One of my favorite DIYs from the pages of CRAFT is one that was born from a desire to see a process in action, executed by veterans. In CRAFT Volume 04, “Aerosol Artistry” did just that. ST!ZO accompanied and documented two of Chicago’s highly respected graffiti writers, OMENS and REVISE CMW, as they masterfully transformed a dull brick wall into a mural of respectable proportions. What CRAFT readers got to see was layer by layer of the art.
Here’s a little background intro by ST!ZO:
The beginnings of graffiti can be traced back to the late 60s when graffiti artists like TAKI 183 and Julio 204 used magic marker and spray paint to tag their names in the boroughs of New York City. By the mid-70s, graffiti artists moved to subway cars, painting them from top to bottom. Some people looked at it as vandalism and a sign of urban decay, but as time passed graffiti became accepted by many as a true art form.
Today, many business owners ask graffiti writers to use their buildings as canvases for the artists’ imaginations. REVISE CMW and OMENS let me document their collaboration on their most recent wall project, on the West Side of Chicago. Following is an explanation of the process they go through to create the pieces that they are known for.
Though it’s nearly impossible to describe how to make each and every letter in this piece, watching the process gives a window into how amazing pieces like this are created. Of course, not every graffiti writer uses the method of graffiti application explained here. Graffiti is a free-form art and there are no rules in the way of its application.
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Check out the how-to here in our Digital Edition to get the written details, and fine-tune your can control by watching the masters at work.
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