Sunday, September 7, 2008

Learn To Draw Graffiti Letters

Graffiti is commonly thought of as mere public vandalism. However, it is not just that. There is more to it than what meets the eye. It is an art. In fact in some places in the world, there are walls where you can legally put graffiti art. It entails great creativity if you want to learn to draw graffiti letters. However, there is no right way to do it. In this kind of art, you have to develop your own style. Hence, here are some of the basics for you to do so.

Get To Know The Art

It is important that you familiarize yourself with the different graffiti styles. It doesn’t matter where you come from or live, for sure there is some graffiti nearby. However, if there aren’t any, you can try visiting another city. If you can’t go on hunting for the real thing, then you could resort to the Internet. Try browsing for different pictures of graffiti art work from different places in the world. This could get you exposed with the different styles.

Write Down A Name

Get a sheet of paper and write down a name. It is best if you use your name to start out with. Most serious graffiti artists started out by simply writing their names in a unique manner. For starters, it’s easiest to have the letters printed in all capital forms. Use a pencil. Try to draw as light as you can so it would be easy to erase details you don't like. You should leave enough space between your letters. Remember that you'll be expanding the letters and this space would be filled in later. Make your writing big enough so that it would be easy to work with, but not too big that it’d take you forever to finish your work.

Choose A Style

Next, you should choose a style that you'd want to use for your name. One of the most famous styles would be bubble letters. However, there still a lot of other styles out there. Don’t be afraid to explore. You can use rounded or sharp edges, same sized letters or have some big and others small, etc. It would be easier for you to emulate a given style. Once you get to learn the basics, it’s easier for you to naturally develop your own.

Outline

Once you’ve chosen a style, outline the letters of your name. Try to approximate it with the style you've chosen. Use a pencil and make sure you write lightly. If you make mistakes, which for sure you’ll do for a number of times, use your eraser. Remember to make use original letters as your guide and not your prison. Also, do not be afraid to change your letters past all recognition.

Line Thickness

One good way to vary your letters is by varying its line thickness. This is good if you want your letters to have a 3-D effect. Try to make lines thicker and thinner at different points. This also gives a perception of space and depth.

Add Details

To give your work a personal touch, add more details to your letters. For instance, a lightning bolt for your i’s dot would be good, or a pair of eyes peering out of your B’s hole. If you want, you can also put a bubble around the whole word, just like in comic books. It all depends on your preference and imagination. Try to explore and don’t be afraid to mix colors.

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