Graffiti

[Jaakko V.]

Yeah, this is good stuff. Been meaning to get this book for years. Sao Paulo graff scene is insane..

How about graffiti in general? Should go without saying that a lot of the graffiti people do is just badly done and placed badly. On the other hand I can appreciate a skilled painter. And I like some stencil stuff a lot for example.

Any thoughts on the subject? Examples of graffiti done exceptionally well or with an interesting subject matter?

Any painters here?

[F_c_O]

As with any art, I can appreciate if its well done. I prefer the bigger ones which have required more time to do and I abhorr simple name tags littering walls and wc stalls. Honestly, I don't enjoy Banksy style stencil stuff that much. It was funny for a while but in the end it has become bit of a bore, the jokes feel quite samey to me and in general his political/social critique feels quite shallow.

Heres few examples of the kind of graffiti I like quickly culled from reddit.com/r/graffiti:

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7723/17140792247_cd254628f0_b.jpg

http://41.media.tumblr.com/610f8aca29ff4ceb22e910e85f0ede10/tumblr_nkqet7yiLE1r6wmavo1_1280.jpg

http://imgur.com/pTExAGC

[Cementimental]

> "street art" any day

[gasskammer]

I always liked graffiti. Personally i now appreciate a more simple approach, tags and throwups or few colored pieces but with more skills and refined lines.
There is a saying that a writer is never better than his tag-i find that to be true. It is easy to hide behind multiple colors and lines, but a skillful tag is not that
easy.

Never been into the stencil/street art thing. It seems mostly like a very fixed aesthetics, with some light political comment, cuteness and a bit of absurd humor.
Some stunts by Banksy is ok, but that is more in the league of almost relational aesthetics type of art (to stretch it a bit) more that conventional street art, that to
me is more "Mickey mouse in guantanamo dress".

Some of the heroes from around here;

http://senseslost.com/2009/10/29/fos-crew-claims-second-biggest-graffiti-piece/

http://splitcitymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/tumblr_mu50xwOCXI1r9x2d8o2_500.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6217/6242836760_18be78cea5_m.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6120/6286395110_f62877dd53.jpg

https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/hphotos-xaf1/t51.2885-15/s306x306/e15/11123767_1597025000542677_431961454_n.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6129/5971059853_803f137bd3.jpg


This is maybe the most significant movie from around here, full of live action also (mostly trains/subway..)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taGFsRcw7VA

[Jaakko V.]

I always liked graffiti. Personally i now appreciate a more simple approach, tags and throwups or few colored pieces but with more skills and refined lines.
There is a saying that a writer is never better than his tag-i find that to be true. It is easy to hide behind multiple colors and lines, but a skillful tag is not that
easy.

Never been into the stencil/street art thing. It seems mostly like a very fixed aesthetics, with some light political comment, cuteness and a bit of absurd humor.
Some stunts by Banksy is ok, but that is more in the league of almost relational aesthetics type of art (to stretch it a bit) more that conventional street art, that to
me is more "Mickey mouse in guantanamo dress".

Yeah, I could imagine that the stencil stuff is probably more interesting to people who don't know shit about actual writing etc. It's easy to digest and looks "nice".

What qualities constitute a great tag?

[Cementimental]

What qualities constitute a great tag?

Quantity :)

[gasskammer]

Hell yes!

Also some personal style is good, and confidence!

Hard to find good pictures, but these are good.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5101/5623560472_4eac236bfc_m.jpg

http://farm9.static.flickr.com/8423/7493305648_8ff6e5dd6a_m.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6084/6059007945_22a11070c2_m.jpg

http://www.juxtapoz.com/images_old/stories/AustinMcManus/july.11/20/jux_remio7.png

[TS]

In my opinion, even "bad" graffiti can spice up a boring wall. Of course it can be somewhat annoying if its a really nice building, or a wall that already has nice decoration, but in general I'd rather have poorly drawn dicks and swastikas on the bus stalls than nothing at all, toilets especially, the more paint the better.

That FOS crew vid is great entertainment. Oslos trains are too clean these days..

[Cementimental]

:D

[Andrew McIntosh]

[Baglady]

What qualities constitute a great tag?

As mentioned above, a tag can really show if the writer "has it". It being both personality and a "whipping" feel to it, as if it's just about to jump straight off the wall at you.

About the actual painting I appreciate well made colourful big ones as well, but simple chrome with black outlines is probably my favorite recipe. This one by swedish writer Slice. Nothing special on paper, I'm sure, but here in the subway it's just perfect.



For those skilled in swedish tongue I can warmly recommend the book Blått Stål (Blue Steel), covering the birth and evolution of graffiti on the subway trains in Sweden. Well, more photos than text, so maybe anyone could appreciate it, who knows. https://shop.dokument.org/bocker/graffiti-street-art/9789163737206/

[Acne]

http://notjimjoe.tumblr.com/

[Piety and Iron]

Yeah, this is good stuff. Been meaning to get this book for years. Sao Paulo graff scene is insane..

How about graffiti in general? Should go without saying that a lot of the graffiti people do is just badly done and placed badly. On the other hand I can appreciate a skilled painter. And I like some stencil stuff a lot for example.

Any thoughts on the subject? Examples of graffiti done exceptionally well or with an interesting subject matter?

Any painters here?

Yes I have been participating in the graffiti writing lifestyle for many years and have a lot of specific critiques and tastes nowadays. I have gravitated almost entirely away from the 'artistic' developments towards the most primitive practices. I don't have any interest in figurative stuff, just written text only.

Yeah, now I know this threads here will have to post a few notes on my favorite underground publications and DIY graffiti books that came out over the years.

[Piety and Iron]

Should go without saying that a lot of the graffiti people do is just badly done and placed badly.
[/quote]

Haha, this is certainly true. A lot of graffiti is done by kids that are still in that copycat mentality. They try to visually recreate what they see. Fixated on the visual and pics they have seen online. I think only after years that people develop. The best and most interesting graffiti writers are really guys in their 30's who have a lot of experience and developed tastes.

But i'm in my 30's so that might explain my viewpoint!!!

[gasskammer]

Seems to be normal that after one gets older, the more simple approach is more appreciated. I am too in the thirties and simple but effective works best now. Skills is best shown with minimal timeframe and less color etc..

What is somehow interesting is the difference in how it is handled from country to country. Here it is very strict. You can get serious time in jail if caught when they have evidence you have been active a while, and you get beat up and locked up for sure for one tag on the street if caught right there. Also the general public is very hostile towards writers, if a "citizen" sees you he will try to make you stop by force mostly. This results in many fights of course..This is Scandinavia, but further down Europe seems to be a bit more easy, but its been some years since last time, im retired.