Beginning Bible for Graffiti Writers

[viperface]

Practice your tag.

[De$TorT]

someone asked for espo's rules?

 

 

 

 

Espo's Rules Of Graffiti

 

As published in The Art of Getting Over:

 

 

 

You suck until further notice

 

It's gonna take a long time before we even acknowledge your existence, even longer before we can bear to look at that foul scribble you call your name. To speed the process of acceptance, you can A) Choose a clever name that defies the norm of simple-minded slang. An example of a good name is "ARGUE" (RIP). It looks good when written, sounds cool when spoken, and conveys a combattive attitude. On the other hand, "ENEMA" (actual name) looks, sounds, and conveys a shitty attitude. BE CHOOSY. B ) Use paint, gain a thorough knowledge of supplies, remember that permission walls, stickers, and dust tags are small parts of a balanced diet, be bold, learn a style of writing for every occassion,and write your name bigger every time you go out.

 

Jealousy is a diesease for the weak

 

Your heart is your greatest possession, dont let it get taken from you.

 

Dont write on houses of worship, people's houses in general, other

writer's names, and tombstones. Writing on memorial walls and cars is beef beyond belief. Furthermore, involving civilians in your beef is grounds for dismissal. These are are the five fingers of your right hand. Get to know them well. Give soul claps, firm handshakes, and throw smooth bolo punches.

 

Although being a toy seems undesirable, you should enjoy it while you can. At this stage you can bite all you want with no remorse. All your elders will say is, " Awww isn't that cute, kootchie kootchie koo." So steal that dope connection, rob that color scheme. and loot whole letterforms. Dont worry about giving any credit, we'll pat ourselves on the back and brag how we're influencing the next generation. However, style isnt a crutch or a schtick. It is understanding why that connection you bit flows, or why that color scheme bumps. Style is the process to an appealing end. Once you got it down to a science, you can reinvent letterforms to suit yourself. This creative growth will amaze the old and young alike. Pretty soon somebody will steal your secret sauce and the cycle will be renewed. If this happens to you, don't bitch about not getting your due. Graffiti is the language of the ignored. If your style is stolen, someone heard you speaking. You got what you wanted from the beginning, some attention, you big baby.

 

It must be noted that the vandal squad loves graffiti. Their job requires

them to fiend for graff as much as you do. When you wreck enough walls, they'll want to meet you. Just like the ball huggers outside the graff shop, they'll recite every spot you hit, with the difference being you'll also hear the Miranda Warning. To postpone this, go solo as much as possible. Dont write with anyone that wont fight for you. Don't be paranoid, but be careful. If you avoid writing on pristine properties, you'll stay in misdemeanor territory, and you wont divert the cops' attention from pastry and caffiene consumption (consult local laws to be sure). Remember, if they didn't see you do it, it's almost impossible for them to win a conviction without your own damming testimony. Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP! Giving a cop info on another writer will doom you to a life of ridicule, from cops and kids alike, with no parole.

 

There's nothing wrong with knowing your the shit as long as you are. But once you reach that conclusion, your one foot over the edge of falling off. Watch your step fathead, there's no shortage of people chanting, "JUMP JUMP JUMP!" There are plenty of writers that have been painting well for the better part of 20 years, and your posing and fronting looks retarded next to them. Get back to work, you "never was" slouch. In conclusion, graffiti is free, impresses the girls, is heroic in our couch potato culture, will provide you with a million stories to tell at parties, and a sure cure for the inner-city blues. If it's not fun, you're doing it wrong or have been doing it too long. So get going, fame awaits the fly among you.

wow i was seriously touched after i red these rules...u cant say it any better than that:D

[Delabird?]

I've got a question about flicks. What's off limits and what isn't? I heard from a friend of mine that most cats around here (my area) seem chill with anything but pieces.

[_nightcrawler]

i dont get your question.

 

But dont go into a crew nor start a crew when your still a toy. Why? Once in a crew, you will get beef. You do a shit peice reppin your crew, some hater sees your "toyish peice" So they slash it and assume everyone in your crew is shit. Once in a crew, you are pretty much sayin "HEY PEOPLE, HAVE BEEF WITH ME". cos all crews have beef. And as a toy, you dont need any beef.

[Delabird?]

i dont get your question.

 

But dont go into a crew nor start a crew when your still a toy. Why? Once in a crew, you will get beef. You do a shit peice reppin your crew, some hater sees your "toyish peice" So they slash it and assume everyone in your crew is shit. Once in a crew, you are pretty much sayin "HEY PEOPLE, HAVE BEEF WITH ME". cos all crews have beef. And as a toy, you dont need any beef.

 

Appreciate the knowledge man.

 

I planned to avoid crews at all costs myself from the get go. It isn't easy to gain my trust. I'm paranoid as fuck as it is, and I'm not trying to "get to know" anybody at this point. I just aim to do my thing respectfully when I'm ready. I'm already a "problem".. so why compound them? I'm a toy. Toys are a natural liability since the majority cause nothing more than heat, disrespect, and embarassment. I understand the logic in that. I'm a chill cat. I mind my own two.. and I don't need to inherit any unnecessary issues.. which I assume most crews are naturally associated with.

 

I'm chill with riding solo. Less heat, less issue. No doubt, I get you.

 

But as for my question, I'll break down my dude's scenario like he broke it down to me. I apologize for the confusion. (And the length, cause uh, this shit is kinda long. I just want to give you all the facts I know so I'll get the best answer I can.)

 

Anyway... a couple of months or so, "James" starting taking pictures of local graffiti. Just every so often when I caught something he thought was hot. Mostly just handstyles and the occasional throwie. Even a piece if he was really lucky. He mostly did his shit during the day to "blend" in... I guess. Dude figured if anybody got suspicious or asked questions, he could just say he was taking them for a school project since the majority of graff was near a campus. He doesn't have a record and he doesn't dress street.. so he was relatively straight. I guess any white lie would do. I don't know, you tell me. You're the vets here.

 

Moving right along... the dude had (and still has) mad love for the art. At least as far as I know. I mean, he's mad chill like me.. and seems hell awkward to most, but some of his pics required more than just the average man's effort as these spots were either on roof tops or relatively dangerous to get to. He was definitely bring that "I don't give a fuck" attitude. I still respect him for that. And to his knowledge he's never blown a spot except maybe for one rooftop that was unfucked with for years. We both just chalked that shit up to the city since they were doing their spring buffing of downtown. The pieces were untouched and clearly visible once you got close enough to it. The workers just put up a fence. That was that.

 

Anyway... I talked to him recently and dude was a little shook. Said that he had noticed a spot filled with a few throwies, tags, and a piece or two.. so he thought he'd check it out. The spot was visible and tons of peeps walked in and out of it like nobodys business. He noticed it when he drove past... so I guess it's likely to assume the fuzz did too. Who knows? Anyway... he took the pics again in the middle of the day (Idiot... I know) of everything that interests him, and heads home. In and out.

 

Well... a crew member who painted there (I'm not sure if this place was considered a yard or not, but I assume so) must have spotted him walking up and past this arch the spot was under, because he recognized "J's" face on a website he was visiting a few days later. My dude told me he was speaking in riddles at first. Clowning him on his pictures and shit, etc. J wasn't buggin' since he assumed this was just another random clown who was bored, so he started getting a little lippy after this guy was like "What made you think what you did was all good? I mean... with what you were doing and all." J told the dude that whatever he did.. the guy was just going to have to deal with it 'cause he wasn't going to apologize for shit he knew nothing about it. It wasn't until this guy said "Do you have any idea who you're fucking with? You do know this isn't just me.. right? Or rather... trying to fuck with. Yo, whatever. Your apology is as worthless as you now" that J took shit serious.

 

So... my dude started thinking smart and chilled for a minute. Shit had him bugged because this could have been real. It was. After J was almost pleading for this cat to say SOMETHING that would confirm his suspicions... he did. He said J made a "bad executive decision" or something. J told him he didn't have any qualms about apologizing to whoever who inadverently pissed off. Literally. He didn't want any trouble. He minds his own two like me. He doesn't start shit, stays to himself. Just keeps it low key. Never mouths off unless necessary, blah, blah, blah.

 

Anyway... J said the only thing he could think of was the pictures he took of local graffiti. BIN-FUCKING-GO. The guy was like "I don't have a problem with what you did. But trust, it ain't coming up all roses on the other side of the fence." J immediately reinforced the anti-beef sentiment and offer to apologize to anyone who offered to hear it. He honestly didn't know he overstepped his boundaries. He even said he'd stop shooting and has. He even erased the flicks.

 

The guy immediately said he'd take care of it. That it was over. We're both still skeptical as to whether or not it is, but he hasn't heard from the guy or seen anything out of the ordinary since.

 

So.. the question I'm asking is: When is it and isn't okay to take pictures of local graffiti? Is it just okay to take pics of your own work, and just your own shit? Do you have to ask permission to take pics of anyone elses? Should you even ask or just never bring it up should you meet a writer while bombing?

 

And lastly...: Is it really over with my dude? What would happen if he started writing? He'd really like to.. but he assumes he'll get vamped for sure if the writer or anyone he told marks him on the street. I'm thinking the same thing myself. Is there anyway for him to patch that shit up if he does? He honestly wants to make shit even... especially with the dude that approuched him in the first place. He didn't even have to do that, but he did. Or should he just scrap the whole idea of writing in general? I mean... they probably mark him an incompetent threat already. We're both thinking that him writing would just break whatever self restraint was holding back those who wanted to get even.

 

I honestly want to know myself. I've been searching around for answers to this shit, but everyone is leaving me in the dark.

[NeWoNeCaKcRu!]

draw on draw on paper draw on paper, when u get gud at this learn how to use spraypaint, dont learn how use spraypaint pn the streets it will make u look stupid..learn can control on some plywood pr something in ur bedroom if possible...when u get better buy some cheap paint and start painting..i suggest tagging for a long time before piecing..start out doing graffiti in chill ass spots or with chill ass peeple...do atleast a 1000 pieces before u use more than 2 cans on a piece...use krylon and rusto and occasionally black color cast for outlines..dont use yellow krylon it sucks balls..dont use white 1$ paint it is transparent(u can see thru it)

[Overtime]

draw on draw on paper draw on paper' date=' when u get gud at this learn how to use spraypaint, dont learn how use spraypaint pn the streets it will make u look stupid..learn can control on some plywood pr something in ur bedroom if possible...when u get better buy some cheap paint and start painting..i suggest tagging for a long time before piecing..start out doing graffiti in chill ass spots or with chill ass peeple...do atleast a 1000 pieces before u use more than 2 cans on a piece...use krylon and rusto and occasionally black color cast for outlines..dont use yellow krylon it sucks balls..dont use white 1$ paint it is transparent(u can see thru it)[/quote']

 

 

 

HHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA

[woop w0000p]

newonecakcru... you are a total dumbass..get a life faggot

[ASER1NE]

don't write graffiti

 

 

thats the best advise you people will get

 

 

"man this is an awesome thread, i'm a toy and this is helping me out ALOT."

 

fuck man, this is a bad sign

 

THE TRUTH

[scribbler]

Yo, Delabird

 

I take flicks of local graff...I live in Germany. I've never had any issues with other writers or the police or anyone else exept for like the occasional security guy while taking flicks in yards etc. I always take my flicks during the day and basicly flick anything I see. But here in Germany peolple maybe don't care that much. I post some of my flicks on the internet. I've never really thought of writers being mad at me for flickin their shit...It's accually more of a complement that you like their shit. But if some writers are so heated about people flickin their throws and pieces you could try and avoid flicking their stuff...I don't understand writers like that.....if you look in the chi-town thread the whole thing is full of flicks for Chicago shit. There are the writers who openly say they take pics of graff. I haven't seen any beef because some writer didn't want guys to flick his shit....and chicago is known for it's beef...I think you got some kind of wierd exeption there. Necropheliac who flicks lots of chi-town shit even wrote "walkin the streets flickn your shit" as a location. There are dozens of websites full of graff flicks and I've never heard any writer hating on one of them. Like I said I think you got an exeption there...If your sacred of that guy and want to go on flickin shit you could try some nearby town or so...you won't find a writer like that again I think......

 

Check out the CHI-TOWN thread in Brick slayers to see that witers are happy or don't care about people takin pictures of their shit...

[Hashassian]

If you really wanna come up right....Cop the book The Art of Getting Over and peep out the Afterword section in the way back of the book....It's straight out the graff. writers local one union hall...Thats truth.

[Delabird?]

Appreciate the input, Scrib. The both of us don't know what the fuck his problem was in general. I mean, how many cats do you see running up to the police station like nerds with a portfolio of someone's shit? I mean, what? Did he expect some undercover to come swooping in with a makeshift hang glider like fucking MacGyver, and start questioning him? Especially when he doesn't know any writers?

 

Shrug. I'll stay on my Ps and Qs and just let it be. I hope I don't run into this dude on the street. He doesn't sound "wrapped to tight" if you catch me.

[NeWoNeCaKcRu!]

quick graffiti before you get into it..it will lead to trouble and you will probally get ur paint on ur nice clothes...it happened to me...but if u insist on writing graffiti tag for long time with markers for you pick up a can...draw a milllion pieces before you paint one!

thats all i have to say!

[Minty]

you dont know how to type mate. cant understand what your tryna say. you know the best way to learn is to experience everything on your own, get beat the fuck up for going over someone elses piece, get big headed and join 5 crews and get beef, get paint on your clothes, get caught stealing paint, experience all of this shit because thats what comes with graffiti, dont read it off here and think you know everything. it hasnt helpedy ou allot because you dont know shit. and as nightcrawler said, be prepared to change your word. and YOUR TOY UNTIL SOMEONE TELLS YOU YOU AINT. get out there and find yourself a chill spot, so no one sees your shit. and practice there, tag it. put your throwup on it, piece it, absolutely TRASH IT. thats how your going to learn can control, dont even go near spending more then 3 dollars(AUS) on a can of paint, till you have to. if your into graffiti to boost your ego, or for popularity, then get the fuck out. you will have more beef then a cow before you even leave the ''TOY'' stage. and also remember that your not doing graffiti for anyone but yourself, your not doing this to please other people, your doing this for you, because you love graffiti. practice handstyles on paper, on the foggy screen door of your shower, any chance you get fuckin practice because you need it.

 

ps. if your not having fun, your not doing it right..

[Murdoc1]

Theres alot of good stuff ya'll have said on here, but the last post was jus what I needed, this shit is for me, thanks cous

[Y.ouA.intS.hitR.eally]

ONLY THING YOU GOTTA KNOW WHICH ESPO PUT PERFECTLY:

 

 

 

 

 

 

"You Suck Until Further Notice."

 

 

nuff said.

[Minty]

werrdd

[ADEL]

ONLY THING YOU GOTTA KNOW WHICH ESPO PUT PERFECTLY:

 

 

 

 

 

 

"You Suck Until Further Notice."

 

 

nuff said.

 

but what about when you get to further notice?

 

lol. just kidding, espo has many wise words so listen up.

[rubeek]

All I can say is when you start; know you're shit, don't act big, if you're not a total dick, you may find that a lot of writers are actually alright people and won't mind showing you the ropes if you're not big headed or a wanker or whatever. Don't be afraid to ask dumb shit; even if you get laughed at at least then you'll know the answer.

 

Avoid beef for as long as you can and yeah the usual, spend ages in the sketch book. When you decide on a word, look at the letters in your word and then look at how other people piece those letters. Find bits you like and bits you don't like and fuck around mixing and matching the shit.

 

But yeah at the end of the day it's about having fun.

[Gunm]

My Advice (as stated before...)

 

1. Don't dress "street". Dress normally. This means no graffiti emblazoned trucker hat with your Dalek t-shirt, Neckface shorts and custom Joker sneakers with a Marc Ecko backpack.

You cannot ever go wrong with simple shoes, jeans and a hoodie. The less conspicuous you are, the better

 

2. Do not tell people what you write. The less people that know, the better. Folks have big mouths and the man is always listening.

 

3. Do not get up on the following: houses, churches and especially NATURAL OBJECTS (I don't know why but I get fucking furious when I see people getting up on trees). It looks bad and brings down heat not only on you but everyone else

 

4. When you go to a spot PICK UP AFTER YOURSELF. This means no leaving your spent cans behind, gloves, tips, twinkie wrappers, etc...... Not only is litter disgusting to look at, it basically says "Hey. writers come here a lot! Stake this spot out!"

 

5. Will you kids please stop asking me if i write? Don't ever ask a stranger if they write. If they want you to know, they'll tell you or give a subtle sign they do.

[donut holes]

Quoted post

[/b]

 

 

First time I heard this it changed my life. Seriously the greatest graffiti advice I have ever received.

 

 

thats cool as shit. i always try to look at it like that.great minds think alike. think about this. you sit down at a bus shelter and you write ks+td for example. you didnt feel like you were doing such a bad law breaking thing, but if you sit and write (insert tag) youre like oh sheeit i hope nobody saw me or w/e.its weird. when i go out with a mate(lol) i just say that were taking a walk and maybe we wanna tag a few things,my 3 cents

[monst3r]

I've been graffiting in blackbooks for a while. I haven't sprayed anything yet but I do tag my name a lot of places. I'm just wondering why we can't tag our school?

[Guest R@ndomH3ro]

I've been graffiting in blackbooks for a while. I haven't sprayed anything yet but I do tag my name a lot of places. I'm just wondering why we can't tag our school?

 

 

 

Cause schools are under funded enough. Instead of speading money on buffing they should spend money teaching your ass something so you can be a respectable citizen.

[monst3r]

They don't spend money on buffing, its a piece of shit and we have 1 lazy ass janitor. But, I won't tag it anymore.

[theyungin]

as long as no1 knows you write it, ur str8

[life 404]

yo this thread is very helpfull.

[life 404]

Originally Posted by MOE-LESTER

 

in my opinion crews are fucking stupid. its funny when members of a crew dont even know other members and shit. a crew should be a buncha niggas that drink and parlay with eachother and got each others back, and start their own shit. i will never join a crew if i dont know or kick it with the people in it. asking to join a crew is the toyest shit i have ever heard

 

My crew is basically 3 of us that chill consistantly, but i had some kid ask to join last week and i said no so now he started going over me, in a like 2 block radius from his house... i fuckin hate people.

 

 

same thing happened to me almost. i hate crews and when this kid asked if he could join my not even real crew and i said no. so then when we were practacing our tags on a peice of wood in my boys back yard, i went over his shitty ass tag and he got mad pissed. i was like chill out its not that serious, its a fuckin piece of wood. lol. noone is gonna see it, he got so pissed he took my almost empty can of paint, and tagged the fuckin sewer cap. lol what the fuck?:) this is why i hate crews too.

[war terror]

i dont know if anyone posted this but if your a toy and you wanna be good at graffiti and be a dope ass tagger... then you gotta read... read... read... learn your history... and look at mad flicks... copy good artists work in your blackbook... gain style... then start to tag.. always start off just taggin... while just taggin go into throws, then simples/rollers, then pieces.... it takes a while... im still just taggin... im mad toy... and i just look at flicks all day and sketch all day... just a little advice toy to toy... dont go over anyones shit.. ever... as espo said... you suck until further notice.....

 

ps... dont come on these forums and ask ma questions... it just pisses everyoe off... trust me.... i used to... lol... just read... pretty simple... and if you caant find what your looking for then try shit out yourself!

[Gunm]

^^^

 

yes, it's been said before but no harm at all repeating it.

[Guest qwerty]

I've been graffiting in blackbooks for a while. I haven't sprayed anything yet but I do tag my name a lot of places. I'm just wondering why we can't tag our school?

 

Its a bad idea because if they find out its you, you risk letting everyone in your school knowing your tag. Bad news. Its best if very few people know who you are, and less should know your tag.

 

P.S. Life 404 is a cop, what your back.