/Leninist who does write graffiti to discuss this with...

[bailey_187]

im thinking that the self-justifying "philosophy" of graffiti is actually quite individualist (i.e. i want to get up to get my name known, who cares what the impact is, how much waste of labour it is to buff it etc)

[bailey_187]

http://historyofgraffitiart.com/graffityblog/uncategorized/graffiti-theory-graffiti-as-marxism

this is interesting

[Angry Young Man]

I can't help but think you could have said all that in one post. And why would the art form die?

[this is an invasion]

Graffiti cannot become legal. It exists as an attack on a society that views objects as above humans. And yeah, it is pretty much blatant self-valorization. But I don't see anything wrong with this (especially because of the involvement of crews in graffiti, and its role as a subculture - subcultures are pretty much entirely reactions to capitalist alienation).

[bailey_187]

I can't help but think you could have said all that in one post. And why would the art form die?

yeah i probably should of.

The thing about graffiti is getting known. So if you are able to do a lot of good tags, dubs or peices it shows you are a good writer as because it is illegal it is not easy to do. If anyone could write anywhere it would just turn into how much free time you dedicated to it. Also if you ever been on a graffiti mission, a lot of the fun is from sneakin around, hiding, running, getting bait (if its illegal no spot is bait) spots. I dont know, its hard to explain

this (Infamy) is a good documentary on graffiti, you should watch it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUB7QveDdYM

[son of man]

The first and only rule of graffitti is don't tag on living things.

I've spent time in the cells for indulging in such behaviour. Style Wars and Wild Style are essential viewing for those that want to be in the know.

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

Any twatty art student can do a big colourful peice. Most will still have shit letters.

Maybe "any twatty art student" can do a big colourful piece because such pieces actually have artistic merit?


All the actual good "big colourful ones" are only good because learnt how to actually structure letters from doing tags.

And they're an improvement on shitty-looking tags.


Having a good tag take years to master.

Fuck off. Anyone can scrawl some indecipherable, monotone splurt of spray on something that someone has actually put some fucking effort into.

[Bilan]

Graffiti animation is where it's at.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuGaqLT-gO4

[Bilan]

Also, any twat can do tags as well. "big colourful pieces" take time and skill. The merit is in the work itself, not in who did it.

[bailey_187]

Maybe "any twatty art student" can do a big colourful piece because such pieces actually have artistic merit?



And they're an improvement on shitty-looking tags.



Fuck off. Anyone can scrawl some indecipherable, monotone splurt of spray on something that someone has actually put some fucking effort into.


im not even going to bother. your not a writer, you know nothing about it (no offense), so you wont get it. and tbh no one cares if people who dont write get it.

You can call a handstyle a "splut of spray", fine, but it isnt and you, no twatty art student (im not calling u that) etc can do it good. this is why all the "big colourful" shit you are amazed by has shit letters. tags are the foundation.

[bailey_187]

Also, any twat can do tags as well. "big colourful pieces" take time and skill. The merit is in the work itself, not in who did it.

Sure the big colourful stuff has some talent; but not graffiti talent. i just wish the art twats would fuck off or actually learn letter strucutr before they try call themselves writers with there £200 racks of montana gold.

let me show you this:
http://www.graphotism.com/typo3temp/pics/33/S5030421_33d7d86ba6.jpg

sure its colourful, takes good can control and a good drawer. but look at those letters! they are fucking awful, they look like shit. the man/women who done this probably has not done much of that horrible tagging, dubs or throw ups etc, hence why they have no idea about letters

In a bit if i remember i and cba to find them i will post some good tags

[Bilan]

Sure the big colourful stuff has some talent; but not graffiti talent. i just wish the art twats would fuck off or actually learn letter strucutr before they try call themselves writers with there £200 racks of montana gold.

let me show you this:
http://www.graphotism.com/typo3temp/pics/33/S5030421_33d7d86ba6.jpg

sure its colourful, takes good can control and a good drawer. but look at those letters! they are fucking awful, they look like shit. the man/women who done this probably has not done much of that horrible tagging, dubs or throw ups etc, hence why they have no idea about letters

In a bit if i remember i and cba to find them i will post some good tags

I don't know. The latter part of this is just presumptuous nonsense. By the looks of it, it's just a shit piece. Origin: unknown.

Top this though:

http://www.geekologie.com/2009/02/25/waterfall.jpg

Probably an art student.

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

im not even going to bother. your not a writer, you know nothing about it (no offense), so you wont get it. and tbh no one cares if people who dont write get it.

You sound exactly like the "twatty arts students" that you seem to despise. What is it about Humanities types that makes them so up their own arses?


You can call a handstyle a "splut of spray", fine, but it isnt and you, no twatty art student (im not calling u that) etc can do it good. this is why all the "big colourful" shit you are amazed by has shit letters. tags are the foundation.

Maybe as a writer you find all the colours distracting from the beautiful calligraphical forms, but as a non-writer, non-artist judge of art I like my works to look good.

Shit like this:

http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/207930/2/istockphoto_207930-graffiti-tag.jpg

Is crap.


Sure the big colourful stuff has some talent; but not graffiti talent. i just wish the art twats would fuck off or actually learn letter strucutr before they try call themselves writers with there £200 racks of montana gold.

Not all big pieces I've seen have been made with fancy sprays.


sure its colourful, takes good can control and a good drawer. but look at those letters! they are fucking awful, they look like shit. the man/women who done this probably has not done much of that horrible tagging, dubs or throw ups etc, hence why they have no idea about letters

[bailey_187]

I don't know. The latter part of this is just presumptuous nonsense. By the looks of it, it's just a shit piece. Origin: unknown.

Top this though:

http://www.geekologie.com/2009/02/25/waterfall.jpg

Probably an art student.

sure its a nice picture, takes talent. but its not graffiti.

[son of man]

I agree that the waterfall picture isn't graffiti.

Graffiti is writing - by its Greek based definition.

I have been a 'writer', I stopped some years ago now. I don't and didn't pretend to be some jumped up homeboy telling everyone how 'they don't get it' because they don't know all about graffiti.

No one cares.

Noxion is right bailey - you are acting like an arts student.

[bailey_187]

You sound exactly like the "twatty arts students" that you seem to despise. What is it about Humanities types that makes them so up their own arses?

no becuase anyone with a bit of dedication to graffiti can ejoy graffiti.




Maybe as a writer you find all the colours distracting from the beautiful calligraphical forms, but as a non-writer, non-artist judge of art I like my works to look good.

i like colours, but letters must also be good. lots of "writers" who spend their saterdays painting some legal wall in a skate park have awful letters with arrows coming out from everywhere and awful letter strucuture.
also with colours, the affordable/stealable paint is usually only in a few colours. so the art students who feel like "being urban" can afford to go and buy £200 worth of belton or montana. the avergae 15-20 who bombs cant.
and if they are going ot buy something "special" for graffiti, is it going to a few cans of paint to last one night or a pen for similar amoun that can be refilled with homemade inks. could even get a crazy pen like htis:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyUYAVXSRk8&feature=related



http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/207930/2/istockphoto_207930-graffiti-tag.jpg


Is crap.



it is. thats a shit handstyle.

some good handstyles:
Philly handstyles (skip past the little interview at the start, although starts talking about tagging):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbDZPwqu2-E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8c1_O6p4_c&feature=related
rebore words, but still good handstyle:
http://www.webloader.org/esko-handstyles/q-M3d6LXNaak53TTg=
dudes handstyle is over complicated:
http://www.webloader.org/atomik-wildstyle-tag/q-ZDU1UEZKTVpHRTQ=
Philly handstyles (skip past the little interview at the start):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbDZPwqu2-E



the thing is, you are probably imppressed (rightfully) by this colourful peice:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqNyDa1skZE&feature=related
yet the same people did this which people who liked the above despise. but one without the other is impossible:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wo9YKAOLhA



graffiti really doent make sense, i fucking love it but really when i think about it, it makes no sense.

[this is an invasion]

Graffiti is not art. It's not supposed to fit into the little boxes the bourgeoisie decide are "art."

Besides, fuck art. It's creativity in its most commodofied form.

[bailey_187]

Graffiti is not art. It's not supposed to fit into the little boxes the bourgeoisie decide are "art."

Besides, fuck art. It's creativity in its most commodofied form.

i remember one of the olders used to have a tshirt saying "i am not an artist, i am a vandal".

[this is an invasion]

i remember one of the olders used to have a tshirt saying "i am not an artist, i am a vandal".
That is amazing.

One of the reasons I'm drawn to graffiti is because it's one of the last remaining activities that remains almost entirely prole. The very nature of it is an attack on everything that maintains this society.

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

Graffiti is not art. It's not supposed to fit into the little boxes the bourgeoisie decide are "art."

Besides, fuck art. It's creativity in its most commodofied form.

You're a fucking idiot. The bourgeoisie have no monopoly on art. It doesn't have to be made for money, and it doesn't have to conform to a particular style to be considered art.

[son of man]

I agree - he is a fucking idiot.

How do you separate creativity from art?

"I'm being really creative with this medium but it sure as shit isn't art."

Graffiti is hiphop. Hiphop is innovation. Innovation is creativity. Creativity is art.

[Sperm-Doll Setsuna]

I agree - he is a fucking idiot.

How do you separate creativity from art?

"I'm being really creative with this medium but it sure as shit isn't art."

Graffiti is hiphop. Hiphop is innovation. Innovation is creativity. Creativity is art.

Sure it is.

Scribbling some short name or a sentence on a wall is very creative.

Even if it did, it looks horrid. Defiles the urban landscape.

[the last donut of the night]

I sometimes just vandalize property just for the sake of it. For example, I'll write a political message or something like, "Hi, I was gonna write something witty, but I forgot. Discuss."

[Chambered Word]

I sometimes just vandalize property just for the sake of it. For example, I'll write a political message or something like, "Hi, I was gonna write something witty, but I forgot. Discuss."

This, I can't be arsed doing anything particularly artistic. :blushing: