how do you guys feel about graffiti?

>>7647700 (OP)
50/50.
On the one hand, when I see a piece of street art that someone put effort into, particularly if it's playful with its particular location and placement, then I generally think it's actually helping to elevate the dull grey streets.
Every now and then I have thoughts of maybe doing a few paste ups, but I live in a nice suburban area where it wouldn't really be appropriate pretty much anywhere.

On the other hand, it's more often than not just a shitty tag that's barely legible to anyone with a full high school education or more. More frustrating is that they often break their own 'rules' by tagging things that shouldn't be tagged, like people's private dwellings, store fronts (rather than a side or back end), or something like a war memorial.
Worse still, even when it is street art, it's shitty "political" street art - I don't need to be told "war bad" by pretentious fuck wit through a screed scribbled on a wall.
I swear Banksy has nearly killed all the rebellious fun street art with highbrow pretentious wank.

>>7647700 (OP)
It's interesting once you notice certain tags are everywhere, meaning those are the most prolific, active people around. One guy climbed on top of a shopping center and put his tag on a wall, that made me lol when I saw it.
I love street art in general honestly, stickers too. If I see something cool I gotta take a photo

>>7647756
I hate tagging so much
>the same scribbled initials every 3 yards along an entire fence because one tag wasn't enough
>tagging over actual street art
>tagging over murals, on statues, trees
>tagging on windows, stores, private homes
>tagging on road signs

>>7647700 (OP)
Honestly, I wouldn't even mind graffiti if it actually looked good and not just nigger shit
If I got into graffiti, I would redecorate walls to resemble classical architecture facades, turning the otherwise plain urban brick wall into a palace of marble columns, pediments, and temple doorways

>>7648997

>>7648998

>>7649000
Alternatively use stencils to spray paint a frieze of attic vase style art onto walls

I don’t understand what the letters/words are ever supposed to mean. Sometimes they look nice, but tags always seem to show up and ruin them

>>7648997
Doing something like this would be likely too difficult and time consuming for a quick graffiti job - don't forget speed is a big factor in the art form.
Though >>7649003 would definitely be possible to do quickly, since it'd only be one or two layers of paint.

>>7649027
It's their gamer tag

>>7649058
There is plenty of incredibly elaborate graffiti done illegaly that has taken many hours, sometimes done over multiple sessions. It can be done

>>7647700 (OP)
Respecting graffiti for its artistic merit is like respecting meth for its chemistry merit.
While some graffiti may look nice, it's fundamentally a criminal industry.
Tags exist to mark territory. Someone with place their tag over another persons tag to impose dominance over that persons territory. They're related to gangs, and should be cleaned off whenever spotted.

>>7649134
It depends on time and the location. If you're spraying some wall in bumfuck nowhere you can take as much time as you want but when you're putting down your tag somewhere in broad daylight it's about efficiency

>>7649139
>While some graffiti may look nice, it's fundamentally a criminal industry.
Sure, but skateboarding was essentially an illegal thing at times too, so I think simply saying 'It's illegal, therefore bad' is shortsighted. In fact, it's its illegality that likely makes it so appealing to people, both in the creation of the pieces, as well as the appeal of the pieces.
It's likely very thrilling doing a piece and wondering if you're going to get caught.
And it's fun seeing something you know is not supposed to be there.

>Tags exist to mark territory.
But you're totally right on this. There's a line between "street art" and tags when it comes to graffiti, and I think one of those two could disappear completely, and nobody would be saddened besides the dipshits with bad handwriting themselves.
That said, it's silly to think ALL graffiti and street art is gang related.

bunch of rich white kids in this fucking thread here.

>>7647700 (OP)
I love graffiti, best hobby out there for me. its great exercise and you find new parts of your area you never would have otherwise. I need some kind of emotional outlet and it's a much more effective solution than drugs or therapy. I'll never stop being entertained by spotting tags n pieces I forgot I did then finding them again weeks later. the time when I'm painting illegally is the only time I feel both at peace and alive. anyone who doesn't think it's art doesn't truly understand what calligraphy is.
>>7648990
anyone who tags private property is hated by other writers. besides it's always a million times better than seeing fucking adverts shoved in your face just as often.
>>7649139
>They're related to gangs
depends on location, in the US it's closely tied to gang culture, other places its a political thing, but its often just art and nothing more elsewhere.

i like graffiti but mostly i just draw random pictures on stuff :D

>>7647700 (OP)
Love it. Like ~2% of it. Graffiti is like the ratio: work/time. If done right, it gets right to the essence - there is no time for more. Less color, more flow. Fuck the hall of fame, street art, 12 color 3 hour works, etc.