Toys post here...

[FaseIT]

Thanks for correcting my grammar

[E_B_A]

He thinks that nobody will notice if he makes a new account and posts under that one instead.

First click the account part of the menu...

 

Edited October 6, 2020 by E_B_A

[E_B_A]

Then click "ignored users."

[E_B_A]

Just add his name (right now he is using "Bombingwriter12oz" but as you can see, he has had several names before because he gets banned so often) into the "Add new user" field and voila! Your problem goes away!

[paranormio]

On 9/29/2020 at 7:36 PM, FaseIT said:

Here's my friend and some of his pics

these pictures spilled store brand soda on my xbox controller

[650toy]

toy question reel quik. am i supposed to just keep buying caps forever? im pretty much just using stock and NY fats, and the lines stop being clean and consistent after several uses.  can u clean them or is buying a new set inevitable?? thx in advance

[6hail6satan6]

On 12/11/2020 at 8:51 PM, 650toy said:

toy question reel quik. am i supposed to just keep buying caps forever? im pretty much just using stock and NY fats, and the lines stop being clean and consistent after several uses.  can u clean them or is buying a new set inevitable?? thx in advance

soak them in acetone or just keep buying caps

[KaneVCB]

Just started drawing Graffiti again after like 10 years. Looking for what ever help that any one is willing to offer.

 

 

Edited December 25, 2020 by KaneVCB

[Ray40]

[Joker]

Looking good @Ray40 the fill is looking good, colors are good. Keep going!

 

@KaneVCBwhat are you hoping to get as far as feedback? Help with handstyles? Simples? You can obviously draw boobs, but what about letters? A 10 year hiatus from writing isn't a big deal. I'll help however I can... kinda what I do around here.  

[Ray40]

Thanks @Joker.  @KaneVCB he is the man, trust everything joker says

[KaneVCB]

@JokerI read back like 100 pages of this thread and saw that you were the sensei of the thread before I made a profile. I think the main thing that I wanna work on is handstyles. 

 

@Ray40Thanks for the heads up Ive seen the growth that you've had in this thread. I'm looking to do the same.

[Joker]

On 1/14/2021 at 12:06 PM, KaneVCB said:

@JokerI read back like 100 pages of this thread and saw that you were the sensei of the thread before I made a profile. I think the main thing that I wanna work on is handstyles. 

 

Cool. I can help with that. I'll put together some stuff and get back to you soon. 

 

Question - I know this is going to sound weird coming from someone with a super-common name like "Joker", but are you aware there are other well-established writers who use the name "Kane"? I'm not here to discourage you from using a name you really like, just want you to be aware there are others out there with the same name so there's a potential for problems down the road... especially if there's already one in your city/town. 

[nachodik]

@Joker yo plz peep these straights an this throw, i would like tips/ direction on how to progress forward, and any critiques are welcomed. 

[KaneVCB]

2 hours ago, Joker said:

 

Cool. I can help with that. I'll put together some stuff and get back to you soon. 

 

Question - I know this is going to sound weird coming from someone with a super-common name like "Joker", but are you aware there are other well-established writers who use the name "Kane"? I'm not here to discourage you from using a name you really like, just want you to be aware there are others out there with the same name so there's a potential for problems down the road... especially if there's already one in your city/town. 

 

Yeah I peeped how common the name is the only other Kane that I know of is KANE ONE in chicago. While I haven't seen anyone tag it where I live I wouldn't be surprised if there were others.

 

When I think about it tho I can't say that I'm hard set on Kane. I could also tag 'Fleur' if it's not as common.

[Joker]

On 12/24/2020 at 8:09 PM, KaneVCB said:

Just started drawing Graffiti again after like 10 years. Looking for what ever help that any one is willing to offer.

 

 

 

You're definitely on the right path by writing your name over and over, in different ways, trying different styles. It's the best way to find the style/flow that feels best to you. Looking at all your work... we need to simplify the majority of it while giving bits and pieces some flare. Your tag needs to be done quickly, but look like it took five times as long to write. 

 

Few things to note:

1. Don't use crowns. Crowns are for kings and there are very few writers who can claim to be such, and even they don't use a crown on their tag. 

2. Arrows coming off letters rarely works. If you want to use an arrow in your tag keep it to the underline of your tag, like this Ekser tag. 

3. Big overlaps in your tag (like your K and A) can absolutely work (see above link of Ekser tag), but you'll find that when using a chisel-tip marker that overlap can get muddy. Something to think about. 

 

I've written out your name a few times to give you something to go off of. Not sure if any of it helps but I tried. I used some of your bigger flourishes that you were already using, like on the K and E, to give it some life. Kept the A and N simple. Let me know if this helps or you're looking for a different direction. 

[nachodik]

i know the 3d is off but aside from that id love a critique 

[Joker]

On 1/18/2021 at 11:59 AM, nachodik said:

@Joker yo plz peep these straights an this throw, i would like tips/ direction on how to progress forward, and any critiques are welcomed. 

 

To start... I've got no feedback on the sketch above. I probably would have given it a "cool" color 3D, like blue or green, to pop from the warmer red color, but that's about all the feedback I have on that one. Letters are good, 3D is correct, shines are correct, doo-dads look good and well placed... nice. 

 

The second Deck outline isn't all that bad, honestly. The E is the only thing that's holding me up. I would have gone with a lower-case E or curved the bottom like your letter C. The D looks like it got squished into the side of the E and is trying to pop its way out the top of the piece. I tried to help by redrawing it... but I think I went a little too far. I put too much into it, sorry. Hopefully it helps, anyway. 

 

The throwie is fine but feels forced... if that makes sense. Almost like you're doing a simple piece rather than a throwup. Throwups are meant to be done real quick, like real quick, which is why they're typically soft with little to no angles. When you have to stop for an angle... that's time. I see what you were going for with the tops of all the letters being the same but when you got to the K, well, it ends up looking like an H. Consistency is popular in throwups, and looks good, but it's usually executed by the pros - bombers who've put in the work. Lots of hours of practice. So I did a simple throwup for you that might help. 

[Joker]

5 minutes ago, nachodik said:

i know the 3d is off but aside from that id love a critique 

 

Initial thoughts are that the E and C looked like they're crammed in between the D and K. I'm inclined to make the E a backwards 3 style E and have it overlap the D. I can show you what I mean when I have some time this evening to sketch it out. 

[nachodik]

@Joker Thank you for the feed back, i see what you mean with the throwie, the one u provided will most def help me. as for the second piece the one you drew looks dope. You also seemed to just simplify it a bit which helped it out a lot, so thanks for that!!

[KaneVCB]

57 minutes ago, Joker said:

 

You're definitely on the right path by writing your name over and over, in different ways, trying different styles. It's the best way to find the style/flow that feels best to you. Looking at all your work... we need to simplify the majority of it while giving bits and pieces some flare. Your tag needs to be done quickly, but look like it took five times as long to write. 

 

Few things to note:

1. Don't use crowns. Crowns are for kings and there are very few writers who can claim to be such, and even they don't use a crown on their tag. 

2. Arrows coming off letters rarely works. If you want to use an arrow in your tag keep it to the underline of your tag, like this Ekser tag. 

3. Big overlaps in your tag (like your K and A) can absolutely work (see above link of Ekser tag), but you'll find that when using a chisel-tip marker that overlap can get muddy. Something to think about. 

 

I've written out your name a few times to give you something to go off of. Not sure if any of it helps but I tried. I used some of your bigger flourishes that you were already using, like on the K and E, to give it some life. Kept the A and N simple. Let me know if this helps or you're looking for a different direction. 

Thank you it helps a lot. Will be back with what I work on.

[Joker]

@nachodik- Alright... my initial feedback on your piece a few posts prior was the starting point, but here's how I would approach reworking the same outline:

 

The first thing I notice is that the top of all your letters are similar. So what I did was draw out two guides, first. One straight line at the top, one straight line at the bottom. Now, were you to paint something like this the best wall would be a brick or CMU wall so those are "guides" built in. 

 

From there I quickly sketched out your letters as the are, but within the guides. Then I went back in and reworked the E and C to make them feel less crunched. Opened them up a little. I gave the C the same bottom I gave the E. I then noticed that the D felt weird now that the E and C looked similar, so I worked in some continuity and gave the D the same bottom as the E and C. Once I got to the K I initially worked it out as it's own letter but realized I could have it come off of the C, and that would flow nicely. The kick-bar seemed plain so I gave it a return at the bottom and added some bits to keep in theme with the D. The angles of the D and K are kinda similar, which I didn't plan, but it worked out. Then I added some bits to the empty spaces at the top of the E and C letters which helped fill those dead spaces, and keep in theme with the D and K. Finally, added a drop shadow and it was done. 

 

[nachodik]

@JokerHoly tits, thats so sick, thank you so much for both of these straight letters. I most def am gonna draw these an use them to help me progress. You are really good at developing straight letters, how do I get better at this? would drawing an redrawing your corrected straight letters help? Should I do more single letter studies? Do I just need more time in the art form? 

[Joker]

@nachodik- Answers to your questions - practice, and yes, yes, and yes.

 

I started writing Graffiti in 1985 as a 16 year old goofball looking to get into trouble. I didn't take it seriously for at least a year, and was absolutely horrible at it. "Toy" would be an understatement. When I started taking it seriously it took me about a year to get decent at simple style letters, even longer to get to the point of feeling like I knew what I was doing without my Mentor helping me along the way. Surrounding myself with writers who were better than me and willing to teach me connections, flow, etc. was key in my development. All I did was practice, practice, practice. I used to write Dez when I first started and my Mentor would draw my name in several styles and share them with me so I could learn. I would copy those outlines over and over to learn the flow, eventually adding my own connections and flavor to make those outlines feel more my own. This was a common way for Toys to learn the ropes and develop, but over time the Mentor/Toy apprenticeship has waned in favor of learning from photos on the internet (I'm assuming... no idea really why apprenticeships have died out). 

 

This is why I'm doing what I'm doing here in this thread. I was gifted Mentorship when I first started and without it I would not have developed into the writer I have. So if I can give back to the Graffiti community by helping others learn the ropes... I truly feel like I should. Plus it helps me keep my skills sharp by forcing me to sketch out letters that are not the same ones I've drawn for years. 

 

In short - it's really about how much you want to put into it. Practice is by far the quickest way to develop your skills, but a Mentor or guidance from someone who knows the ropes is going to make the process move along much quicker. 

[nachodik]

@Joker damn thats dope, the only true mentorship i've had has come from this thread, jus rereading all the old posts. i most def would be way worse off with out this. anyways ima get to sketchin an hopefully i can hit u back with some new shit or a variant of one of ur straights

[KaneVCB]

@Joker I copped a krink marker so I could practice the handstyles these are the three the I rock with the most.

Do you have a paper that you would suggest that I should practice on?

 

 

Edited February 2, 2021 by KaneVCB

[Joker]

17 hours ago, KaneVCB said:

@Joker I copped a krink marker so I could practice the handstyles these are the three the I rock with the most.

Do you have a paper that you would suggest that I should practice on?

 

 

 

 

This is my favorite of the three. It's legible, Has a good lean, flourishes on the K and E which balances it out. Nicely done. I'd keep pushing that one. 

 

Paper: I tend to stick with smooth papers when I pick up a blackbook or sketch pad. My favorite sketch pad is Canson. The paper is great for sketching - mostly smooth but a slight tooth to it which is great for shading. I've always been partial to Strathmore hardcover blackbooks because of their quality craftsmanship, but the paper is very similar to the Canson. Honestly, any paper works if you're just practicing handstyles. One of those Newsprint sketch pads would be prefect. The big ones, like 18x24, are only $15 at Blick. That's a lot of space on one sheet to practice your tag. 

 

Of course, if you have an iPad with Apple pencil - you've got unlimited sheets of paper to practice on. 

 

Those Krink markers are great for hitting up spots outside but don't waste the ink on practicing your tag on paper. Pick up some cheap chisel tip markers and use those for practicing. Save the good stuff for when it matters. 

[KaneVCB]

[Joker]

@KaneVCB

 

Nice! I love seeing all the effort on one page. I used to do this every day... just fill several blank pages of tags. Sometimes I'd start with a lighter color, like yellow, and fill the page. Then go over that with green tags, then black. Almost looked like a piece of art when the page was full. 

 

Anyway...

 

The biggest thing that stands out to me is the K. On most of those tags, not all, the K is in danger of looking more like an H because you're ascender and descender and mushed together to look like one, instead of two defining parts of the letter. I tried to define that in the drawing below so hopefully it makes sense. The second thing is the shapes of your A and E. The shapes feel more oval when they would benefit, and look better if they were more rounded. 

 

So what I did was trace right over the one tag I felt was the best from both pages. I gave the K and little more definition and gave the A and E a more rounded feel. 

 

Question:

 

When you're tagging on these sheets of paper - are you just moving your hand? Are you resting your arm on the page and moving only your hand/wrist to write? If so... try to use your shoulder to write instead of your wrist. Imagine your arm and hand are in a cast, from knuckles to elbow. Meaning the only thing touching the paper/desk is the tip of the pen. Your entire arm is in motion as you write. This could help your lines be more fluid. And, more importantly, will help you translate your tag properly to surfaces outdoors. 

 

Edited February 10, 2021 by Joker
Tagged original post

[Aristo]

I’ve been wanting to try working on more technical skills but I have no clue where to start. Any chance I could get a push in the right direction?