Handstyles....Plain/Simples compared to Techincal/Complex

[Royalblue]

One thing I've noticed recently, is that in my area and region, it seems like most of the writers who get up the most and/or are the most skilled tag their name in big simple letters with maybe an arrow on the side or underneath the tag...

 

I really don't feel that, but I also don't feel tags that are so technical/complex that I can't even read the shit. Especially technical shit from an obvious toy. That just looks tacky. I feel that when you get up with tags, you should have your own unique style to your tag, your own flare. Alot of the best writers tags I see around are so plain, they are near boring. No real depth or uniqueness.

 

Much of graffiti is creativity. So it's weird to me to see a lot of filthy writers getting up all in the same plain simple way. It's all generic, and not much originality. I mean I give these kats props for their ups no doubt, but I can't give them props for their style when they all have the same style you know. They may stand out for their name alone, but not for having their own unique original tagging style.

 

Now is this just something that's happening in the PNW or is this something you see in your area, LA, CHI, NY, DC, FL etc?

 

discuss....

[vharkano]

Nothing wrong with good solid letters in nice spots tho right ?? I mean you cant really expect the same mind blowing level of depth from tags, especially sometimes in tight spots, as pieces

[Royalblue]

Nah nothin wrong with it, but I would just expect more from writers who have their bomb and piece shit dialed. I get the point of what their doing, just making sure the tag is blatant, but you can make a tag blantant, with nice style. I'm jw if this big plain simple tag style is around other areas too, and if so, why...

[murderland_bgk]

my favorite hand styles are the baltimore and philly im not much of a fan of simple styles

[BOILFAST]

I like being able to read it, and then again philly wickeds are sick too.

 

i love west coasts shit ie. portland and vancouver

 

remio, hekto, raer etc...

[vharkano]

Nah nothin wrong with it, but I would just expect more from writers who have their bomb and piece shit dialed. I get the point of what their doing, just making sure the tag is blatant, but you can make a tag blantant, with nice style. I'm jw if this big plain simple tag style is around other areas too, and if so, why...

 

Give us an example of some of this simple style jazz your seein round your area ??

 

Yeah I like philly handys

[Realism]

Simple hands with a little flare are way harder than pissing paint all over a wall. Just saying.

[M_I]

i think both, when done correctly, are dope.

[Royalblue]

Give us an example of some of this simple style jazz your seein round your area ??

 

Yeah I like philly handys

 

For Instance, compare these two handy's.....

(the Aerub one)

 

 

These are both two well known and respected writers within the PNW graffiti scene who have both been writing for years. Notice the difference between handstyles?

 

You can both see what they say pretty much as soon as you look at them, but I personally feel Joins' way more than aerub's tag. I just would expect Aerub to have developed a more stylistic and original handstyle considering he's been writing for so long. Don't get me wrong, I'm not hatin on it at all. to quote common "If I don't like it, I don't like it. That don't mean that I'm hatin'."

 

Also, Katsu, who is up as much if not more than Joins and Aerub also writes his tags in really generic, plain, big simple letters....idk....i'm just surprised more writers don't steer away from the plain, generic and simple handy's like for example the way Joins has.

[.hopeless.]

just a matter of style.some people dont want to do their shit all complex.some of them just dont have the style i assume but then again those simple tags are quicker to get up.and if your more into bombing than you want something to put up quick.the quicker you can put up a tag the more you can put up and whatnot.a more complex tag is gonna take longer to drop than something really simple..

 

 

 

just a thought tho.idk why they right like that...everyone has their own reason for why they right the way they write.dont worry about it.

[Royalblue]

no worries man. i hear you tho.

 

I would just think that as the years go by, being a writer, your handstyle along with your piece and throwy game would get better and better. but hey, to each his own.

[TMoney718x]

Yea... I Live in nyc and I know what you're talkin about. but i'd rather see some tags with some amount of style even if it kinda plain than one that looks like its just thrown up without any style.

[pedoe]

I like being able to read it, and then again philly wickeds are sick too.

 

i love west coasts shit ie. portland and vancouver

 

remio, hekto, raer etc...

 

remio's hands are 10 times simpler than raer's

[BOILFAST]

And they're both sick...

 

flicks for those who don't know

 

 

both of those go hard eh?

 

and to the above joins vs aerub, i like em both but if i had to chose i'd go for aerubs

[Sluser]

simple is the most complex

[honkylipss]

no worries man. i hear you tho.

 

I would just think that as the years go by, being a writer, your handstyle along with your piece and throwy game would get better and better. but hey, to each his own.

 

Most of the kids that do these "simpler" handstyles do have better handstyles..they just like the way a simpler one looks. Thats just my experience.

[vharkano]

Yeah I see what ya mean. Personally dont like the Aerub tag at all ... but shit is all subjective anyways.

 

A lot of lads round these parts rock simpleish styles but ups is ups, in a city where the buff is brutal I think its better to have more straight up props and save the fancy ish for those special spots.

[shaolinmasta]

That joins is kinda shitty.

[Asian Eater]

no worries man. i hear you tho.

 

I would just think that as the years go by, being a writer, your handstyle along with your piece and throwy game would get better and better. but hey, to each his own.

 

Some writers don't tag as much and skip practicing their tags and go straight to bombing.

[n8galicia]

well look at frisco tags. out of towners say that shit looks like 3rd grade chicken scratch, but any bay area head will say it looks fresh. locals got their own handstlyes and w/e, but i agree. it is tacky to see some toy tag with 3 different arrows lol

[Swindle]

[ThirdRailRat]

i love the simple

[ThirdRailRat]

and as much as you love to hate

[forsit]

BIG. UGLY. LETTERS. You're wack Royalblue. You're from Seattle and you can't respect that? Shame on you. As long as it's legible put it up. fuck it.

[Feed Yer Ego]

if you look at my books from like 10 years ago i had this real crazy, flowing, hard ass handstyle

 

i grew out of that tho

 

i just do whatever i feel now. if it's simple and ugly then that's what's up.

 

i

[pedoe]

[bloodsweatxylene]

These are both two well known and respected writers within the PNW graffiti scene who have both been writing for years. Notice the difference between handstyles?

 

That aerub handstyle is complete garbage.

A well developed writer should not be putting out garbage like that.

 

In my oppinion, handstyles are completely overrated,

all the good writers around here only use handys for signing their pieces and hiding them in little scavanger spots.

 

Simples are nice for some things, but writers tend to forget about sticking to the basic principles of art with them, and they always wonder why they come out wack and get no respect.

[SoldOne]

i think a clean oneliner is where the moneys at. It takes skill time and practice to get one down and its one line so its quick! Best of both worlds

[DretheGod]

Hell yea on the one liners. When it comes to hands, I like simple; not aerub simple, but like that Nekst and Blief up there. As simple as those may seem, it's hard to make simple letters clean and smooth like that. I feel like that speaks much more than a bunch of unnecessary whips and arrows. But as stated by somebody earlier, this is strictly subjective and my own personal opinion.

[tells]

I've noticed a lot of writers with really stylized handstyles can't do the simples though. It's actually harder than it looks to make all your letters the same size, same width apart, etc.

 

 

Snob and Rench have my favorite hands in this area. They just hit hard.

I always put a lot of effort into my tags, because that's what people will see the most, and if you have a nice tag, people will want to see more of your stuff.