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A tag is the most basic writing of an artist’s name; it is simply a handstyle. A graffiti writer’s tag is his or her personalized signature. It is by far the most common form of graffiti. Tags can contain subtle and sometimes cryptic messages, and may incorporate the artist’s crew initials or other letters. Tags can be seen everywhere in Valpo and can be done in a variety of mediums, including spray paint, markers and pens.
TAGS
The throw-up, also known as a throwie or bombing, is normally painted very quickly with two or three colors, and sometimes sacrifices aesthetics for speed. Throw-ups sit between a tag and a piece, in terms of complexity and time investment, however they are usually ac-companied with tags. They generally consist of a one color outline and one layer of fill-color. Other throw-ups are much more colorful and detailed. These more detailed throw-ups are sometimes called burners because they seem to be burning out of the wall. Because they take more time and effort, they are likely painted with the consent of the property owner.
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THROW UPS
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IF IT TAKES MORE THAN 5
MINUTES, IT'S NOT GRAFFITI
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[MINT & SERF]
piece [short for masterpiece] is a picture that has been painted free hand. They contain at least three colors and take longer to paint. A piece in an obvious place will gain the artist respect from other artists because standing in an obvious place painting on walls where graffiti is illegal is a great risk.
PIECES
Wildstyle is a complicated and intricate form of graffiti. Due to its complexity, it is of- ten very hard to read by people who are not familiar with it. Usually, this form of graffiti incorporates interwoven as well as overlapping letters and shapes. It may include arrows, spikes, and other decorative elements depending on the technique used. The numerous layers and shapes make this style extremely difficult to produce homogeneously, which is why developing an original style in this field is seen as one of the greatest artistic challenges to a graffiti writer. Wildstyle pieces are the most complex form of piece masterpiece lettering, a stage higher than the quick simplified stylised letters known as “burners”. Wildstyle is seen as one of the most complicated and difficult masterpiece styles and refers to larger complex letters which have volume as opposed to mere signatures or graffiti tags.
WILD STYLE
Lining many of the winding streets are bright murals that lend a more modern feel to the old district and are a reminder of the artistic character of the city.
These murals, along neglected side streets and dilapidated roads, epitomize the city’s character and would be so easily missed when taking a vehicle from site to site.
The murals seen throughout the city are perhaps an homage to the Museo a Cielo Abierto, the open sky museum. This museum is far from traditional. Scattered among the streets and staircases of Cerro Bella-vista are 20 beautiful murals found on the sides of buildings.
The collection of murals have since been made into an official site by large signs on both sides of the ‘museum’ that welcome you in and explanatory sign posts throughout the museum.
However, some of the murals could use some refurbishing or are even overgrown, but in some ways this just adds to the rustic urban character of the site.
It is quite possible to make your way to all the murals by simply following the side streets and staircases that lead you through the maze of Bellavista, but a map is recommended to make sure you don’t get lost or miss a mural.
[BRENDAN NOGUE]
Many artists have different elements to add to their wildstyle that gain that writer a good deal of respect within the graffiti scene, especially if one creates his or her own style and stays original and creative. Veteran artists tend to go for more complicated forms of wildstyle in which the types are hard to read but broad in creativity. Getting one’s style mastered is key to achieving this success.
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