Guess that Graffiti

Published

Have you ever tried to imagine a New York City without graffiti? Take a second, close your eyes, and picture all the shades of gray blending together. Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way and realized the purpose of this piece, let’s play a game to honor graffiti. 

Graffiti in New York City really took off during the 70’s along with the rise of other new art forms. The word graffiti simply means art that is done illicitly on public surfaces. Some of the major types of graffiti are; tags (the artist’s name), throw-ups or hollows (the iconic bubble letters), stickers (collaging), wheat paste (paper hanging), murals, stencils, etch (an acid marker to burn into surfaces), anti-style, calligraphy, and full color pieces. 

The following images were all taken in the West Village of Manhattan. Try to guess and see what kinds of graffiti are right under our campus noses. 

Simple cow drawing in black marker on a pink wall, "moo" in text bubble.
Graffitied pink doorway on sixth avenue.

The drawing of a cow is an example of anti-style because it deliberately follows no artistic guidelines.

Black and white photo of a bird on it's back.
Brightly colored stickers collaged on a single doorway surrounded by brick.

The photo of a bird on a door is a form of wheat pasting.

A black and white sticker of a French bulldog on an orange background.
A collage of stickers on an opened black door, as someone exits behind.

This pizzeria door is an example of stickering.

"King Baby" spray painted in black on a white wall.
A series of white windows covered in red, black, blue, and green graffiti underneath a neon yellow boarder and a fire escape above.

“King Baby” is a form of tagging left in multiple locations along these windows.

"Homesick" written vertically in yellow handwriting
An outside seating booth at Groove Bar with a graffitied window.

“Homesick” is an example of calligraphy. While still calligraphy, “homesick” is also the tag of an artist that can be found in other locations around the city.

"Darer" spray painted in big black and white bubble letters on a brick wall.
A brown doorway covered in pink, blue, and white writing with a colorful smoke shop sign on the left side.

“Darer” is a classic throw-up.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *