Graffiti Pieces
By Mr. Noneofyourbusiness

Graffiti pieces are also known as masterpieces, burners, good jobs. These are any well executed lettering styles combined with an array of colors, characters, an all around good work of art or show of skill.

To get a better understanding of what constitutes the creation of masterpieces / burners, have a look at these terms.

• Can control – basically speaks for itself. Controlling the can is learned and takes time to develop for certain effects to maintaining a straight line on the surface. Its important to understand the dynamics of you’re spray can. There are certain nozzles that are used on the can to help create added effects. Visit: www.bombingscience.com for details and purchase. Can control is developed from tagging and doing throw-ups.


• Colors – knowing what colors go together (schemes) helps capture the feeling of the piece or just make it bang out. Experimentation folks.


• Effects – highlights, shines, 3D, zany fill patterns (checkerboard, fades, patches, stars) shadows, any combination of techniques to attain a desired look of the overall piece.


• Characters – Graffiti’s essence is in lettering. However bringing characters in heightens a piece’s caliber. Characters range from simple to completely off the meter. Real people to fantasy. Just depends on your style. They are used to assist with communication of a work.

Style – Pieces generally fall into 3 categories and various techniques applied to them: all with examples to follow. ARTISTS please contribute!

• Plain style – Traditional readable block letters. This style is always cool and is the start of it all. The letters have to be understood for what they look like first. Again this is usually readable if done obliviously for the audience.
  Plain Style – Blockbuster, roller painted, with character and highlights


• Semi-Wildstyle – This style is where alot of pieces fall into. Its plain enough to read but the lettering is morphed significantly enough to keep you guessing. It involves alot to a little color, the letters “dance” or flow, there’s alot of accessories to the letters ( breaker bits, trails, flares, balls, stars, etc)

• Wildstyle – Traditionally, interlocking letters, usually unreadable by an untrained eye. In some cases any unreadable lettering style that’s well constructed. Be it 3D, liquid, bubble morphed, panel (flat). Very colorful, well executed, may have a character. Has other characteristics such as shadows, 3D, highlights, etc.
  Wildstyle is just that, wild. Wildstyle takes time to develop like the others. You don’t just jump into painting in this format. Won’t work... And if you do, you probably “bit” someone along the way. If you are a aspiring graff head, contact folks and practice, practice, practice.

Now that there’s an understanding of the style. Lets learn how a graffiti piece is constructed. It all starts with the imagination.

Usually, a writer has a piecebook (hardcover 8.5” x 11” blackbook) that contains the blueprints to pieces and future styles to produce. A blackbook is only for illustrative purposes. IT DOESN’T make you a GRAFFITI ARTIST. THE WALL / STEEL is what counts! QUIT BEING LAZY.. GET UP. AND NOT JUST 2, 3 tags or bombs. YOU GOTTA GET UP!

..besides, nobody’ll know you. Then again, you can get up and know one will still not know you.

ANYWAY, the sketchbook is cool because painting the walls is similar. You have to learn to apply that technique in the book and transcend it thru the can onto the wall. This is all learned and comes with time.

• Graffiti pieces start with a general outline (sketch on the surface) .


• Fill colors are then placed in pattern within the outline.


• Any designs are then layered in.


• The inner outline (inny, inner rimer, whatever) is placed to define the letters.


• Any inner highlights are done .


• Any breaker bits, chunks, etc are defined.


• Any outer designs are accomplished.


• Cleaning up lines shapes (cutting) is done for clarity in areas or any other detailing is done.


• The final outline (halo, shield, forcefield, outer rimmer, whatever you call it) is done.


• Sign your work.

Again, this is general off the top of my head. This may or may not be the way that some go about their work. Feel free to contribute your work pattern or a demo.

Yeah, bad pic. That guy is in the way.
Graffiti Pieces
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Graffiti Pieces

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