“Well, while you were in the bathroom, I sat down at this picnic table here in Bumblefug, Kentucky, and noticed that someone had carved that GOD HATES FAG, which, aside from being a grammatical nightmare, is absolutely ridiculous. So I'm changing it to 'God Hates Baguettes.' It's tough to disagree with that. Everybody hates baguettes.”

― John Green, An Abundance of Katherines

That concrete was looking mighty grey. That wall was boring as hell. That pillar is certainly not a photo opportunity and you are definitely not allowed to be here right now. Don't you have a real job? Normal hobbies? No siree.

At this point an inevitable disclaimer will follow that I've had permission and moved within the means of legality while creating these things. Well at least 90% of the time anyways. Vienna is actually surprisingly "Urban Art friendly", providing space and walls for young troublemakers to concentrate their talents. Not a bad initiative. If at any point I may or may not have been in a space I wasn't supposed to be, well, it's been many years...and the paint has faded or been replaced since, but my ghost remains.

I've posted a couple of these images in my younger days on steemit, however without much explanation or purpose. I figured I'd revisit certain things and expand/improve upon them for your enjoyment.

So, let's take a trip down memory lane!

About Materials:

Spray Paint - Versatile, fast, fairly inexpensive, fairly inaccurate unless stencilled.
Tinting Paint - Long lasting, weatherprood, expensive, very accurate.
White Wall Paint - Prepare your space (if able) with normal wall paint. Wait to dry.
Markers - Planning, Correcting, Highlighting. Non permanent for sketches, permanent for finishing.
Measuring Tape/Ruler - To get stuff straight/proportional
Brushes - Thin, thick, fine, coarse, broad, short, long. You'll want a range if you have the time and space.
Rollers - For those big areas. Saves time and paint. Also combines well with stencils.
Tape - Plan lines, colors, positive/negative space, tidy, save. Masking tape is recommended, Duct tape will take half the wall/paint down with it.
Stencils - best to pre-prepare. Cardboard cutouts for the quick bomb, metal and wood for more elaborate pieces.

Hint of the Day:

The ideal distance from spraycan to wall is about 30cm (1 foot).

So here we are back on the other side. I absolutely do not condone going out and breaking the law to produce graffiti. Most of the time it was either a planned/permitted activity. Try and find places where it's cool or make sure to ask people, you'd be surprised how many are willing to provide some space! If you do find yourself on the grey side of the law, travel light, be quick and know your exits.

It's been a couple of years since my last adventure and it's good to revisit it, perhaps it'll be time to take to the streets again soon.

bombs away,

ZeroOoC

Mirrored from Styx : https://www.nyx-labs.com/bombs-over-vienna-my-graffiti-retrospective/