KISHKURNA KATSIARYNA
Y 20TH CENTUR E H T N I I T GRAFFI RULES GLOSSARY STRUMENTS GRAFFITI IN INTERVIEW THINK? WHAT DO YOU S VILNIUS TAG
1 3 4 7 9 11 13
as changed but huas not. Even in ra, with the adns, cars, computers ople still scribble ti onto surfaces
ople – those whom erisively call “hoode on freight arch of work used nguage of graffiti te. Their symbols drawn but obscure to Many hobos were ild also did not want tips revealed, so and letters were ese wanderers would messages in coal r train yards, unor by other gatherhey would warn other out strict police certain areas, or good place to camp
rs brought us on of “Kilroy was mple doodle someanied by words – d, with variations, he war arena. From Australia to the e U.K., Kilroy grafd. Soldiers and bbled the drawing on d equipment across ou can still find
Technology has changed but human nature has not. Even in the modern era, with the advent of trains, cars, computers and more, people still scribble their graffiti onto surfaces they see. Itinerant people – those whom some might derisively call “hobos” – who rode on freight trains in search of work used their own language of graffiti to communicate. Their symbols were simply drawn but obscure to outsiders. (Many hobos were illiterate, and also did not want their secret tips revealed, so actual words and letters were avoided.) These wanderers would scrawl their messages in coal or chalk near train yards, under bridges, or by other gathering spots. They would warn other wanderers about strict police officers in certain areas, or recommend a good place to camp in others. The World Wars brought us the phenomenon of “Kilroy was here” – a simple doodle sometimes accompanied by words – that occurred,
with variations, throughout the war arena. From the “Foo” of Australia to the “Chad” of the U.K., Kilroy graffiti abounded. Soldiers and sailors scribbled the drawing on shipments and equipment across the world. You can still find the occasional “Kilroy” drawn today. Today, graffiti is most commonly associated with the hip-hop culture of American cities. Along with MCing events, DJing music, and hip-hop dancing, graffiti is a central part of this subculture. The origins of all of these can be traced to the Bronx, in New York City. Tagging, a subset of graffiti, was popularized by a New York City messenger who dubbed himself TAKI 183. (“Taki” was short for his Greek name, Demetraki, and 183 was the street he lived on.) Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, during the course of his delivery work, Taki 183 would scrawl his “tag” on surfaces around the city. His name gained recognition and imitators sprang up around the world. 1
iti style is conly evolving; it has from simple bubble ring spray-painted surface to skilled soteric lettering wildstyle. Street ts like Jean-Michel iat and Keith Haring formed their work mainstream art galfare. The mysterind anonymous English t artist Banksy uses paint and stencils orn walls with his ions.
Graffiti style is constantly evolving; it has grown from simple bubble lettering spray-painted on a surface to skilled and esoteric lettering like wildstyle. Street artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring transformed their work into mainstream art gallery fare. The mysterious and anonymous English street artist Banksy uses spray paint and stencils to adorn walls with his creations.
t is a Boston-based mous street artho uses stencils to p her work around ometown. “Pinxit”, ord that her name yly referring to, “I painted it” in . And interestingou will find this adorning the walls mpeii as a way of g “I wrote this” and d to bottom of great aintings alike. t, with her name harkens back to both iti and major art, is just one of the street artists today g graffiti gravitas itality.
Pixnit is a Boston-based anonymous street artist who uses stencils to put up her work around her hometown. “Pinxit”, the word that her name is slyly referring to, means “I painted it” in Latin. And interestingly, you will find this word adorning the walls of Pompeii as a way of saying “I wrote this” and signed to bottom of great oil paintings alike. Pixnit, with her name that harkens back to both graffiti and major artworks, is just one of the many street artists today giving graffiti gravitas and vitality.
2
#1 dont gr churches
#2 dont gr schools
#3 dont gr cars
#4 dont gr private pr public or canvas or you want
#5 dont gr anything t peice or a er like co zap, can, other good artists.
#6 don wri offensive hurt anyon
#1 dont gr churches
#2 dont gr schools
#3 dont gr cars
#4 dont gr private pr public or canvas or you want
ALL CITY: The state of having
BEEF: To have a grudge
Background: Originated on the subways out of necessity. Backgrounds were used to make the piece stand out from all the tags and assorted scribbling on a subway car that make the piece hard to discern. The color or design behind the letters.
DENCH: The act of watching
one’s graffiti all throughout a city. Takes time and dedication.
BACKJUMP: A quickly executed
throw up or panel piece. Backjumps are usually painted on a temporarily parked train or a running bus. Should be executed while drunk.
BACK TO BACK: A wall that is
pieced from one to end to the other. Also can refer to throwups that are in a row. Looks great along highways.
BATTLE: When two writers or
two crews have some sort of disagreement. A Competition between two or more crews to see who has the best style or who can get up the most in a particular city. However, in reality usually involves getting drunk and dissing pieces with penis throw ups.
against another graffiti writer or crew. Grown men acting like kids over hurt feelings.
trains for graffiti. With the popularity of digital cameras benching also means taking a photograph or video of a train spray painted with graffiti.
BLACK BOOK: A graffiti art-
ist’s sketchbook. Often used to sketch out and plan potential graffiti, and to collect tags from other writers. Doesn’t have to be black. Fancy name for a sketch pad.
BITE: To steal another art-
ist’s ideas or lettering schemes. Mr. Brainwash comes to mind. Getting something to eat while painting a legal wall.
BLOCKBUSTER: Big, square
letters, often tilted back and forth and in two colors. Mainly invented to cover over other people and to paint whole trains easily, but they are effective on smaller walls for maximum coverage. Not to be confused with the dinosaur that is Blockbuster Video.
BOMB: To bomb or hit is to
paint many surfaces in an area. Bombers often choose throw-ups or tags over complex pieces, as they can be executed more quickly. Homeland Security flags this term in your internet search queries.
BUBBLE LETTERS: A type of
graffiti letters that are often used for throw ups because of their rounded shape, which allows for quick formation. The type of graffiti that the general public hates. Can be executed while drunk or high or cheesing.
CHARACTER: A cartoon figure
usually taken from comic books, movies, TV or popular culture to add humor or emphasis to a piece. In some pieces, the character takes the place of a letter in the word. Usually survive the buff longer.
CREW: Is a group of associ-
fiti with chemicals and other instruments, or to paint over it with a flat color. Buffing the paint is not to be confused with painting in the buff.
ated writers that often work together. Some run in like ten gangs and they commit hate crimes. Others spray paint, smoke weed, talk about girls and look at graffiti pics online.
BURN: To beat a competitor
DISS: To put a line through,
BUFF: To remove painted graf-
with a style. All of these standard graffiti definitions sound like they are out of a 1980s hip-hop graffiti break dance book.
BURNER: A large, more elaborate type of piece. Lots of detail. Also, a giant blunt.
CANNON: A spray paint can. CAP: The nozzle for the aero-
sol paint can, different kinds are used for styles. Some are fancy. People brag about using stock ones. Can also mean going over another writer.
CLEAN TRAIN: A train that
hasn’t been painted with any type of graffiti. New or just never hit. It can also refer to a train that just had all the graffiti removed from it.
or tag over, another’s graffiti. Dissing is graffiti self regulating.
DRESS-UP: To completely
write all over a specific area like a door-way, wall or window that is untouched. Or when a female writer is painting on a ladder and the wind blows.
DRIPS: At first drips are the
sign of a novice painter who does not have good can control. Over time a writer can get so good that he or she intentionally drips their tags in order to show style. Thus completing the graffiti mind fuck circle. This style originated early on in New York subway graffiti with home made markers. I ain’t got to blow on lines.
4
FADE: To blend colors. Or af-
GETTING UP: To paint and
FAT CAP: A nozzle used for
GOING OVER: To paint on top
ter a piece has been in the sun for many years and it starts to loose vibrancy.
wide coverage, used for the fill of pieces.
FAME: What a writer achieves
when he or she is up around the entire city. Can be bought or earned. Overrated.
FILLS: Graffiti that is ei-
ther filled in a rush or a solid fill. A fill is also the interior base color of the piece of graffiti. Can be called throwies, quickies or bombs.
FLATS: Freight train cars with flat surfaces.
FLOATERS: Graffiti that is
painted on the top part of a train above traditional piece placement. Can also be graffiti on the side of a building that was once accessible from another building that has since been demolished.
FREIGHTS: Railroad train cars.
GALLERY: Locations such as
overpasses and walls facing train tracks that are secluded from the general public but are popular with writers. Since anything that is written is likely to stay for a while, an accumulation of styles and skills can be viewed. These take some exploring to find.
build up a reputation. When other writers see your work in multiple locations.
of another writer’s graffiti. Can be used in a more general way such as I need to go over the that religious billboard with a giant goat head.
HAND STYLE: The handwriting
of a particular graffiti writer. In a general sense, good flow of letters especially with tags.
HEAVEN SPOT: 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. They require some good climbing skills.
HIT: To paint a spot with graffiti. He just hit that shit.
HOLLOWS: Also referred to as outlines and shells, the graffiti contains no fill. Mostly done with bubble letters.
INSIDES: Graffiti done in-
side trains, trams, or buses. Usually tags. The graffiti that angers the local city officials the most.
KING: A writer especially re-
spected among other writers. Be weary of self-appointed ones.
KRYLON: A type of spray paint available at local hardware stores. Cheaper than Rusto.
LANDMARK: When an individual
“tags” on a certain location that becomes very difficult for removal. Can also be a location that will not get noticed too much, therefore it stays on longer. Or the spot of a deceased writer’s work.
LAYUP: Side tracks where
trains are parked overnight and on weekends. Initally used to refer to subway layups, but now can refer to freight-train layups. Obviously trains are not painted while they are moving so these are the spots of paint application.
LEGAL: A graffiti piece or
production wall that is painted with permission.
MARRIED COUPLE: Two si-
multaneous whole cars painted next to each other. Writers who always paint together.
MASSACRE: When city offi-
cials take down or cover up an accumulation of tags and pieces, leaving a blank space.
MOP: A type of graffiti marker used for larger tags that often has a round nib and leaves a fat, drippy line. Mops may be filled with various inks or paints. Originally started with home made markers. Gotta love those drips!
MURAL: A large graffiti
painting usually featuring multiple writers and a theme.
ONE-LINER: A tag written
in one constant motion. Or a cheesy pickup line used to hit on graffiti groupie.
ONE-STROKE: When a throw up or hollow is completed in one fluid motion.
OUTLINE: The drawing done in
a piecebook in preparation for doing the actual piece. Also called a sketch. Can also refer to the outline put on the wall and then filled, or the final outline done around the piece to finish it.
PAINT EATER: An unprimed
surface such as raw wood or concrete that eats up standard spray paint.
PAINTERS TOUCH: A brand by
Rust-Oleum that is favored for quality and general availability.
MONTANA: Paint made for graffiti. Fancy.
5
PASTEUP: A drawing, stencil
etc. on paper fixed to a wall or other surface using wheatpaste or wallpaper paste.
PATCH: A tag that has been rubbed out by being painted over usually by gray paint.
PICHACAO: Brazilian name
for the unique form of tagging found in that country.
PIECE: Short for masterpiece. A large and labor-intensive graffiti painting. A writer’s best work.
PT: Painters Touch brand by Rust-Oleum.
SCRIBE: Also called scrat-
chitti, scribing creates hardto-remove graffiti by scratching or incising a tag into an object, generally using a key, knife, stone or drill bit.
SLAM: To paint an extremely
conspicuous or dangerous location.
SOAK UP: To consider other
pieces for inspiration. Study up!
STAINER: A marker used to tag with, generally with a 12mm or 20mm tip.
STICKER: Also referred to as
done with a paint roller instead of aerosol.
“labels” or “slaps”. A sticker often obtained from shipping companies and name greeting labels, has the writer’s tag or character on it. A sticker can be deployed more quickly than other forms of graffiti, making it a favorite in any public place such as 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 his or her graffiti name in the blank space.
RUN: The length of time graf-
STRAIGHT LETTERS: are di-
RACKING: Shoplifting or robbing, not limited to but including paint, markers, inks, caps, and clothes. Thievery.
ROLL CALL: Tagging every-
one’s name in a crew, or the list of people who helped create it to the side of the piece.
ROLLER: An enormous piece
fiti remains up before being covered or removed. If work has not been painted over it can be considered running.
RUSTO: Rust-Oleum brand spray paint. Tried and true.
rect, blocky, more readable and simpler style of graffiti. They can be read by anyone and usually contain only two colors. Painted by writers of all sexual orientations.
TAG: A stylized signature,
normally done in one color. The simplest and most prevalent type of graffiti, a tag is often done in a color that contrasts sharply with its background. Tag can also be used as a verb meaning to sign. Writers often tag on or beside their pieces, following the practice of traditional artists who sign their artwork.
THROW UP: A throw-up or
throwie sits between a tag and a piece in terms of complexity and time investment. It generally consists of a onecolor outline and one layer of fill-color. Easy-to-paint bubble shapes often form the letters. A throw-up is designed for quick execution, to avoid attracting attention to the writer.
TOP TO BOTTOM: Pieces on trains that cover the whole height of the car.
TOY: Used as an adjective to describe poor work, or as a noun meaning an inexperienced or unskilled writer.
UNDERSIDES: Tags or sig-
natures painted on the under carriage of passenger trains. Undersides are normally marked in the yard after painting the train panel, most undersides will last somewhat longer than the original piece, as the railway workers primarily focus on the most visible things and sometimes do not have resources to clean everything.
UP: Writers become up when
their work becomes widespread and well-known. Although a writer can get up in a city by painting only tags or throwups, a writer may earn more respect from skillfully executed pieces or a well-rounded repertoire of styles than from sheer number of tags. Usually the more spots a writer can hit, the more respect he or she gains. A writers ups is determined by how much prolific graffiti he/she has accomplished and that is actively running.
WHOLE CAR: A single or collaborative piece that covers the entire visible surface of a train car, usually excluding the front and rear of the train. A whole car is usually worked upon by either a single artist or several artists from the same crew and is completed in one sitting. WILDSTYLE: Graffiti with
text so stylized as to be difficult to read, often with interlocking, three-dimensional type.
WOODBLOCK: Artwork painted
on a small portion of plywood or similar inexpensive material and attached to street sign posts with bolts. Often the bolts are bent at the back to prevent removal.
WRITER: A practitioner of
writing, a graffiti artist.
6
MEDIUM CAP
LINER FOR SKETCHING
POCKET CAP
FAT CAP
MARKER FOR SKETCHING
PA
IN
T
RO
LL
MARKER WITH A WIDE PEN
ER
NYC FATCAP
SKINNY CAP
NEEDLE CAP
SQUEEZER
MARKER WITH A WIDE PEN
RESPIRATOR
CAN
I started to draw in 2012. Friends offered me to draw. Then i and my friends painted a wall for a local football team.
st
ar
t
to
pa
in
t
How did you
graffiti? What’s your tag? STESOR In which cities did you draw? Borisov no ch e d Zhodino Sochi lo o M Vilnius Minsk Where do you usually draw? On walls, also I had a chance to draw on freight train.
What is the graffiti for you? For me graffiti is a style in its broadest sense, lifestyle can say.
It has its own aesthetics.
What paint do you prefer? I
fer pre Montana Black
Tell me please, why did you start do graffiti? Well I love to paint since the childhood because my parents are related with arts. I lived in this environment I started to paint something. Then I was 1112 all my friends were older than me and many of them drew already. In general, I was surrounded by a lot of people who paint. Once I tried and realized that I this is my. So I’ve got hooked on it.
It is not only the letters which you draw but with what kind of people you communicate and how you spend your time with them. 10