Graffiti artists are an art form that has a long history and a wide range of styles. It can be criminal, political, humorous or even beautiful.
It has a rich cultural history, and can tell you a lot about an area. It can also challenge societal norms and laws.
Definition
Graffiti artists are people who create art in public places, usually on walls or sidewalks. They may do so using paint, markers or sketches.
Some graffiti artists make a living off of their work. They can sell prints, t-shirts or even have galleries show their work.
Some graffiti artists have a unique style and can make their work highly popular. Some of the most famous and respected graffiti artists in history are Banksy, Retna, Shepard Fairey, Swoon, JR, and so many more.
Origins
Graffiti is an art form that involves the painting or drawing of text and images onto surfaces. These include walls, roads, bridges, parks and other public spaces.
The origins of graffiti can be traced back to ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. Early examples are preserved in caves and archaeological sites.
In modern times, graffiti has been used to express political or social messages, as well as humor and beauty. It is also widely seen as a symbol of rebellion.
Techniques
Graffiti artists use a wide variety of techniques to create their artwork. These include paint brushes, spray cans and stencils.
Stickers are another popular technique, often used by writers to quickly tag areas. They can be drawn on sticky labels and are usually simpler than posters.
Bubble graffiti involves overlapping circular letters to form a textured image that seems to bubble up in a way. These can be painted in one color and outlined with a second.
Wildstyle is a more complex style of graffiti and can include arrows, 3D elements and spikes. These elaborate details are difficult to read, but they show off a graffiti artist’s skill.
Styles
Graffiti artists use a variety of styles to create their works. These styles range from simple graffiti to elaborate murals.
Tagging: This is the most common style of graffiti and is usually made up of an artist’s alias or crew name scrawled in one color on a wall. This type of graffiti is often perceived as street art and can gain a certain amount of respect from other graffiti artists because it’s done without their permission.
Throw-up: This is a simpler style of graffiti that uses easy-to-paint bubble shapes to form letters. These types of letters are a great way to get your name up quickly and easily.
Legality
The legality of graffiti art is complicated. It depends on several factors.
One of the most important ones is whether the property owner consented to the art. This is because it is illegal to spray paint on someone else’s property without their permission.
However, if the painting on the wall complies with the minimum requirements for copyright protection (an original work fixed in a tangible medium of expression) it should be protected under copyright law. This should be even under an incentive-based copyright system like the U.S. Copyright Act.
Career opportunities
Graffiti is a popular art form and there are many career opportunities for graffiti artists. They can work as freelancers for offices, small businesses, restaurants and residences, painting walls.
There are no formal educational qualifications needed to become a graffiti artist. They take up the practice because of their passion for it and learn through practice.
It’s important to be flexible in your creative output so that you aren’t typecast as a certain style or character. Having a portfolio that shows diverse styles will give you more options when searching for work.
