Thursday 14 October 2010

Steps For Graffiti Painting


Before embarking on Graffiti Painting, one should be aware that there is a thin line between vandalism and graffiti. Only when one is safely on the right side of the law, should any kind of creative liberty be assumed through Graffiti Painting.
Painting Graffiti is an art of big scale. Its grandeur is enhanced by the size of the image. Stark and bold colors, along with the fonts, those themselves are an art form of their types. These are the hallmarks of Graffiti Painting.
Steps for Graffiti Painting.
o Subject. Choose the subject for your graffiti painting and starkly demarcate the shadow areas. Graffiti painting works only when one has clear chiaroscuro effect. Draw a small-scale image of the subject of your graffiti, taking care that there is not too much detailing. Subjects for beginners should appropriately be inspired from the artwork in comics. The fonts and rendering in comics make for a great beginners' work.
o Coloring. Once you have outlined your graffiti sketch on a small scale, its time to fill in colors and imagine the entire work on a large scale. What looks awesome on small size, does not essentially translate into a large-scale graffiti work, neither is there a foolproof way to judge that. However, its this uncertainty only that makes the process of Painting Graffiti an evolutionary one.
o Outlining Work Area. Outline your Graffiti work area into a rectangle, using charcoal or white diluted paint. You can use a string to mark out a rough grid on the work area. Using charcoal, transfer the small-scale model onto the work surface.
o Background. Once you are done with outlining the work surface, spray a diluted neutral colored paint (White or Pale Cream) using aerosol can on the large areas of your Graffiti Painting, which are to be painted with dark colors. You may also use Paint Rollers to fill in symmetrical areas with colors. Make sure to spread a very thin layer of paint initially. The painted area should be left to dry for at least an hour.
o Coloring. Using aerosol cans filled with different colors, start with large areas of your Graffiti Painting, and move on slowly to small areas. Do not let the can's nozzle linger on for more than three seconds at one place, as this would lead to the dripping of paint (of course, if that's the effect you want then carry on the drip way).
o Fine Defining. Use fine brush and paint (preferably Emulsion) to bring out the fine lines and the effects of your graffiti painting.
o Preservation. If you want some longevity for your graffiti painting, spray it with a thin layer of varnish. You are done with your graffiti painting.
One very important fact of graffiti painting is its idea, its central motive. If you are not excited by an idea or by the colors, or by drawing the initial sketch, it's suggested that you do not venture into this activity. Art without madness is no fun!

Sunday 3 October 2010

Street Poster Art - Free Flowing Graffiti on Paper

Street Poster Art - The Concept
Poster Art secures an important position in the world of Street Art. It is actually Graffiti done on paper. While most of these posters are 100% handmade, some are digital designs as well. Moreover, being a basic art form this genre stayed in the local street corners and roads rather than sitting pretty inside a gala museum or gallery. While experts often debate about the contemporary side of such works, many artists find it the most 'modernist' of styles with free expression.

The History
During the 1870s decade, the streets of fashion city Paris were literally transformed into the graffiti artists' paradise. Rich street artworks graced the region. The wave also welcomed the initial paper form of advertising as Street Poster Art. Even other cities, like Milan (Italy) and Berlin (Germany) appreciated the Post-Graffiti styles and encouraged street artists.

The Details
Street posters are displayed on slick or smooth surfaces, mostly walls, by sticking them with the help of wheat paste or gum. The art pieces belonging to Post-Graffiti or Contemporary Post-Graffiti genre admirably have a higher distinctive status than the 'rude' Graffiti or Vandalism. This global art style is especially popular in the urban and the suburban regions of the Eastern and Western countries. Interesting and unique Street Poster Art has found fame among some of the greatest artists.

The Correlations
Street Poster Art does connect with Graffiti and the other forms, like Wheat Pasting, Stencil Graffiti, and Sticker Art. This Post Graffiti Art form has a distinguished contemporary style, different from the local Graffiti or Vandalism.

The Artists and the Artworks
Street artists have shown a cheap and affordable way to produce and display artworks meant to connect primarily with the common public. Exhibition 'Street Art' held in 'Washington Project for the Arts' (1981) displayed work by renowned American artists, such as John Fekner (born 1940) and Lee Quinones (born 1960). Even the art exhibition held at the prestigious Tate Modern Hall in England clearly indicates that the artworks found on the street are not necessarily graffiti.

Interesting and unique Street Poster Art has found fame among some of the greatest artists. Distinctly accomplished Italian poster masterpieces can be witnessed in many prestigious museums and galleries like the International Poster Gallery in Boston, USA.

Conclusion
Most famous in the US, Street Poster Art has also gained sufficient momentum in Australia and Japan. France, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Brunei, New Zealand, the UK, Canada, and Iran too are the lead contributors to the genre.

Tuesday 14 September 2010

Types of Anti-Graffiti Coatings


Anti Graffiti Coatings is a kind of coating which is done on the top of the paint that exists already or on the facades of the building. These anti graffiti coatings prevent graffiti paints from getting stuck on to the surfaces of the walls. This saves a lot of money for the owners of the building as removing graffiti from the costs thousands of dollars every year. Although there are a lot of anti graffiti programs all over the world, vandalism is some thing which continues to be big problem. World over various companies are trying to put together a solution to develop anti graffiti coatings which would guard the buildings being vandalized by graffiti. These coatings are in the form of a paint which is applied on top of the paint that exists on the walls of the building.

There are different types of Anti graffiti coatings that are available in the market, based on the amount of graffiti on the buildings or its severity each and every one of these types would have various advantages and disadvantages as well. Following are the types of anti graffiti coatings:

Sacrificial Coatings:

These kind of anti graffiti coatings form a type of barrier on the wall or the surface, on which it is applied on, protecting it from being vandalized by graffiti. In case if the walls or the surfaces are affected by graffiti these sacrificial coatings, as the name suggests, are removed with the help of a high pressure washer. When the sacrificial coatings are removed it takes the graffiti along with it. Once it is removed the coating has to be applied on the walls or the surface again. Sacrificial anti graffiti coatings are usually inexpensive as they use clear polymer materials like waxes, acrylates and biopolymers. These kinds of polymers form weak bonds which facilitates easy removal.

Semi Sacrificial Coatings:

Semi sacrificial coatings are pretty much similar to sacrificial coatings, they act a like a shield for the walls or the surfaces on which they are applied on as a result of which the pores in the surface are well protected. When surface gets vandalized by graffiti these anti graffiti coatings can be removed with the help of a combination of solvent which will remove graffiti and a washer with high pressure. The major difference in semi sacrificial coatings from sacrificial coatings it the fact that the coating has to be applied again every alternate attack of graffiti instead every attack. The reason why the solvent is used along with the high pressure washer is to avoid the erosion of the surface which may be possible if only the washer is used.

Permanent Coatings:

Permanent anti graffiti coatings are the most expensive type of coatings, but having said that if they are applied in the right away they are required to be applied only once. These permanent coatings create a kind of protective surface which ensures that the spray paint can not bind to it. Once the surface is vandalized by graffiti you would only need a solvent which is a very simple on and some labor. The walls or the surface of building as well the anti graffiti coating will not be damaged.

Friday 20 August 2010

Green Graffiti

We're all aware that graffiti can be very detrimental to an area often leading to a lack of respect for the local community spaces, like parks and local businesses as well as also increasing the possibility of further incidents of crime; there are also some methods of 'graffiti' that are being used for beneficial purposes.

Green graffiti is a new method of street advertising that involves the cleaning of dirt in the shape of a message or template, leaving a clean and clear advertising message underneath. Not only is the message itself important but so is the manner in which the message is portrayed, by cleaning dirt and grime and writing a green message it indicates that clean is green.

This method of graffiti advertising is affordable, green and sustainable and does not damage the surfaces it is displayed on; in fact it actually cleans and improves them. And when the message needs to be removed it is just a case of cleaning the surrounding area with a high powered jet washer.

Many companies offer graffiti cleaning for incidents of spray paint graffiti that can commonly be seen around industrial and urban areas. This new method of 'graffiti' highlights the benefits of graffiti in portraying a positive message that is easily removed, rather than looking unsightly and negatively affecting the area as traditional graffiti does.

Graffiti removal is a growing cost to councils across the UK, with the incidents of graffiti increasing each year as well as a higher recurrence rate of graffiti in the same area over and over. This is why many graffiti and street cleaning companies also offer anti graffiti coatings, a preventative measure that can be put into place once a surface has been cleaned, or prior to any incidents of graffiti, to ensure that in future it is a lot easier to clean, saving man time and also money; whilst also ensuring that local areas look warm and inviting, instead of somewhat threatening and uncared for.

This constant innovation is not only IN the uses of graffiti, such as the green advertising mentioned above and in graffiti as a form of industrial art, but it is also in the methods of removing it or preventing it. Graffiti removal ensures that a clear and concise message is being portrayed to those who vandalise areas with spray paint graffiti. This is helping to make positive steps to reduce the rate of vandalism and graffiti related crimes across the UK, allowing residents and businesses to enjoy their areas and take pride in the appearance of the place where they live or work.