How to Draw Wild Style Graffiti Letters
Graffiti begins in the sketchbook. Wild style graffiti is an advanced art, so make sure to practice the basics like bubble lettering and block letters before attempting this type of graffiti. Perfect your designs before putting them up on the wall. Remember, keep it legal. There's always the opportunity to practice at home, and always obtain permission before expressing your artwork on other people's property.
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Instructions
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Elements Of The Tag
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1
Practice your tag, which is your name and signature. Explore and pick up stylistic influences, think dynamically, and always keep fluid motion in your lettering. The tag is made up for four elements: Letter Text, Arrows (or any marks that indicate motion), Flourishes (swirls, appendages or expressions), and Symbols (separate marks such as crowns or exclamation points).
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Use pencil to sketch out block letters, which are overlapping, keeping the inside lines thinner. Draw the tag without stopping to create a fluid movement, which evolves motion. Wild style graffiti is about illegibility. This is where style and execution are what's important. Arrows can work alone or can be added to flourishes. Overlap letters, or add flourishing connectors. Only after your sketch is perfect should you begin to add any color or inking.
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3
Add a glow of color to the background to tie any broken pieces together. Wild style graffiti can either be done in blocks of colors, but are generally more abstract. When inking the final product, use thin lines on the inside of letters. In abstracts, black is used as a color, not as an outline. In some sections, the traditional line is erased so that colors can blend together. The background and glow should work their way into the letters.
Advanced: 3-D Wild Style
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Lay letters on top of each other to create a three dimensional effect. They can curve into each other, or take on architectural qualities. A firm understanding of perspective is needed to perfect 3-D wild style, because the light source must be consistent.
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Choose a point of reference for the shading, which is what creates the 3-D effect. Shading can consist of broken lines or solid blocks of color underlying the lettering. Multiple points of perspective are OK. One letter might by turned to the side, while the next letter is raised higher at the end of a letter which branches into an arrow.
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Add coloring. Use darker areas in certain places like the corners, which adds more depth.
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Outline the piece in ink. Use black as an accent rather than as an outline. Blur the colors together, and let the outline fade into the background.
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Tips & Warnings
Draw lightly so that you can erase your lines easier.
Only ink your piece after you are done sketching.
Be meticulous about lining your letters.
Always obtain permission before taking your art to a wall. There are plenty of legal ways to enjoy your artwork, so please take that into consideration before assuming that it is OK to paint on abandoned warehouses or tunnels.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit graffiti image by Philophoto from Fotolia.com
