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Education is the Key!
It would appear that many of our active taggers display a lack of social conscience or understanding that writing their tag on someone else's property is a violation of, not only the criminal code, but the victims themselves. The small business owner who has to replace clean up his property every morning, a public transit systme that has to replace etched windowns, a school board that cannot buy new computer equipment or sports supplies, because they are spending a quarter of a million dollards each school year to clean up graffiti vandalism. Who is the real victim? The community is. We must make our active taggers understand that they are part of the community and, therefore, they are victimizing themselves!
Types of Graffiti
Hip Hop or Wild Style Sophisticated, often pre-planned cartooned murals, which incorporate a tag. Lettering is commonly done in a bubble or three-dimensional form. Uses many different colours.
Tag or Signature Currently the most common graffiti in the Lower Mainland. This is the individual assumed name of a graffiti writer (a "tagger" wink . The tagger will then practice their tag and develop a unique style to their written tag. The tag will be written on an object with a marker (there are many different types of marking tools). Taggers will also do a "throw-up", which is a tag written in bubble style letters which incorporate one or two colours. One colour is the outline of the bubble letters and the second colour is used to fill in the letters. Throw ups are a more elaborate way to tag, and can be done quickly by a developed and practiced tagger.
Gang Gang graffiti is used to establish recognition, create intimidation, and mark off turf or area. Gang graffiti is commonly written when a new gang is formed. When gang graffiti stops, it usually means that the gang no longer exists or that it has evolved into more high profile activity and no long wants to draw attention to itself through graffiti.
Non-descript Meaningless graffiti in terms of the writer, e.g. rock band name, or sports team
Bubble Gum The eternal proclamation of love, e.g. "Jim loves Laura".
Socio-political More adult-oriented; a commentary on social issues or the political environment.
Skateboard Skateboarders have evolved more into taggers, but may utilize skateboard lingo, groups, or names, e.g. "Team Dread".
Racist Discriminating comments directed toward certain racial groups, or directed to pronounce specific beliefs that propose superiority of a particular race.
Satanic e.g. "666", "NATAS" (satan written backwards).
Religious e.g. "Jesus Saves", "John 3:16"
Stencil Usually done by adults and tends to reflect socio-political statements. A pre-designed stencil is created and put on objects and spray painted over to create the stencil image on the object.
Eulogy Graffiti in memory of friends or other loved ones.
Tagging
What is a "Tag"?
Tagging, as we know it today, got its beginning in New York in the late 1960s and early 1970s. A graffiti tag has become an individual identifier adopted by writers. They develop an individual style to differentiate their tag. A tag is selected often because the writer "likes the sound" of the word. It can also be chosen from the dictionary, or it may be a nickname. A tag primarily consists of three to seven letters. Lower Mainland graffiti taggers have taken to writing "1", or "one" or "oner" after the tag, e.g. "westoner", "westone", or "west1". "ONER" is a graffiti term for a tagger who has no tagging crew affiliation. To an active tagger, their name and tag are synonymous.
What is a Tagging Crew? A group of active taggers A crew will have anywhere from two to 12 members Most common local crews have three to seven members Occasionally, a tagger will for their own crew (only one person) A tagging crew name is usually two to four worlds, i.e. the "MBK" = "Master Bomb Clan" or "TK" = "Twisted Kids" For the Lower Mainland, most crew names are three words. The crew will write their crew name next to their individual tag on a wall.
Why Do Taggers Tag? Recognition Low self-esteem Peer recognition For recognition; a distorted view of "fame" See it in the community and want to try it too
Anti-Authority A way to rebel against authority To "get out their aggression"
Artistic Ability Some are very talented and this is their way of expressing themselves and developing and practicing their ability. Addiction Becomes an obsessive-compulsive disorder; they are addicted to "getting up", which is a term for tagging throughout the community, as well as to paints, markers, and tagging.
Tagger Profile Sex The large majority of taggers are male Females are most often associated with "bubble gum" graffiti (Laurie loves Jim) Females are more interested in having their name involved in the graffiti
Age For tagging, the age generally ranges from 11 to 25 years Most taggers get their beginning around grade 8, and those in their 20s are often "developed" taggers, preferring rail cars and walls that offer a canvas for their work. Background
Taggers do not reflect any specific socio-economic or racial background
Evolution of a Graffiti Tagger
Beginner select a tag name practice writing tag over and over writes on books and personal items may begin to tag in the community, referred to by taggers as "getting up". Common tagging areas are schools, buses, mail and newspaper boxes, etc. will tag if the opportunity presents itself may see the term "toy" written next to new tags. "Toy" means inexperienced or incompetent tagger.
Developing will have established a unique style to his/her tag may start a "piece book", a graffiti practice book associates with other taggers may form or join a tagging crew will tag more frequently and in more difficult places (rooftops, under bridges) will try "throw ups", balloon or bubble style letter two coloured mural will go out late at night (dusk to dawn) for the express purpose of tagging strive to be "all city", which is a graffit term for having ones tag visible over a large area, such as the Lower Mainland
Practiced/Hardcore will begin doing more "piecing", which is an elaborate mural with many colours will have a very elaborate "piece book" with "pieces" outlined has all the graffiti tools (spray paints, magazines, photographs of work, paint masks, etching items, etc.) the pinnacle of expression for a tagger is acheived by "piecing", a painting or mural done with spray paint in graffiti style (short for masterpiece), or "bombing", which is a multi-coloured piece or a crew name in large bubble letters will look for highly visible areas to "showcase" their work (murals), such as rail cars, buildings, along transit routes, rooftops, etc. carries camera to photograph graffiti
How to Spot a Tagger
clothing is baggy; hoodies and baseball hats pants with pockets for felt markers (cargo pants are ideal) backpack full of spray paints and graffiti tools out late at night and early morning; taggers work mostly under the cover of darkness from dusk to dawn graffiti/doodling on personal items (school books, skateboards, under the brim of baseball hat, etc.) graffiti and hip hop posters up in room and read graffiti magazines have a wide variation or markers and spray paint for graffiti multiple spray can heads: "caps", "fat", "skinny" refer to interchangeable spray can nozzles to allow for various spray width and coverage has a sketch book ("piece" book) for practice schoolbooks have repetitive scrawling (graffiti) and/or cartoon-like drawings on them "racking" the graffiti term for stealing; shoplifting spray paint, markers, or graffiti supplies carries camera to photograph graffiti
Graffiti Weaponry
Spray Paint (aerosol) "Krylon" Spray Paint is the paint of choice Paint Sticks (refillable paint markers Wax Marking Stick "Mean Streak" White Out (liquid paper)
Glass Chalk Shoe Polish Bingo Blotter Lipstick Etching Tool
New Trends in Graffiti
Etching Etching is a form of graffiti where an object is used to scratch graffiti into metal, plastic, and most commonly, glass. Unlike graffiti with paints and markers, etching also referred to as "scratchitti", cannot be cleaned off. It results in a permanent marking that can only be painted over where possible or, in the case of glass or plexiglass, the panel or pane must be replaced. Commonly Used Items for Etching:
Lava rock (most common) Sand paper Pumice stone Knives Keys Scissors Box cutters Exacto knife Tools: screwdriver, drill bits, etc. A "scribe" is a graffiti term for a metal etching tool
Acid Etching
Acid etching is a form of graffiti that has started to show up in the Lower Mainland. It is graffiti that is marked on glass or plexiglass with an acid containing craft etching product, found in craft stores. The graffiti is put on with the container. It will not show immediately, but will burn into the glass over a short period of time. The longer the acid etched graffiti remains, the more permanent it becomes The acid graffiti effects can be stopped or slowed down if the substance is cleaned off soon after it is applied to the surface, or it can be neutralized with water or baking soda paste. It is also possible to buff the acid graffiti off of glass, but that must be done as soon as possible. Acid graffiti is a costly problem in the Greater Vancouver Region.
YoungZa3 · Tue Aug 28, 2007 @ 04:14pm · 0 Comments |
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