Graffiti as the way of self-expression

Yurenev Yuri and Alexander Bazhan

 Do you know what does the word graffiti mean?

    Is graffiti an art or disgrace?

Is it popular in Russia?

When did graffiti first become popular?

Why do people write graffiti?

  Is it harmful to the health?

How can we use it in conformity with the future Olympic Games in Sochi?

You can find answers to all these questions & a lot of interesting information about graffiti in our work .

 We decided to start our investigation with the following survey.

Survey

  1. Do you know the meaning of the word ‘graffiti’?

Yes.

No.

    2 . What’s your attitude to the graffiti? I like it.

I don’t like it.

Graffiti is the vandalism.

Graffiti is the modern art.

      4 . Would you like to go in for graffiti?

Yes No 5. Is graffiti the sign of urbanization (according to your opinion) ?

Yes No 6. Is graffiti only for men?

Yes No

34 people were asked & and here are the results: most people (90%) think that graffiti is the modern art; 75% know the meaning of the word graffiti and only 8 persons (15%) want to go in for graffiti. Practically everyone said that graffiti is also for women.

don’t want to go in for graffiti want to go in for graffiti 0 5 10 15 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 20 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 not only for man only for man graffiti is the sign of urbanization graffiti isnt the sign of urbanization

don’t know the meaning of the word graffiti 25% know the meaning of the word graffiti don’t know the meaning of the word graffiti know the meaning of the word graffiti 75%

graffiti is the m odern art I like it I don’t like it graffiti is the vandalism

What does the word graffiti mean?

 The word GRAFFITI simply means--words or drawings scratched or scribbled on a wall. The word comes from the Greek term "graphein" (to write) and the word "grafitti" itself is plural of the Italian word "graffito."

The history of graffiti

 Writing started moving from the streets to the subways and quickly became competitive. At this point writing consisted of mostly tags and the goal was to have as many as possible. Writers would ride the trains hitting as many subway cars as possible. It wasn't long before writers discovered that in a train yard or lay up they could hit many more subway cars in much less time and with less chance of getting caught. The concept and method of bombing had been established.

The history of graffiti

 Art in the form of graffiti originated in the late 1960s, but graffiti in term of public and unsolicited markings has been around for ever. Some say it represents man's desire and need for communication, and the history of this type of communication dates back to one of the first communicative acts drawing.

A Background for Determining "Good" Graffiti Paintings

 People start the practise of graffiti because in doing so they are different. However, if and when they decide to commit seriously to graffiti as more than a teenage weekend diversion, they will realize that they are hardly alone in doing so. There are thousands of very dedicated graffiti writers worldwide. Being the local graffiti writer may create yourself a "rebellious artist" image around your way, but in the global graffiti culture, that "cool" is standard issue. There's nothing special about being a graffiti writer in a room full of graffiti writers! How, then, can one truly maintain the true original attractions of graffiti; to be different, and to be yourself?

Why do people write graffiti

 People paint graffiti because it is a mean of expressing themselves and establishing themselves well outside of the norm. As an artistic work, even when created legally, any graffiti will have a certain renegade edge which has been bolstered by years of illegal work. In creating these public art works, graffiti writers experience a level of risk and adventure, artistic and otherwise, that anyone outside our circles would have great difficulty comprehending. It is also one hell of a lot of fun. But this hardly scratches the surface of what graffiti is to any moderately serious graffiti writer.

 This led to the development of the masterpiece. It is difficult to say who did the first masterpiece, but it is commonly credited to SUPER KOOL 223 of the Bronx and WAP of Brooklyn. The thicker letters provided the opportunity to further enhance the name. Writers decorated the interior of the letters with what are termed "designs." First with simple polka dots, later with crosshatches, stars, checkerboards. Designs were limited only by an artist's imagination.



Now we are going to introduce some graffiti terms, it will help you to understand our next pages.

Graffiti dictionary

Bomb- quickly-painted picture witch reflects the name of the writer or of crew.

Crew- writers team Tag- signature of the writer Cap- pozzel for the aerosol .

Blackbook, piecebook, sketchbook –book with sketches.

Toy- inexperience writer .

Tag style

 After a while there were so many people writing so much that writers needed a new way to gain fame. The first way was to make your tag unique. Many script and calligraphic styles were developed. Writers enhanced their tags with flourishes, stars and other designs. Some designs were strictly for visual appeal while others had meaning. For instance, crowns were used by writers who proclaimed themselves king. Probably the most famous tag in the culture's history was STAY HIGH 149. He used a smoking joint as the cross bar for his "H" and a stick figure from the television series The Saint.

 The next development was scale. Writers started to render their tags in larger scale. The standard nozzle with of a spray paint can is narrow so these larger tags while drawing more attention than a standard tag, did not have much visual weight. Writers began to increase the thickness of the letters and would also outline them with an additional color. Writers discovered that caps from other aerosol products could provide a larger width of spray.

styles

There are many styles but we are going to introduce the most popular ones: wildstyle- style which bases on interlace of the letters and broken lines, witch makes some graffiti’s unreadable.

Bubble letter- one of the most old styles in which the main idea is mild lines and volume of shapes.

Daim style- 3D style which makes without contour.

Graffity and the law

  Graffity is closely connected with the law offenders. Police often arrest graffiti writers. There are also ‘passers’ who thought that graffiti is only vandalism. But graffiti is also a very beautiful art, and it’s a pity that in Sochi there are only few writers who make real art.

Graffiti and the health

Anyone who has ever done a piece should know afterwards, the color of your main fill-in, reappears when you blow your nose. I mean "spray mist". Spray cans let the paint out, and most of that paint lands on your train, wall or whatever, but the gas drifts on outwards.. until it settles. When you're painting, your lungs take in this mist, the inside of your lips and nose absorb it. Paint-toxins can even be absorbed through your skin.

Sketches

 Before making great graffiti writer should made some sketches. It is made by pencil in the sketch book.

Stickers

 When you have not got much time to write your tag you can use stickers. Writers make stickers themselves. Often it is made on a sticky paper by markers. But sometimes it is made in a Photoshop programme.

 Many graffiti artists ("writers") lament that graffiti is dying, that the old values of originality and respect which kept it moving have been lost. This is not true. Its problems have simply evolved with the medium. Graffiti has become larger, and suffers from what might be called "cultural growing pains." In the early days, graffitists had to cope with scores of people asking "but is it art?" Nowadays, a glance through any collection of modern graffiti - such as Art Crimes - will establish certain graffiti as art to all but the most conservative observer. Much of this has to do with a worldwide boom in legally sanctioned spaces for graffiti art in the last ten years.

 While some people do not consider any illegal graffiti to be art, few can argue with legally sanctioned work. Graffiti artists have pushed the spray can's technical possibilities to the point where they parallel those of the paintbrush. With its creative possibilities limitless, graffiti now has much more important questions to answer. What, specific to graffiti, makes a good piece? Beyond that, what responsibility does the artist have to the culture, and how does that tie in with making good work?

  Graffiti is the greatest type of modern art. But people have wrong opinion to the graffiti. They think that it is only vandalism. After our work presentation we think you will change your opinion.

Some people like graffiti others don’t. No doubt that illegal graffiti on the walls of the houses isn't a good one, because some people will have to recolor theirs walls. That's why we suggest to permit making graffiti on special places.

 We’re sure that Sochi will be the town of winter Olympic Games in 2014. New hotels, stadiums & other Olympic constructions will be built , and they’ll be surrounded by high &long barriers. And it is difficult to keep our town clean and beautiful during the reconstruction work. So we offer to ask graffiti writers to cover such barriers & fancies with their works. Here are some suggestions.