Paint Graffiti

Paint Graffiti

A history of graffiti

Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked on property. Graffiti is any type of public markings that may appear in the forms of simple written words to elaborate wall paintings.

Graffiti has existed since ancient times, with examples dating back to Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. ‘Graffiti' and ‘graffito' are from the Italian word graffiato ("scratched"). ‘Graffiti' is applied in art history to works of art produced by scratching a design into a surface. A related term is "graffito", which involves scratching through one layer of pigment to reveal another beneath it. This technique was primarily used by potters who would glaze their wares and then scratch a design into it. In ancient times graffiti was carved on walls with a sharp object, although sometimes chalk or coal were used. The word originates from the Greek word graphein, meaning ‘to write'.

In modern times paint, particularly spray paint, and marker pens have become the most commonly used graffiti materials. In most countries, marking or painting property without the property owner's consent is considered defacement and vandalism, which is a punishable crime. Sometimes graffiti expresses social and political messages and a whole genre of artistic expression is based upon spray paint graffiti styles. To some, it is an art form worthy of display in galleries and exhibitions, but to others it is simply vandalism.

Graffiti can be used as a gang signal to mark territory or to serve as an indicator or "tag" for gang-related activity. Controversies that surround graffiti continue to create disagreement amongst city officials/law enforcement and graffitists who wish to display and appreciate work in public locations. There are many different types and styles of graffiti and it is a rapidly developing artform whose value is highly contested, reviled by many authorities while also subject to protection, sometimes within the same jurisdiction.

Graffiti artists who truly consider their work to be art are very considerate with where they choose to "decorate", and they will usually seek the permission of the owner of a property before they mark or paint it. In fact, there are several instances where graffiti artists have been approached to decorate areas by not just property owners, but city or town officials.

However, marking, painting or vandalising a property without the owner's consent, which will usually lead to the owner having to re-paint, or in more extreme cases, call in glass replacement services is always considered defacement or vandalism and should never be done.

About the Author

Paul is a part of the digital blogging team at shoutingindigital.com who work with brands like Belron. For more information about me, or to keep up to date with the latest in retail news, check out my posts at shoutingindigital.com or visit my Twitter account, @shoutingID.

How do graffiti artists manage to spray paint on elevated walls of buildings?

I often see graffiti on high surfaces off the ground of buildings. how do they manage to spray paint feet off the ground in so little time without being caught? do they bring ladders along with them?

It depends on the artist. Some artists use ropes and safety harnesses attached to the roof on the building that they are working on, and to do this you need at least one other person to stand beside the spot where they have their rope tied to ( this is to ensure that the rope does not come loose and send the artist plummeting towards his/her untimely death ) and watch the rope. While graffiti artists are using this technique, they put their feet against the wall then lean back, so that they are far enoguh away from the wall that the paint will not run too much from being applied too close to the wall.
Another way that some artists use if to find a ledge, window, hole, or crack in the wall and use it to hold themselves from falling downwards, I have never seen this technique done without a safety harness or rop holding the artist from falling back or forwards, because that would just be stupid ( yes graffiti artists are breaking the law, but graffiti is a form of art and all forms of art need to be shown one way or another, and even though graffiti artists are taking a risk doing their art, they are usually not stupid enough to risk their lives doing it from tall structures.
The artists do this in such small amounts of time by practicing, they don't start off doing art in high places, they start on walls that they can stand beside and once they can do that in a realitively short amount of time, they gradually move up to higher and higher places, still doing short walls, but not as frequently.
And to answer your other question "do they bring ladders with them" no, not usually, but I have seen it done at a friends house.

Graffiti in MS Paint: "SPRAY"