Tips to Remember When Painting Graffiti!
In today's blog, we're diving into the world of freight train graffiti by rating fan submissions on a scale of 1 to 10. Along the way, we'll discuss essential graffiti techniques, clean lines graffiti, letter structure, and more. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned artist, these insights will help you refine your style and avoid common graffiti mistakes.
Graffiti Tip #1: Mastering Letter Structure and Flow
One of the most crucial aspects of graffiti is understanding letter structure. In the first submission, we reviewed the artist Gnome who has a strong letter G and a simple overall design. However, the E in the piece relied heavily on the M's structure, leading to a lack of individual strength in the letter. This created an imbalance in letter weight and disrupted the piece's flow. The big issue here is that this detail is the only one of it’s kind, and had they included something similar somewhere else they would have been fine.
Graffiti Tip #2: Utilizing Negative Space Effectively
Next up, we looked at a stunning freight freight train piece by Roua. The crisp lines and attention to detail were impressive, but there was a significant amount of negative space between the letters L and A. Roua did a great job filling in this space with drop shadows and exterior details, demonstrating an understanding of how to manage negative space. If rula wanted to fill in this space even more, they could have introduced more of a lean on the A and they could have raised the A to the cap line before the bend at the top. That being said, there are many other solutions they could have opted for that are much simpler, and at the end of it all, this is still a great piece. Color use is another critical element in graffiti. In Roua's piece, the smaller size of the letter U created a lack of weight, which could have been balanced by either resizing other letters or using a different fill color to add visual weight. This is an example of one of those simpler changes he could have made.
Graffiti Tip #3: Clean Lines and Precise Execution
Toss submitted a piece that showcased beautiful, clean lines and expertly managed negative space. The careful placement of the letters allowed the drop shadow to fill in gaps effectively. This level of precision is what separates good graffiti from great graffiti. Focus on achieving clean, precise lines in your work. Practice regularly to improve your control over spray cans, and take your time when creating outlines and shadows. This attention to detail will make your graffiti stand out.
Graffiti Tip #4: Mastering 3D Effects and Perspective
Spur's submission featured a gorgeous 3D effect with a red and orange gradient that popped against a blue background. The one-point perspective was executed flawlessly, adding depth and dimension to the piece. To create impactful 3D effects, master the basics of one-point perspective and apply them consistently. Experiment with gradients and shadowing to make your letters stand out from the background.
If you're passionate about graffiti and want to refine your skills, consider picking up our free digital sketchbook or submitting your throwies for a chance to be featured in our upcoming book. Whether you're just starting or looking to perfect your craft, these graffiti tips and techniques will help you avoid common mistakes and create visually striking pieces.
Additional Resources:
Comprehensive Graffiti Book: Available in ebook formats here.
YouTube Tutorials: Check out our playlist for the best how-to graffiti tutorials.
Feel free to share your thoughts or any bad advice you’ve received in the comments below. Let’s help each other improve and avoid common pitfalls in our artistic journeys!
