GRAFFITI: History and Style-Definition

STYLE DEFINITION
It's not easy to discriminate and define all the writer's styles as graffiti continues to develop all over the world. The time when a given style was brought to life (or when it was dramatically transformed) as well as the shape and the degree of complexity of letters can serve as criteria for difference of styles. The aim of the hierarchy, which is developed in this way is not to evaluate the style but only to describe it and set the borders between its versions kinds. That is why you don't have to agree with it, on the contrary it can be a reason for discussing the development of graffiti and its aims.

Both the writer's signature and his handwriting, which he uses to sign his pieces and to mark his presence on the walls and in public places, are called TAG STYLE. It is the oldest form of graffiti and it was started by TAKI 183. It's function is to popularize the writer's name so it would be visible nearly everywhere. At the beginning tags were only mere signatures, which didn't differ very much except for the content. However, nowadays tags are sophisticated and full of invention and this means that we are able to identify the writer only by looking at his tag.

THROW-UP is created when the outlines are added to the letters. The meaning of a throw-up - leaving an immediately recognizable signature - is the same but the painted surface increased in size. Bombing is the most common way of using throw-ups. The process of painting a throw-up usually shouldn't take more than 2 minutes as it is automatized to a great extent (outlines are sometimes made with only one continuous movement). Letters in the throw-up are frequently given shapes of the clouds or bubbles and that's why such throw-ups are called Bubbles (Bubble Style), however it's worth noticing that not all the bubbles are throw-ups. The throw-up is usually done in a hurry, which lower its quality, while some people use the Bubble Style to create colorful and precise styles.


BLOCKBUSTER STYLE has been the next step in the development of writer's styles as treated in connection to the history of graffiti and the shape of the letters. This style is characterized by easily readable letters, which are painted in rectangular (or equilateral) area. This style doesn't offer many alternatives for modeling, so we can observe it in almost unchanged form until today. Nowadays it's most frequently used while painting near highways, painting the railway or painting the whole cars.


The aforementioned course of development concers the oldest writers, pioneers of graffiti. However today is rare case when somebody begins with a tag to switch to throw-up later. That is the reason why at that point we stop discussing the history and hierarchy of writer¹s styles to go on to talk about the level of complexity of a style and its letters. We must start with defining the SIMPLE STYLE, which is the first step for the beginner writers and serves as the ABC of graffiti. Simple Style is characterized by not complicated and basic shape of letters. The letters are modeled separately, but they should show features which would determinate the unity of the style. There are no additional elements and actually the extensions of the tails and the shapes of the holes in the letters are the only ornaments. All the above makes it difficult for writers to create their own unique style of the letters in Simple Style, and achieving it is a proof of good understudy of the alphabet. Simple Style is usually used for signing the crews or in cases of long texts.


WILD STYLE is the next one when we take complexity into consideration. What is more, its definition is so broad that we have to discriminate substyles of Wild Style, for instance SEMI WILD STYLE. This variation is complex, but it can be deciphered by any writer or even somebody who takes no interest in graffiti. Some letter's ornaments appear in connection to that style (e.g. bars, arrows...). The letters have become more dynamic than in Simple Style, and they begin to blend with each other in many different ways, depending on writer's imaginations. As well as in Simple Style it is vital that the letters are compact and, so to say, they stem from one other. Consequently, similar elements should be used while painting letters.
Semi Wild Style is a very popular style. It is due to fact that it isn't time-consuming and when the piece is well done it can be attractive and legible for receivers. The fact that Semi Wild Style is dynamic and readable makes it popular with hip-hop culture. When we think about classic version of Wild Style we want to say that the letters are even more dynamic, there are more ornaments, counterweights, arrows, the links are more sophisticated and all that makes the style less legible. Such a style is sometimes hard to decipher even for writers and an average person can perceive it as chaotic compilation of lines. However a well done Wild Style piece should be an example of well shaped letters.


COMPLEX STYLE is continuation of Wild Style. We can even say it broadens the term of the letter as it uses a maximum number of ornaments, such as arrows, links, glass effects, blending etc. This term isn't wildly used, but it marks the difference the Complex Style and the Wild Style which separate letters, through total freedom of letters to liberation from the rules of conserving alphabet. We can find letters of loose shapes or the letters can atomize into the pictures of fragments. Complex Style closes the hierarchy of styles. Stays, which followed it, can be described as less complex but are more difficult to achieve.


3D is a completely different style. There are no traditional outlines and the division between the planes are by shadows. Although almost every style can be illustrated in that way there are only a few writers who use 3D. This style is very controvential. Some say that it is the highest level of writer¹s development, while others claim that those who paint 3D are rather artists not writers. Generally, especially this style was developed in Europe in the 90's thanks to such names as DELTA, DAIM, LOOMIT and NECK.


Those who have managed to create their OWN STYLE ruin the traditional hierarchy of styles. We are talking about those writers who have broken the conventions that still limit the other. They weren't afraid to use new tricks, which were unknown until now. Although their works can sometimes be recognized as belonging to a certain style, they passes a kind of magic which allows to discriminate them from the other writers at the first glance. Of course we can also say that there are some COUNTRY STYLE (like Sweden), and CITY STYLE (like Prague or Berlin). But it is a theme for much longer discussion...


OTHER INFLUENCES ON THE STYLE


We have already discussed different characteristics of various styles in detail, taking into consideration the shape of outlines. However there are other elements which influence the style such as filling techniques, regional factors and writer's individual features.
As our presentations concern monochromatic field, we must mention the influence of color. Outline has created free space inside the letters, leaving them for the use of colorful excesses of spray techniques. Colorful elements of filling give life to the frame of outline and they have direct effect on the dynamics. Learning colors and their proper application to a certain style may be a process, which takes years, but it's worth waiting for the outcome - a unique, individual style, shown not only in letters but also in filling.
The number of letters is also influential. Writer's name usually consists of 3 to 6 letters. The words that are chosen usually do not contain the same letters (one after another or in different places in the word). Thanks to this we can achieve a better dynamics because the sight is most preoccupied with double or repeated letters. Styles are usually one- or two syllable words. Short words require only a short glance, while long words require a longer and closer examination or taking a second look.
Two letters are usually abbreviations crew or throw-ups, three letter combinations are treated in the same way, but they can also be short names. The words consisting of 3 or 5 letters facilitate a proper and fast comprehension. 6 or more letter names are used only by tagstylers. The number of letters establishes the rhythm of the style. The information, which is to be conveyed, is also decisive when it comes to the formation of the style. Writer's name should show his individuality.


A style is a sort of mirror, which reflects the image of our technical environment. It tries to fit into the architectonic surroundings. It is placed on the means of communication of enormous weight. The bigger the piece is the less important unevenness is. Columns, windows, or doors are not treated as obstacles and its dimensions are more important. The shape and the size of train have considerable influence on the style. Panel piece, a style placed on the train under its windows and between the doors of the carriage, has become a standard size of the style. The lower edge of the train is made of natural lines, which can be used for a phasing a sequence of writing.


The fact that the style has developed on the moving trains has influenced the style itself, which is also moving. The necessity of swift comprehension of an images, the same is true about commercials, propels the creation of stronger and stronger visual cues. The influence of media such as comics, TV or computers can be seen in the styles. Pieces become bigger, more elegant, faster, more plastic, more dynamic, more various, more individual and they still continue to develop. Graffiti aims at showing ideas on free urban surfaces such as bald external surfaces of trains and buildings.


The current style is plastic and rough. It has one offer feature - it is rhythmical. The shape of letter directs the movement of eyes, the rhythm of reading and understanding. What is more the style is fast and short living, just as times which it was created in. It has to be precise and comprehensible. The very first glance should encourage receivers to take the second, close look, end examine the piece carefully.
Balance, harmony, unity and a sort of tensions are the features of a good style. To control the balance of draft you can turn it up side down or examine it in a mirror.
Thanks to being in constant contact with the present form of the alphabet the style is a mental argument with the existing rules. The style is becoming a more abstract, emotion-changing instrument due to the individual manipulations of those forms.
The style doesn't have any ambitions to become a form of art. This is also inhibited by mass, identical copies of tags and throw-ups, however tags and throw-ups may be sources of most extreme aesthetical pleasures for writers. The style simply is and acts. The style is lofty, fantastic, diabolic, mystic, psychedelic and majestic. It flows and glides, it is massive and light, it pulls, tears and burstsÅ


THE SYMBOLS OF STYLES


Symbols can illustrate whole philosophies and ideologies by the means of only one sign. We would like to present only those sign, whose influence on the style is considerable and which integrate with it and forms.


NUMBER or combinations of Arabic or Roman ciphers, often placed after the sign, serve as a supplementary element. They can help to differentiate already existing similar signs or point to the years of birth, the number of the house, street etc. Number formation must obey the rules of the style. Numbers are more frequently used in tags than in pieces.


ARROW is the most important symbol of the style. It was used quite early in tags to reflect individuality. It is used to express movement and direction in the style. It also shows its dynamics. It is most frequently applied in semi wild style, in large quantities at the beginning or at the end of the word. It is a justified choice as the arrow is a symbol of an offensive defense of the style and it can serve as a defense against the external world or other styles. Arrow may be painted in various ways and in large quantities. In many cases the arrows are broken or plaited, however some writers attribute certain functions and names to the arrows in certain places. The arrows drill through the letters of the style or even go deep into the structure of the style, sometimes having a destructive influence.


CHIPS can be often found at the end of the tail of the letter. They extend and finish its form. They may also appear as chipped off, destroyed elements of the letter, having the effect of disintegration of letters. Pyramid is a continuation of triangular fragments in 3D.


BATTLEMENT serves as the base for arrows, and chips and is frequently used on long tails of letters.


HEART (or lily) can be used as the additional for unstable letters such as T, F, P, I, Y. Hearts are painted in the places where strengthening of a shape throng a counterweight is needed. The heart may also replace O.


CIRCLE and STAR , these elements are closely linked. The circle is often used as O and the star (most frequently) in the middle - as a hole. The star often replaces the circle as the dot over the letter I. They rarely appears in their pure forms, more frequently used as designs.


INTERNAL FORMS - internal surfaces of letters often can take form of stars, arrows, keyholes, crosses etc, or they are edge shapes of letters in a certain style. We can say that they are negative shapes.


SERIF in some cases exaggerated, serves as ornaments of letter tails in the style. It makes the letters look more elegant and they often give letters new directions and create links between them.


EAR is a thin line which links letter tails. It can also stem from the tail of a letter and then it has the charm of blank.


A wild range of different elements can serve as ornaments or linking devises. Circles, hooks, spirals, snakes, snails are some of those elements, which introduce more movement into the style... And all of them can be found in styles shown above...


As we can see writer can use a wide range of devises to ornament his style and what is more all the styles can be ornamented. However you have to careful with using those devises as you can easily cover well-shaped letters and expose the worse ones. It can be easily seen whether somebody 'feels' letters, their links and dynamics.


Letters in the style can be linked together in different ways or they can be separated. In case when each letter is painted separately you should use a lot of basic forms and devises of some kind. Letters may invade each other and blend with each other in their meeting points. Glass effect is another possibility. It is created when the letters go through each other and the outlines of both of them are visible.
One letter can invade another or even break it and this is illustrated by the combination of invading and blending. One part of a letter disappears on in the whole of another one to appear on its other side. We can recognize the features of different letters in the style and the way they could be used in a combination. We are able to see how the letters cooperate with each other. We can 'order' letter to support other one, to dance, to fight, by putting them in accurate places in the word. The links between letters achieved by length extending beams don't have any limits in the style. Aslant supporting of links can go through behind, in front of, or in the middle of the letter. Those links frequently decide about the dynamics and eye movement. Supportive beam is one of the favorite links in the style. Sometimes it goes from the first to the last letter. The style is formed according to the drawing rules. Tension, symmetry, reflexion, golden cut and many others have a lot of influence on composition of the piece. They are connected with the writer's aesthetic requirements. That is way it vital and necessary to make your style more and more interesting and unique.

Thanx to tha Graf kid who wrote this...
whoever you are
Much Love,
from Jerusalem

SEVEN
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