Evolution of Graffiti

By- Royals Limbu

Worldwide History Of Graffiti

Derived from the Italian sgraffio, meaning scratch,
graffiti has been around since the beginning of
mankind. Pictures, such as those at the Lascaux
Caves in France, were mostly carved into the cave
walls with bones or stones, but early man also
anticipated the stencil and spray technique, blowing coloured powder through hollow bones around
his hands to make silhouettes. In ancient Greece,
fragments of clay were found on which notes had
been carved, while excavations in Pompeii brought
to light a wealth of graffiti, including election
slogans, drawings and obscenities.
In 1904, the first magazine to be focus on toilet
graffiti was launched: Anthropophyteia. Later
on, during the Second World War, the Nazis used
writing on walls for their Propoganda Machines
to stir up hatred towards Jews and dissidents.
However, graffiti was also important for resistance
movements as a ways of publisizing their protests
to the general public. One example is The White
Rose a group of German noncomformists who
spoke out agains Hitler and his regime in 1942
through leaflets and painted slogans, until their
capture in 1943. During the student revolts in the

1960s and 1970s, protesters made their view

public with posters and painted words. French
students often turned to the pochoir (the french
word for the stencil graffiti) technique, the
precursor of the present- day stencil movement.
Todays graffiti developed towards the end of
the 1970s in New York and Philadelphia, where
artists such as Taki 183, Julio 204, Cat 161 and
Cornbeard painted their names on walls or subway
stations around Manhattan. The unique make-up
of New York City - in which the Harlem slums and
the glamorous world of Broadway stand side by
side -- seems to have been a breeding - ground
for the first graffiti artists, bringing together many
different cultures and class issues in one single
place. This environment fuelled an artistic battle
against the power brokers in society, and a breakaway from the poverty and the ghetto. Cornbeard,
for example, became notorious by spray-painting
his tag (the stricking signature of a graffiti artist)
on an elephant in a zoo. Through these pioneers,
American graffiti was born, sweepingthrough the
world and drawing thousands of youngsters under
its spell.

Initially graffiti artists often used either their

real names ir nicknames, but soon the first
pseudonyms started to appear. The glut of new
graffiti artists brandishing their names across
the whole city inspired writers to find new ways
to make their work stand out. Tags got bigger
and bigger until the first pieces (short for masterpieces) appeared on New York trains. Many
artists sought recognition, either by spray-painting the most trains or the best pieces. Stencil
and street
artists, meanwhile, wanted to communicate with
the passer-by or shape their environment without
any constraints.
Seen, Lee, Dondi (RIP), Stayhigh 149, Zephyr,
Blade and Iz the Wiz became heroes through
the sheer quantity abd quality if their work.
Artists initially targeted trains because they
often travelled through the whole city and were
seen by millions of people. By the mid-1980s. it
was claimed , there was not a single train that
had not at one time been spray-painted from top
to bottom. This changed in around 1986, when
the New York authorities took steps to protect

their property from graffiti by putting up fences

around station yards and buffing trains regularly.
As the New York writerstravelled around, the
graffiti phenomenon spread throughout the
whole of USA, and soon trains became targets
in Europe. At the same time, the first exhibitions
took place in Amsterdam and Antwerp. Pieces
started to appear in almost every European city
from the early 1980s, although Amsterdam and
Madrid had fostered and earlier graffiti movement that had its root in punk.
However, it was only really with the arrival of
hip-hop that the European graffiti scene took off.
The majority of graffiti in Europe was based on
the American model, which remains the most
popular to this day. With hip-hop, graffiti entered
almost every Western and Western-influenced
country and then started to edge out further
afield. Asia and South America caught on later,
but their graffiti culture is now growing at a phenomenal rate and has already reached a high
standard, particularly in South America.

Today, the art world and the general public is

more open toward graffiti art. The public has
become more tolerant and appreciative of this
underground art. In Los Angeles, for example: The
Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) organized
an exhibit celebrating urban graffiti on walls,
subways and buses; and it proved to be a hugely
successful show.
The Art in the Streets Exhibit featured
prominent street artists like Taki 183, Banksy,
Keith Haring, Henry Chalfant, etc. This is actually
the first major US museum exhibit on graffiti and
street art. The exhibition traces the development
of graffiti art from the 70s to the international
movement its become today. It featured installations, paintings, sculptures and mixed media that
helped shape the evolution of graffiti art.
Graffiti art is widely recognized around the
world. There have been exhibits and galleries
worldwide dedicated to the celebration of graffiti
art. Another prestigious exhibition is Born in the
Streets, at the Fondation Center in Paris, France.

Graffiti Today

The Here And Now

The New York model of graffitit centered
around the distortion of letters, but many new
approaches have since emerged - pushing the
boundaries of graffiti culture. Over the years,
the original style has developed to encompass
a whole range if different typographic forms: the
legible blockletter, the distorted and interwined
wildstyle, the familiar bubble style and 3D.
Characters, which started iff as an ancillaries
to letters, now form their own graffiti group
and range from the comical figures to those of
perfect photorealism. Logo and iconic graffiti, on
the other hand, specialize in striking emblems or
figures respectively.
Although the spraycan, the traditional
graffiti tool, remains key to writers worldwide, the
choice of material available these days - oil or
acrylic paint, airbrush, oil-based chalks, posters
and stickers, to name a few - is extensive and
has widened the scope artistically. The stencil
technique (which involve using a paintbrush or
spraycan to paint images or words through a
template) has recently brought to the fore some
of the most recognizable graffiti artists - such
as English artist Banksy, with his mix of ironic
and politically motivated pictures, and German
Bananensprayer Thomas Baumgartel, who has
stencilled his bananas on countless galleries
and museums.
The emergence of the internet has also
played an interesting role in the evolution of
graffiti. Although some artists shun this new
medium, arguing the direct experience of the
art form is crucial, many graffiti artists and their
followers have welcomed it with open arms as
na additional field of action. Massive archives

has been set up by enthusiasts and artists. One

example is Art Crimes, which has become the
definitive worldwide siste for highlighting the
talent of many writers for a wider audiene. In
many countries, these banks of pictures and
information data are an important means of
access to influences from other parts of the
world. Before the internet revolution, different
continents, cities and even districts had their
own distinctive graffiti cultures. Today, those
local differences still exist to some extent but
have been inspired by styles from all over the
world. For countries such as South Africa and
Russia, which artists have tended to neglect on
their travels, and where it is often impossible to
get hold of graffiti magazines and books, goodquality spraycans and caps (the spraycan nozzle,
which determines the spray width), the iternet
can offer invaluable possibilities.
The various historical aspects of graffiti
brought together in this book, and the different
forms and techniques that are around today,
have made it necessary to group all the style
branches under the word Graffiti. Many artists
tend to distance themselves from this word
because they think that it is no longer contemporary. Morever, it often conjures up image of
vandalism and defacenment, or is treated as a
generic term for the street art. As a result, a lot
of artists prefer to label their work as aerosol
art, post-graffiti, neo-graffiti and street art in
order to differentiate themselves. I do not wish
to make any reference to vandilism by using the
term Graffiti but, rather, to include and present
a specific graffiti style, along with their most
interesting pioneers.

FOREWORD
Graffiti as we know it today may have a relatively short history
but it has managed to touch almost every corner of the globe.
Letters used to fominate but today the culture has expanded: new forms are explored and characters, symbols and
abstractions have begun to proliferate. Over the past few
years, graffiti artists have been using a wider scope of
expression. Personal style is free to develop without any
constraint, and stickers, posters, stencils, airbrush, oil-based
chalk, all varaties of paint and even sculpture are used. Most
artists have been liberated from relying solely on the spraycan.
As a result, many now refer to a post- graffiti movement,
characterized by more innovative approaches to form and
technique that go beyond traditional perceprions of the
classic graffiti style. To reflect these changes in the graffiti
world, these new directions have become a focus of this
book.
In this book, I am focusing on the specific evolution of the
graffiti known as Light Graffiti. I have tried to attempt the
most comprehensive presentation ever published of the most
intersting and influential artists of the related techniques and
a truly unique perspective of it. I have deliberately not divided
the contents by any country, sex or race , deciding instead
to order artists by my personal favourites. This is because
nationality, race and sex have no bearing on the graffiti scene.

Royals Limbu

Ashford, UK, 2015

What is Light Graffiti?

History

Light graffiti, or light drawing, is a photographic technique in which exposures are made by moving a
hand-held light source while taking a long exposure photograph, either to illuminate a subject or to
shine a point of light directly at the camera. Light painting can also describe works where the camera
itself is moved during exposure.
Painting with a point of light on a long exposure dates back to 1889, and was used in Frank
Gilbreths work with his wife Lillian Moller Gilbreth in 1914, when the pair used small lights and the
open shutter of a camera to track the motion of manufacturing and clerical workers. Man Ray, in
his 1935 series Space Writing, was the first known art photographer to use the technique.
Photographer Barbara Morgan began making light paintings in 1940.

Techniques
Traditional light painting uses handheld lights to selectively illuminate or color parts of the subject or scene.
Light painting requires a slow shutter speed, usually
at least a second in duration. Light painting can take
on the characteristics of a traditional painter.
Light paintings can be created using a webcam. The
painted image can already be seen while drawing by
using a monitor or projector. Another technique is the
projection of images on to irregular surfaces (such as
faces or buildings), in effect painting them with light.
A photograph or other fixed portrayal of the resulting
image is then made.
Kinetic light painting is achieved by moving the
camera, and is the antithesis of traditional photography. At night, or in a dark room, the camera can be
removed from the tripod and used like a paintbrush.
An example is using the night sky as the canvas, the
camera as the brush and artificially-lit cityscapes as
the palette. Putting energy into moving the camera by
stroking lights,[clarification needed] making patterns
and laying down backgrounds can create abstract
artistic images.

Light graffiti, more specifically light drawing, dates back to 1889 when tienne-Jules Marey and
Georges Demeny created the first known light painting Pathological Walk From in Front
In 1949 Pablo Picasso was visited by Gjon Mili, a photographer and lighting innovator,
who introduced Picasso to his photographs of ice skaters with lights attached to their skates.
Immediately Picasso started making images in the air with a small flashlight in a dark room.
This series of photos became known as Picassos light drawings. Of these photos, the most
celebrated and famous is known as Picasso draws a Centaur. During the 1970s and 80s Eric
Staller used this technology for numerous photo projects that were called Light Drawings.
Light paintings up to 1976 are classified as light drawings. In 1977 Dean Chamberlain gave
birth to light painting (using handheld lights to selectively illuminate and/or color parts of the
subject or scene) with his image Polyethylene Bags On Chaise Longue at The Rochester
Institute of Technology. Dean Chamberlain was the first artist to dedicate his entire body of
work to the light painting art form. The artist photographer Jacques Pugin made several series of images with the light drawing technique in 1979. Picasso and Milis images should be
regarded as some of the first light drawings. Now, with modern light painting, one uses more
frequently choreography and performance to photograph and organize.
In the 1970s and early 1980s, Steve Mann invented, designed, built, and used various
wearable computers to visualize real-world phenomena such as sound waves, radio waves, and
sight fields by light painting using computational photography.
This artform enjoyed a surge in popularity in the 21st century, partly due to the increasing
availability of dSLR cameras, advances in portable light sources such as LEDs, and also in part
due to the advent of media sharing websites by which practitioners can exchange images and
ideas.

Michael Bosanko
Light painting photographer Michael Bosanko has been capturing light since 2004. He discovered
light painting on accident, Michael says this of his moment of discovery, the moon formed part of
the scene, but the camera shake caused the moon to make a streak. My curious mind clipped the
camera from the tripod and, hand held, I attempted to write my partners name using nothing but
the moonshine and the movement of the camera in my hand, and I had success. As soon as I
returned home, I adopted the same principles but with torches, and Ive been hooked ever since.
Ever since that moment Michael has had great success with light painting photography, he has
created images for several commercial clients and been published in numerous magazines

Eric Staller
Light artist Eric Staller could be called the father of light drawing or light graffiti in its present day
form. Staller was born in 1947 in New York. He studied architecture at the University of Michigan
and graduated with a bachelors degree in 1971. Towards the end of his time at UOM Eric started to
create sculpture and pieces of performance art. From 1976 to 1980 Staller roamed the dark streets
of New York City creating light painting photographs. Erics Light Drawing series could be the very first
Light Art Performance Photographs ever created. It could be argued that Man Rays Space Writing
series were the first light art performance pieces but there is no doubt that Stallers images such as
Light Tubes, Happy Street, and Technicolor Torsos all envoke elements of performance art. In the late
1970s staller set up his camera, open the shutter, and moved throughout the frame creating some
amazing light painting photographs. Erics Light Drawings series is one of the most influential series
on light painters today.

Aurora Crowley

Jadikan

Light panting photographer Aurora Crowley has been capturing light for more than 14 years. He was
doing hair, makeup, and styling on a photo shoot in 1996 when his good friend, and fellow artist,
Patrick Rochon introduced him to light painting photography. Aurora was immediately inspired, as
soon as he got home that night he began to create his imagery. Aurora focuses his photography work
on the world of high fashion, he shoots exquisite light paintings of some of the worlds most beautiful
people. You might look at his images and think he doesnt have bad days, but you would be wrong. On
Auroras first ever light painting shoot for a big designer his camera locked up, Aurora says this about
the incident I was shooting film with a medium format camera and the shutter locked up, which then
I started to rip the shutter out in front of the client with a pair of needle nose pliers. Energy is Auroras main source of inspiration he says this of a trip to Australia in 1997,

Light Painting Photographer Guilhem Nicolas, also known as Jadikan-LP, has experimented with long
exposure photography for many years; in 2008 he discovered light painting photography and has
been hooked ever since. Jadikan is a Malaysian word that mean to create or transform. Guilhem
wants his work to bring a transformation to his viewers. He wants to convey that we are all light and
that we are all capable of creating light art. Guilhem is known for being a bit mysterious and secretive
in his process and with the tools that he uses to create his light painting images. He enjoys shooting
a wide variety of subjects, everything from the human form to architecture. Guilhem lives in France
where he creates most of his light painting work. He recently had the opportunity to travel to Nepal
where he paid tribute to one of his favorite street artist, Space Invader, with a light painting photograph titled Tribute to Space Invader

Equipments
A variety of light sources can be used, ranging from simple flashlights to dedicated devices like the
Hosemaster, which uses a fiber optic light pen. Other sources of light including candles, matches,
fireworks, lighter flints, glowsticks, and Poi are also popular.
A tripod is usually necessary due to the long exposure times involved. Alternatively, the camera
may be placed on or braced against a table or other solid support. A shutter release cable or self
timer is generally employed in order to minimize camera shake. Color gels can also be used to color
the light sources.
Some light painters make their own dedicated devices to create light trails over the photo background; this can include computer-controlled devices. This Arduino controlled LED array can render
images that could not be made by drawing in the air with a single light source alone.

How to Create Light Graffiti Photography

3. Set your camera to Manual mode if its a DSLR, and

make the shutter speed 30 seconds(looks like this on the
screen for Canon: 30), or have a friend help and set it to
BULB mode. BULB mode allows for the shutter to stay open
for as long as the trigger is pushed. A longer shutter speed
means more time that light is allowed in through the lens.

4.Set your ISO to one hundred or two hundred, depending

on the brightness of the room you are in.

1. Get a flashlight, glow stick, or something that provides

colored or non-colored light. One of the newest creations is
a pixel stick. Be sure to check them out!

5. Set your Aperture (or f/stop) to 5.6. A lower aperture

means more amount of light entering into the lens. The
higher the aperture, the less light.

2. Go into a totally dark room. A bedroom with a kind of

high bed or table would help as a tripod. Or a real tripod.

6. Put it on a two second timer so you have time to get in

front of the lens, or have a friend press the shutter button
or do the pattern..

Few of my works
7. Face the flashlight at the lens, and start writing, drawing,
or doodling your design.

8. When the shutter opens, you have thirty seconds (or

however long your friend decides, if using BULB mode) to
write. When the shutter goes off, check out your masterpiece! This can also be done with sparklers, lightening, or
highway photography with blurred head and tail lights.

Acknowledgements
I would like to thank all my contributing friends for their help. Without their amazing help, none of this
would have been possible.
Very special thanks to my those who helped with the book : Maidstone Titans, MadhiDinesh Photography, Thakuri.co, UnkFew crew, MdotS Bhujel, MikkuFly, Asim malla and Dinesh Thapa. Id also like to
thank Deliahly for her technical expertis and Benji hang for his thoughts, Apologies to all those who I
havent been able to include but without your unfailing support, this would not have been possible.

Picture Credits
All pictures were supplied or taken by the artists themselves.