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[Tut] How to Draw Graffiti Names | 10 Step Guide
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[Tut] How to Draw Graffiti Names | 10 Step GuidePosted:
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This is a 10 step guide which will lead you to start drawing your own graffiti! read this and start making your own graffiti in no time.
And no, this is not for Photoshop, this is for real life ;)
And if a Mod knows where to move this please do so, don't close, I spent a lot of time on this.
Edit: v1.1 Pictures added!
**I also do not condone the use of using Graffiti illegally. If you are going to Graffiti the side of a building... Make sure you have permission.**
Step 1 -
Become familiar with all the different types of Graffiti. Where ever you live I'm sure you can find Graffiti near by. If not then go out to the city, because Graffiti is predominately urban. If that is still not possible then just look online for different pictures of Graffiti. There are hundreds of website that will showcase Graffiti. Take yourself through a tour of all of the different styles of Graffiti. Some pieces are high-quality, but the more you see the better you'll know the characteristic styles.
Step 2 -
Write down a name on paper. Start with any word, but your name is the best choice for beginners. Most serious graffiti artists start by developing a unique signature. As a beginner, print the letters, all in capitals. Use a pencil and draw lightly for easy erasing. Leave plenty of space between letters; you'll expand them to fill in the space later. Make them big enough to work with, but not so big that it will take forever to complete the graffiti.
Step 3 -
Choose a style for the name. Bubble letters are especially popular in graffiti, but there are other styles, too. You can have rounded or sharp edges, equally sized letters or some big letters and some small, etc. It's easier to emulate a style, and have a picture of a graffiti piece in that style to refer to. Once you learn the basics you can develop your own style naturally.
Step 4 -
Outline the letters you have written to approximate the style you're going for. Again, use pencil and write very lightly, as you'll make many little mistakes. It will take time and patience to get the letters just right. Remember: Make the original words you wrote your guide,not your prison. Don't be afraid to alter the letters beyond all recognition.
Step 5 -
Vary line thickness. You can make all the lines the same thickness, but you can approximate shading and a 3-D effect if the lines get thicker and narrower at different places. For example, the top and one side of an "o" might be very thick, while the bottom and other side is narrowed. Use your pencil to vary the thickness; you're going to darken this out with ink or marker later, so it doesn't need to be pitch black. By doing this step now, you can get a good idea of what thicknesses looks good before you make the lines permanent.
Step 6 -
Add details as desired. Once your letters are as you want them, you can add additional details--with light pencil--if you choose to. Perhaps a lightning bolt for the dot of an "i" would be good, or eyes peering out of the holes in your "b". You can put a bubble around the whole name, like in comic books. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination.
Step 7 -
Copy your drawing. Put the pencils away, so now, everything is permanent. If you make any disastrous mistake(s)--you won't be able to do much about it. Copy your drawing for a backup. Use a copier and adjust the darkness setting so that the light pencil lines show in the copy. You can also trace the drawing onto another piece of paper, but this will be difficult because of the lightness of your drawing. To trace what you have, wait until after the next step or trace a photocopy.
Step 8 -
Blacken your pencil lines. Use pen or marker to darken the lines drawn with your pencil. These lines are more or less permanent, so be extremely careful. Don't be discouraged with small mistakes; you can usually fix it so nobody else will know. Say if your pen line was too thick or you were jogged and went outside of the line, just fill it in so it's 3D.
Step 9 -
Add color. To fill in your drawing with colored pencil or marker, as suggested already, it's a good idea to look at examples before doing this, but really you can do anything you want except crayon. A very simple, single work of graffiti might have only one color. You can also easily do each letter in a different color or make the added details a different color than the letters. While you might be tempted to go crazy with color, sometimes simplicity is best. Graffiti artists traditionally had to work secretly for fear of getting caught--many still do--and so they could carry only one or two different colors of spray paint at a time--a lot of very good graffiti is just one color.
Step 10 -
Keep practicing. If your graffiti turned out perfectly, congratulations. Now move on to different words and effects. If not, keep trying. Master the simple moves first and then work your way up--you'll soon develop your own style. Carry your own "black book" and don't copy other people's art. Copying others already tagged artwork will result in severe consequences.
~Wojo
Thank the topic if you like!
Last edited by voicheq ; edited 5 times in total
And no, this is not for Photoshop, this is for real life ;)
And if a Mod knows where to move this please do so, don't close, I spent a lot of time on this.
Edit: v1.1 Pictures added!
**I also do not condone the use of using Graffiti illegally. If you are going to Graffiti the side of a building... Make sure you have permission.**
Step 1 -
Become familiar with all the different types of Graffiti. Where ever you live I'm sure you can find Graffiti near by. If not then go out to the city, because Graffiti is predominately urban. If that is still not possible then just look online for different pictures of Graffiti. There are hundreds of website that will showcase Graffiti. Take yourself through a tour of all of the different styles of Graffiti. Some pieces are high-quality, but the more you see the better you'll know the characteristic styles.
Step 2 -
Write down a name on paper. Start with any word, but your name is the best choice for beginners. Most serious graffiti artists start by developing a unique signature. As a beginner, print the letters, all in capitals. Use a pencil and draw lightly for easy erasing. Leave plenty of space between letters; you'll expand them to fill in the space later. Make them big enough to work with, but not so big that it will take forever to complete the graffiti.
Step 3 -
Choose a style for the name. Bubble letters are especially popular in graffiti, but there are other styles, too. You can have rounded or sharp edges, equally sized letters or some big letters and some small, etc. It's easier to emulate a style, and have a picture of a graffiti piece in that style to refer to. Once you learn the basics you can develop your own style naturally.
Step 4 -
Outline the letters you have written to approximate the style you're going for. Again, use pencil and write very lightly, as you'll make many little mistakes. It will take time and patience to get the letters just right. Remember: Make the original words you wrote your guide,not your prison. Don't be afraid to alter the letters beyond all recognition.
Step 5 -
Vary line thickness. You can make all the lines the same thickness, but you can approximate shading and a 3-D effect if the lines get thicker and narrower at different places. For example, the top and one side of an "o" might be very thick, while the bottom and other side is narrowed. Use your pencil to vary the thickness; you're going to darken this out with ink or marker later, so it doesn't need to be pitch black. By doing this step now, you can get a good idea of what thicknesses looks good before you make the lines permanent.
Step 6 -
Add details as desired. Once your letters are as you want them, you can add additional details--with light pencil--if you choose to. Perhaps a lightning bolt for the dot of an "i" would be good, or eyes peering out of the holes in your "b". You can put a bubble around the whole name, like in comic books. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination.
Step 7 -
Copy your drawing. Put the pencils away, so now, everything is permanent. If you make any disastrous mistake(s)--you won't be able to do much about it. Copy your drawing for a backup. Use a copier and adjust the darkness setting so that the light pencil lines show in the copy. You can also trace the drawing onto another piece of paper, but this will be difficult because of the lightness of your drawing. To trace what you have, wait until after the next step or trace a photocopy.
Step 8 -
Blacken your pencil lines. Use pen or marker to darken the lines drawn with your pencil. These lines are more or less permanent, so be extremely careful. Don't be discouraged with small mistakes; you can usually fix it so nobody else will know. Say if your pen line was too thick or you were jogged and went outside of the line, just fill it in so it's 3D.
Step 9 -
Add color. To fill in your drawing with colored pencil or marker, as suggested already, it's a good idea to look at examples before doing this, but really you can do anything you want except crayon. A very simple, single work of graffiti might have only one color. You can also easily do each letter in a different color or make the added details a different color than the letters. While you might be tempted to go crazy with color, sometimes simplicity is best. Graffiti artists traditionally had to work secretly for fear of getting caught--many still do--and so they could carry only one or two different colors of spray paint at a time--a lot of very good graffiti is just one color.
Step 10 -
Keep practicing. If your graffiti turned out perfectly, congratulations. Now move on to different words and effects. If not, keep trying. Master the simple moves first and then work your way up--you'll soon develop your own style. Carry your own "black book" and don't copy other people's art. Copying others already tagged artwork will result in severe consequences.
~Wojo
Thank the topic if you like!
Last edited by voicheq ; edited 5 times in total
#2. Posted:
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its a good tut, but some pictures would have been nice
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#3. Posted:
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Yeah some pics would help quite a lot
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#4. Posted:
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Pics would help alot.
Thanks
Thanks
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#5. Posted:
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Very nice post...
~TTG_Cole123
~TTG_Cole123
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#6. Posted:
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it is a good tut but as said some pictures would make the tut a little bit better
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#7. Posted:
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Motto: Discord: trustedseller
Motto: Discord: trustedseller
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Motto: Discord: trustedseller
Thanks for the tut. Wanna show some work?
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#8. Posted:
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pics would be VERY helpful
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#9. Posted:
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agreed!! bro upload some pictures!! (:
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