How to Draw Cool Graffiti By Writing Block Letters

Draw your own computerized block letter graffiti.

Use your computer to show off your "tagging" skills without fear of getting fined or arrested by drawing block letter graffiti through a couple of software programs. In Photoshop, part of the Adobe Creative Suite package, you'll be able to create detailed, realistic graffiti letters which resemble the artistic tags seen on city streets. In your computer's Microsoft Paint, included with your installation package, you'll be able to draw basic block letter graffiti with a tool that actually looks just like an aerosol spray can. Each takes just a few clicks of your mouse and a short amount of time.

Things You'll Need

• Adobe Photoshop
• Microsoft Paint

Instructions

Using Photoshop

1. Open Photoshop and click "File," then click "New." Name the file "BlockLetters" and choose the dimensions you prefer. Change the "Mode" to "RGB Color" and choose "Transparent" from the "Contents" and click the "OK" button. Click "View" and "Fit on Screen," which gives you more room to draw.

2. Click the "Paintbrush" tool on the "Tools" palette on the left side of the screen. Notice a new toolbar at the top of the screen. Pull down the "Brush" menu and select one of the scattershot brush heads, such as #23, #36 or #44.

3. Double-click the top left colored box in the "Color Picker" in the "Tools" palette, then choose a paint color for the outline of your block letters. Hover your cursor over the "BlockLetters" box and notice it changes to the spray design. Draw an outline of the first block letter. Note the fuzzy edges like the graffiti paint has seeped into the wall.

4. Click the "Fill" tool, which looks like a tipping paint can (optional: Change paint colors in the "Color Picker" if you want a different inside color for the block letters). Hover your cursor over the inside of the block letter and notice it changes to the paint can. Click once and the inside of the letter fills with color.

5. Select another paint color and click the "Paintbrush" tool again. This time, check the "Wet Edges" box on the top toolbar menu. Draw another block letter outline and note the differences; this letter's outline is somewhat transparent, letting the background show through, which is how graffiti may look on a dark or brick wall.

6. Click the "Fill" tool again, change paint colors and slide the "Opacity" bar at the top of the screen to 50 percent, then click inside the letter's outline. That too, fills with a semi-transparent paint.

7. Repeat to complete your graffiti block letters, then save the file by clicking "File," "Save As" and selecting "GIF" from the "Format" drop-down menu.

Using Paint

1. Open Paint and click "Image," then "Attributes." Set your preferred dimension sizes for the graffiti and click the "OK" button. Click the "Image" menu again and uncheck the "Draw Opaque" option. If it is already unchecked, just leave it as it is.

2. Click "View," then "Zoom," then "Large Size." This just gives you more room to draw; it doesn't increase your image size.

3. Click the "Spray Can" on the "Tools" palette on the left side of the screen. Select the smallest whirl spray head below it and a paint color from the "Color Picker" at the bottom of the screen.

4. Draw the outline of the first block letter. Switch paint colors and draw another letter, continuing until you complete your design. To get more concentrated paint, press and hold down your mouse key.

5. Save the file by clicking "File," then "Save As." Give the file a name and destination on your computer, then choose "GIF" from the "Save as type."

Tips & Warnings

• Each of the steps has you save your graffiti letters as "GIF" extensions, because "GIFs" are the only files that support transparent backgrounds. This allows you to take your graffiti block letters and add them to a brick wall image, street scene or other background and not have the opaque, white block behind it. If you're just sketching around and don't care about transparency, you can save your file as any extension you prefer. You can also skip the "Draw Opaque" step in Paint and choose "White" as your "Contents" background when setting up your Photoshop file.

References

• University of Washington: Photoshop Drawing Tools
• Microsoft: Using Paint