WRITERS
graffiti artist who is a writer develops their signature style and writes in large intricate letters. This is very different than tagging. Tags are often done with markers where as writers typically use spray paint. The pieces tend to be larger and involve more skill. Often writers apprentice with a more experienced artist as they develop their skill. |
Stencils are one way artists create a potentially complicated piece of art quickly. By making a stencil of the artwork and filling it in with spray paint, the artist can make a nearly perfect image in a short time. Banksy is one of the well known artists that utilizes this. Depending on what kind of stencil work is done, depends on wether or not it is vandalism.
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These are typically a two-color work designed to be executed quickly. They are more complex than a tag, but less elaborate than a piece. Bombs are although much faster than a Throw up. But all these pieces can range from being super simple and also ones that are beautiful pieces. These would not necessarily be known as vandalism because some of the pieces created are jaw dropping.
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Considered to be an artist's best work, these are more labor intensive than other forms. Pieces often incorporate 3-D effects, arrows, and many colors and color-transitions, as well as various other effects. These will usually be done by writers with more experience because they harder. These are the pieces of Graffiti that is art and not vandalism although some may disagree. These Pieces range from name tagging to mural style graffiti paintings. A piece requires more time to paint than a throw-up. If placed in a difficult location and well executed it will earn more respect. Piece can also be used as a verb that means: "to write."
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1. A large, more elaborate type of piece. The piece could be said to be "burning" out of the wall, billboard, or train-side. Because they take so much time and effort, burners in downtown areas are more likely to be legal pieces, painted with the consent of the property owner. The early writers of New York City also did burners illegally on trains, and adventurous modern writers sometimes still do large-scale illegal pieces in heavily trafficked areas.
2. More recently, any quick chrome bombing or throwup. |
Pieces that are painted in hard-to-reach places such as rooftops and freeway signs, thus making them hard to remove. Such pieces, by the nature of the spot, often pose dangerous challenges to execute, but may increase an artist's notoriety. This term also encompasses a double-meaning as the locations are often very dangerous to paint there and it may lead to death, thus, going to heaven (also known as "hitting up the heavens").
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Also referred to as "labels" or "slaps". A sticker (often obtained from shipping companies and name greeting labels) with the writer's tag on it. A sticker can be deployed more quickly than other forms of graffiti, making it a favorite in any public place such as crosswalk signs, newspaper dispensers, stop signs, phone booths etc. A popular sticker that was used originally was the "Hello my name is" red stickers in which a writer would write their graffiti name in the blank space. Reflector stickers, found at hardware stores are sometimes assembled to form a crew meaning, or individual writer's moniker.
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