Ask a graffiti writer anything

[MagicForDummies]

I don't think highly of random graffiti running about all over the place. It's clear I'll never know who or care about it in the first place because it's dirty and icky. (unless its street art, street art is amazing) Some art is provocative and meaningful.

I also don't think highly of advertisements that are just sooo stupid, needlessly edgy and counter-productive to quality of life.

My proposal : Spray on advertisements and put your calling card on it. But make it funny and uplifting.

 

[TheGurw]

it was also a time when i was in a deep depression, and that was the only thing during which i had my mind completely off of it..

I hear you. My first pieces centered around either the turmoil in my life, or the calm that I wished I had. I had this one piece I kept doing, it was just a forest, with a little path, and a pool of fresh water. The details varied, for example the trees would be birch in one, redwood in another; the pool would be a well here, a small gurgling spring there; the path would be a deer trail in one, a well-traveled woodchip and gravel in the next...but the main theme stayed the same. Took me a long time before I remembered my grandmother (may she rest in peace) guiding me there and describing the basic theme to me, letting my mind fill in the blanks each time, any time my young self seemed stressed out. Funny how I forgot it for so long, but it stuck with me so deeply that when I turned to graffiti as a stress-release in my tweens, it would show up constantly.

 

[RemOfShadows]

Have you ever been caught?
What's been your experience with the po-po?

me myself, never, I've had to run from the police a few times, but the location has always been in my favor, plus i'm pretty fast on my feet...
I've been involved in a case once, but they dropped all charges a year later due to lack of evidence.
I really consider myself quite lucky in this matter, then again I'm just careful (in the possible norms, of a graffiti writer)

 

[RemOfShadows]

I hear you. My first pieces centered around either the turmoil in my life, or the calm that I wished I had. I had this one piece I kept doing, it was just a forest, with a little path, and a pool of fresh water. The details varied, for example the trees would be birch in one, redwood in another; the pool would be a well here, a small gurgling spring there; the path would be a deer trail in one, a well-traveled woodchip and gravel in the next...but the main theme stayed the same. Took me a long time before I remembered my grandmother (may she rest in peace) guiding me there and describing the basic theme to me, letting my mind fill in the blanks each time, any time my young self seemed stressed out. Funny how I forgot it for so long, but it stuck with me so deeply that when I turned to graffiti as a stress-release in my tweens, it would show up constantly.

I'd like to see some of your work
and yes, I think graff works better than any anti depressant, i remember one night out would make my whole week better...

I don't think highly of random graffiti running about all over the place. It's clear I'll never know who or care about it in the first place because it's dirty and icky. (unless its street art, street art is amazing) Some art is provocative and meaningful.

I also don't think highly of advertisements that are just sooo stupid, needlessly edgy and counter-productive to quality of life.

My proposal : Spray on advertisements and put your calling card on it. But make it funny and uplifting.

It's a fun side of graff, but it's not really my thing, I just like the destruction and the excitement that goes with it

sorry for the doublepost btw

 

[lacar1601]

Do you attend art school or take art lessons?

If so, what kinds of things have you carried over in your work?

If not, have you considered it? If not considered, why not (besides financial reasons)?

 

[RemOfShadows]

Do you attend art school or take art lessons?

If so, what kinds of things have you carried over in your work?

If not, have you considered it? If not considered, why not (besides financial reasons)?

not really no, I think if I did, i'd be way better at this

I suppose, some things that I've learned in school, in my art classes have carried over, like basic shading/lighting, basic 3d's, proportions etc.

I actually considered taking some art lessons and joining the art course in college here, but then i decided against it, because i felt i wouldn't enjoy basing my whole life around art, also seeing how unstable that would be... i am thinking of, maybe joining a part time course in art, once i'm finished with the one i'm going trough right now...

 

[konflakes]

3 years ago there was a Brit man who was arrested here in Singapore for vandalism. He spray painted 2 train carriages with an accomplice. He was sentenced to 5 months imprisonment and given 3 strokes of the cane. This was a pretty big deal here since his was only the 2nd high-profile foreign vandalism case, with the 1st being almost 20 years ago. The laws against vandalism are pretty strict here and the foreigners who come here probably don't know what kind of trouble they were getting themselves into. Plus there's always the stigma of physical punishment being viewed as barbaric and such.

So to sum this little trivia up with a couple of questions; Would you graffitize something as high profile as a train? And also, would you risk writing/graffitizing at all in another country?

 

[TheGurw]

Good question flaky penis. I'm interested to see this answer.

On that note (thinking of Banksy's international art and varied forms), have you ever tried stenciling, or pasting?

 

[RemOfShadows]

3 years ago there was a Brit man who was arrested here in Singapore for vandalism. He spray painted 2 train carriages with an accomplice. He was sentenced to 5 months imprisonment and given 3 strokes of the cane. This was a pretty big deal here since his was only the 2nd high-profile foreign vandalism case, with the 1st being almost 20 years ago. The laws against vandalism are pretty strict here and the foreigners who come here probably don't know what kind of trouble they were getting themselves into. Plus there's always the stigma of physical punishment being viewed as barbaric and such.

So to sum this little trivia up with a couple of questions; Would you graffitize something as high profile as a train? And also, would you risk writing/graffitizing at all in another country?

Given the chance, I definitely would, trains is like the best shit to paint, it all started with trains, and trains is where the highest level is at.
I probably would, although I'd prefer going with someone from that country that knows the streets etc. it's not the same as painting in your own backyard after all.

Good question flaky penis. I'm interested to see this answer.

On that note (thinking of Banksy's international art and varied forms), have you ever tried stenciling, or pasting?

I tried stenciling once, I realized i'm a horrible fucking artist and suck at making stencils, that's the end of it, i've done some pasting, but it never really caught on with me..
I must say, I have nothing but respect for banksy, no matter what other writers might say, about him being an artist etc, he's done great things, and writers from all around the world should acknowledge that

 

[TheGurw]

On the topic of Banksy, do you/would you ever focus your work around political commentary? Why or why not?

 

[RemOfShadows]

On the topic of Banksy, do you/would you ever focus your work around political commentary? Why or why not?

in my own country, why not, but being in the UK it's politics don't really interest or affect me, only thing i'd have my say about is the whole cctv situation...