NOVAGIRL Posted November 28, 2001 Share Posted November 28, 2001 i used to create all kinds of art and now it's graf this and graf that... when i'm at a wall or fr8 i could paint anything but instead it's the name that gets sprayed. does anyone feel the same? like graf takes control...yea the just "be original" thing doesn't give much allowance... i love graf and i'm not bitching...i just wondered if anyone else sees graf as a hinderance from time to time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROSTY Posted November 28, 2001 Share Posted November 28, 2001 ya i totally fell ya. when i feel like doing a sketch in my book just for the fun of drawing its graffiti that i do. its like im not really interested in drawing fruits and such. cant say i really know what your talkin about but tahts my responce newayz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest serpent of the light Posted November 28, 2001 Share Posted November 28, 2001 i've always been into art, but only recently have i really started to develop my skills beyond the realm of graf. most of my pieces still relate to it somehow, but i combine other aspects of reality into it. i stopped making sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
graf-freely! Posted November 28, 2001 Share Posted November 28, 2001 the beuty of graffiti is you can take anyhting and make it graffiti.but when you start gettin good thats when it starts consuming you!graffiti isnt art its a life style!you live it its a part of who you are!ill never stop! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zen Posted November 28, 2001 Share Posted November 28, 2001 yeah it is i agree. but im not sure what your asking or saying, whatever. If i was to just sit down and sketch or do a painting as i usually do because i do art classes i always have the urge to paint a letter or a character or somthing. even if im working with a paint brush or some other arty farty medium. Whats the solution? there is none. quitting is hard. i tried. i lasted a month. I wish i could stop thinking about graff for a second. You could become an alternative painter. paint fish, plants, characters, landscapes. As soon as you try this viola your back to square one. you have to learn can control again. soft objects are hard to draw with cans. Are you happy with your current stuff? explore work that your really happy with putting up. its all graffiti if its on somthing thats does not belong to you. the message im saying is dont be limited to letters, even though the majority, including myself, does so. girls that do graffiti are so fresh. phwoar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOVAGIRL Posted November 28, 2001 Author Share Posted November 28, 2001 graf is not graf unless you are writing your name? so in that sense it restricts you...to do just that and nothing else...then takes over your other art...which can be good or bad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeking Posted November 28, 2001 Share Posted November 28, 2001 im not sure if its inherently restrictive, but i think its somewhat of an excuse for me. i can just do graff and tell myself im doing something, pushing myself etc, but really all im doing is not creating anything else... graff is sort of a cop out for not painting more 'relivant' art... i somehow manage to get my feelings out with the application, the image is somewhat unimportant (atleast as far as the emotional release goes)... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOVAGIRL Posted November 28, 2001 Author Share Posted November 28, 2001 it's like i'm at at impass or somethin...i wanna start spraying other things besides my name but it seems almost impossible... is it really all about fuckin gettin your name out there...?!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Are2 Posted November 28, 2001 Share Posted November 28, 2001 i like graf so much because it can be entirely what i make it..it usually is different things to different people.. it is not always about my name, sometimes it is just about therapy.. i painted a birthday piece for myself two years ago that was whatever the fuck i wanted..it had weird 3D and a crazy fill..the letters barely looked like letters..and i loved it.. however, i'm sure i would take a lot of criticism for it if subjected to critique because it was nowhere close to conventional graf.. fuggit, tho..i loved it... go ahead and get high or whatever you do and just get loose on the wall..don't bring a sketch or make corrections because it doesn't look how it is "supposed" to..make it look how you want it to look i have been struggling with these issues myself. when i first got started, i hated 3D, but some people told me that pieces "had" to have it..now i realize there are other ways to make the shit pop out..like a drop shadow.. and my paintings don't need anything but what i want i guess this may be an advantage i've got..i never had any kind of art lessons..so i just do what i want.. i also love to get busy on canvas and paper..and definitely not always graf..take a break.. it isn't work..tho sometimes it feels like it. do some abstract color work on paper or something..freestyle some crazy ass shit without the preconceptions.. i was talking to a friend the other day about g***'s first piece..apparantly, the shit was nuts..my friend didn't even know how to describe..it wasn't bad, but it was crazy..not even neccesarily graf, tho it was on a train..my friend said it was on "some other shit" ..we got to talking about how when you start, sometimes you've got some great ideas that get lost in what you learn to think graf should look like..i can remember some of my super early shit..some of it was pretty damn cool..but nowhere close to conventional..so, i took some flack, and those comments to heart..big mistake.. i lost a lot of those totally original ideas because of it. so fuck what graf is "really about" it is illegal, underground art....take it to the level you want Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOVAGIRL Posted November 28, 2001 Author Share Posted November 28, 2001 are2 you hit the nail on the head...that's what i needed to hear...thanks dear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taper Posted November 28, 2001 Share Posted November 28, 2001 nova you know that you still create alot of other shit, like that shirt,. you have to find a happy medium like incoperating it into other things and find ways to vary it but still not devaite away from the actual letters. alot of people are one way or the other but if you can do both you have something. and if you can bond thoes two forms togeter properly it makes for actual ART. :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTsystem Posted November 28, 2001 Share Posted November 28, 2001 novagirl, i have felt very similar about graf for a long time...i think the best thing to do is to do your own thing, without worrying about whether it fits into the "rules of graffiti" or not. if you want to rock a wall, and don't feel like doing your name, or even doing letters, do whatever you feel like. i'm not saying paint backgrounds or characters...i'm saying do something completely new and different. graf is only restrictive if you let it restrict you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sekin Posted November 28, 2001 Share Posted November 28, 2001 I think that I felt like I wasn't restricted anymore when I stopped caring. When I stopped thinking "I wish I was this good or I wish I could paint with (big name here)" When I just would go for it and whether it was sloppy or not or whether it was even letters or not I just felt better. I guess when I relaxed thinking about what graffiti should be I didn't feel trapped anymore. I used to have bouts of just hating letters and graffiti in general. Letting it flow helped. I guess that doesn't really answer your question but I can relate to what you are saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sugar Posted November 29, 2001 Share Posted November 29, 2001 word. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zen Posted November 29, 2001 Share Posted November 29, 2001 glad i checked up on this again. At the begining of the thread you said you came up with lots of other stuff that wasnt graff. try simplifying that stuff. A can is a hard tool to use. Do not consider your audience as much. But dont totally disregard your hords of little fans. You might as well write on your bed room wall. Just care a little less about what other people like and what you like. break out and evolve and above all enjoy yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trucksoe Posted November 29, 2001 Share Posted November 29, 2001 of course graf isn't restrictive that's the point. paint what you want.it's expression...that's what graf is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intangible Posted November 30, 2001 Share Posted November 30, 2001 When you do a character its not your name so ha! But I dont do characters so..........please save me.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dukeofyork Posted November 30, 2001 Share Posted November 30, 2001 its not as restrictive when you have no clothes on. :king: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOVAGIRL Posted November 30, 2001 Author Share Posted November 30, 2001 Originally posted by chozer its not as restrictive when you have no clothes on. :king: dude that is totally it! i should just approach this situation from a whole new angle...NAKED...just lettin the breeze blow the spray on to my supple flesh...just let myself go with it...but should i wear shoes? :eek: :eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Askew Posted November 30, 2001 Share Posted November 30, 2001 I really feel like I found myself and abilities through this medium..I found my school art carriculum really restrictive and the teachers very negative about my passions in art...Actually I ended up going to an alternative high school and not wanting to do art at first...The teacher saw my graffiti photos and incouraged me to paint my years work in 6th Form in spray paint (The School even paid!) As that year was internally assessed, I got good grades for my application...I painted the whole school....I guess the lesson I learnt there was that firstly, I could realise my ambitions and make other people pay for it....That's how I make a career now...Also that the only thing blinding for other people is the medium..which brings me to content...I do focus a lot on my letters and have literally books filled with outlines and about 300-400 pieces painted, the last year and a half it's been full on productions with themes, characters etc... I would say I have about 80 of those at least....The dedication and consitant drive to make art interesting for myself and others I paint with, General public and often the person who covers the bill has forced me and my crew to explore many other genres of art and also made us paint a lot of objects and themes that we wouldn't have otherwise...I really think the fine art teachings of learning institutions have a more restrictive approach than graffiti... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dukeofyork Posted December 1, 2001 Share Posted December 1, 2001 Originally posted by NOVAGIRL dude that is totally it! i should just approach this situation from a whole new angle...NAKED...just lettin the breeze blow the spray on to my supple flesh...just let myself go with it...but should i wear shoes? :eek: :eek: only if its cold out...if it is, make sure you wear thermal socks. gloves are ok if you are trying to keep the paint off your hands as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jus Posted December 1, 2001 Share Posted December 1, 2001 no doubt i have recently been thinking the same way,but there are writers that come from some what of an art side like tiwsto some times throws up a screw or sage puts up his character i guess thts some what of art? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Are2 Posted December 2, 2001 Share Posted December 2, 2001 Originally posted by NOVAGIRL dude that is totally it! i should just approach this situation from a whole new angle...NAKED...just lettin the breeze blow the spray on to my supple flesh...just let myself go with it...but should i wear shoes? :eek: :eek: ..definitely wear shoes.. :lol: if the peicing spots you go to are anything like mine, peicing naked is a death wish.. :eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Some1 Posted December 3, 2001 Share Posted December 3, 2001 Originally posted by FROSTY ya i totally fell ya. when i feel like doing a sketch in my book just for the fun of drawing its graffiti that i do. its like im not really interested in drawing fruits and such. cant say i really know what your talkin about but tahts my responce newayz i think it would be cool to see a still life of some fruit on the wall it would be great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diceone Posted December 5, 2001 Share Posted December 5, 2001 > is graf restrictive??? graff and what you make of it are only limited by you. look at the insane stuff being painted on walls and freights alike all over the world. you are your biggest inhibitor. be creative, experiment, and dont give a fuck about what somebody says is or isnt graffiti....we all know graffiti is way more than just letters...look at futura 2000. and that was 30 years ago. so no pitty parties, chin up and go get busy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harpo Marx Posted December 6, 2001 Share Posted December 6, 2001 I think that graffiti is in a way restrictive. But its being restrictive means that there are going to be innovative ideas/teqniches, for example, people either hate or embrace the idea of 'abstract' graffiti because it isn't like normal graf. Same deal with 3D, either you're for it or against it, it seems. But with the innovations, people are at times rejected because people say they bite, which in my opinion shouldnt happen, because they're following a path that someone else just started, and theyre doing it their own way. Kind of like going to the moon, people might have found it rheuduntant (sp?) to go there more than once, but it was necessary for research and to learn more things, so people would get hell, but they were doing a good thing in the end. just my cent, because i lost the other one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest senoski060 Posted December 6, 2001 Share Posted December 6, 2001 ya, i use to be dope at drawin like nething, but when i got into graff i suddenly lost my ability, like i cant draw for shit anymore, like i cant draw charcters ne more for pieces and when i try to it ends up bein a piece, but they look ill b/c i use to b really good at drawin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker Posted December 7, 2001 Share Posted December 7, 2001 Are2 definitely said what needed to be said. Bottom line... graffiti is the application of a medium to a surface. Read that how you want to. Basically it means the sky's the limit. If you're talking about writing, meaning our culture, look at those who are making "headlines". They're doing so because they took a chance at originality. Fuck the played out color scheme and fuck the cute 3D shit. Do whatch'ya like. And if you get dissed or horrid criticism for it, then you must be doing something right... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CIPHER_one Posted December 7, 2001 Share Posted December 7, 2001 bump for wiseness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serum Posted December 7, 2001 Share Posted December 7, 2001 Originally posted by Joker Do whatch'ya like. And if you get dissed or horrid criticism for it, then you must be doing something right... very true. i am mostly a character artist with a fine arts background. the painting of letters made me feel extremely restrictive because you must make it readable to gain any positive remarks. my letters were always organic and characters within themselves so i now paint only characters. i also feel that through characters you speak to a broader audience outside of the graff community. i have had the pleasure of seeing kids getting excited about seeing my paintings. the best thing you can do is do whatever you want. stop looking at magazines and the internet because someone will always try to shape your opinion of what graff is or should be. graff is yours and only yours. we are not a community rather individuals using the same medium. after years of painting people still say what the fuck is that? it really hurt a lot. but since its never changed thats the only reminder that i need to know that i'm still doing it correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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