To all those visiting the Style Scouts® Urban Art Lab: In this special edition of Creative World 2019 you will find a compact collection of information on urban art, street art and graffiti. We shall be presenting you with the main aspects of our special show in the style of a classical black book, as the sketchbooks of graffiti artists are traditionally called. Starting with an explanation of the term, we have assem- bled basic information for you, covering the historical development of graffiti, right up to the most important techniques and tools of urban art. In the second part of this magazine you will find profiles of the artists participating in the Urban Art Lab, plus a feature on the Style Scouts® Graffiti Academy. „…our Urban Art Lab is intended to provide an initial introduction to the history, culture and technique of this You can find further information on our web- art form. Urban art becomes tangible through the work site. But feel free just to speak to us directly, of authentic graffiti artists of different generations...“ too! Carlos Lorente (Style Scouts®) That is exactly why we can only reach a proper attribu- tion of urban art and the techniques and tools connected with it if we have the various traditions and the history of Almost all forms of art in public spaces can be subsumed graffiti and street art clearly before our eyes. under the expression „urban art.“ In contrast to its illegal manifestations on trains and walls, it also seeks a com- To understand the most important disciplines, the question mercial path through galleries, takes place increasingly in of the artist‘s motivation is the most meaningful approach. interior spaces and studios, and is developing free from Political graffiti aims at provocation and message, street the strict rules of the classical graffiti scene. art ideally operates creatively in terms of public space, and style writing is based on the dissemination of an Nevertheless, the most important players in urban art artist‘s name in as unmistakable a style as possible. come from in the original disciplines of graffiti, and their creative DNA is indissolubly linked with them. STYLE WRITING STREET ART POLITICS A SHORT TIMELINE about 30.000 BC Cave paintings Ancient times about 1965 „Fresco painting“ Cornbread & Taki 183 about 1830 „The Birth of Style Writing“ „KYSELAK“ Tags The Urban Art Lab Mural has been designed and realised by Bond in colla- feature is the ability to animate parts of the design with an augmented-reality boration with Crow from Style Scouts®. Using the sketches below, we shall app. You will find more information about this on the Urban Art explain to you the most important epochs and contents. The mural‘s particular Lab stand. 1982 Film „Wildstyle“ 1980s Subway art and global graffiti – the hip-hop wave Future of Graffiti Early forms of street art Post-graffiti, urban contemporary, Stencil art, political murals calligraffiti, digital graffiti LETTER STUDY „S“ TAGS/HANDSTYLES SIMPLE STYLE BUBBLE STYLE SEMI-WILDSTYLE WILDSTYLE 3D-STYLE STYLES Style writing is without doubt the discipline of urban art Semi-Wildstyle with the greatest global dissemination and a mature tradi- Abstract letters with decorative elements, arrows tion and culture. The artistic focus is here on the stylistic and linkages. design of letters. Depending on the style, legibility is not always guaranteed for outside observers. Wildstyle Particularly abstract lettering style, featuring wild The aim of every writer is a distinctive style and the widest fragmentation and numerous decorative elements. possible dissemination of the artist‘s name on different media. Here is a selection of major styles: 3D-Style In 3D style the letters are placed in an imaginary Tags and Handstyles perspective space. Through effects of light and shadow Characteristic signature of a writer. Handstyles often and the avoidance of outlines (contours) a three-dimen- have components of calligraphy. sional impression is strengthened. Simple Style Simple block-lettering style. As a rule, easily legible and quick to do. Bubble Style Rounded, soft letters which are easily legible. Often inspired by the lettering in comics. TOOLS & TECHNOLOGY PAPER & BLACKBOOKS Paper and blackbooks (sketchbooks) are the traditional media for graffiti, to record ideas and draft designs for mural work. In this process black books in particular enjoy a high value. In the form of personal bibles and lovingly designed poesy albums they mostly remain hidden from outsiders and document the personal develop- ment of an artist. Before digital photography began to hold sway and social media became the preferred platforms for self-portrayal, black books were the central treasury of information for this global art form. TOOLS • Pencils • Crayons • Ink pens • Graphic markers • Calligraphy pens TOOLS & TECHNOLOGY INDOOR & MIXED MEDIA The classical tools of graffiti are only suitable for interiors to a limited extent. Sol- vent-based spray cans produce unpleasant odours and vapours which are injuri- ous to health. So water-based spray paint is a good alternative, which can also be worked using airbrush and paintbrush. Paint markers and high-coverage acrylic paints can be used in addition. In mixed-media technique almost all conceivable undersurfaces can be painted. TOOLS • Water-based spray cans • Paint markers • Airbrush pistols • Acrylic paints • Paintbrushes SURFACES • Glass and plexiglass • Wood • Textiles • Cardboard boxes • Linen • and much more TOOLS & TECHNOLOGY OUTDOOR & WALLS The outdoors are the natural terrain of graffiti and street art. Styles, murals and wall paintings need sufficient space and an interaction with the public sphere. Irrespective of whether urban art is practised within legal limits or illegally, some techniques have developed as standard. Since the 60s solvent-based spray cans (e.g. car paints) have been used, since these can be applied simply and ra- pidly. The line width can be modified simply by using multiple and various spray cans. Nowadays there are high-co- verage acrylic paints in all qualities and innumerable gradations of colour, opening up undreamed-off possibilities to artists. Wall paints, acrylic paints, rollers and paintbrushes are also popular tools for preparing preliminary sketches or to form the groundwork for large wall surfaces, or to design it completely. Tapes and adhesive tapes are likewise well-established aids. TOOLS • Spray cans and nozzles • Brushes • Rollers • Wall paint • Tapes SURFACES • Walls and concrete • Steel • and much more www.loomit.de Loomit from Munich is regarded as the most important German-speaking graffiti artist. Working since 1983, he belongs to the first generation of European urban art and was involved not only in the first completely over-painted suburban-railway train but, through his innumerable journeys and wall paintings, has had a formative influence on the international scene and has provided it with networking. Stylistically and technically Loomit moves effortlessly bet- ween style writing, street art and muralism. His readiness to experiment with the materials he uses for his work should be particularly emphasised. www.instagram.com/dejoematic Since the 80s Dejoe has been inextricably linked with Berlin‘s graffiti scene. He enjoys world-wide recognition for his unmistakable style, which transforms the letters D-E-J-O-E into dynamic shapes and abstractions. Work on paper and classically in black books is close to the artist‘s heart, and he is also enjoying success as a hip-hop DJ. Thus he is one of the founding fathers of a regularly meeting sketch circle, at which artists can exchange creative experience through the use of sketches. www.truluv.de Bond TruLuv from Leipzig is one of the most exciting exponents of street art when it comes to experimenting in lettering, shapes and materials. He is constantly alienating his own illustrations, which mostly contain the letters BOND, both calligraphically and stylistically. Large spatial multimedia installations, illuminated lighting graffiti and, most recently, experiments in augmented reality are also part of his repertoire. The Urban Art Lab‘s history mural has been realised by Bond and enriched with digital elements. www.instagram.com/wildfanta Fanta (WCDIB) is a founding father of the Munich graffiti scene and outstandingly networked both nationally and internationally. Coming rather from classical style writing, including a considerable number of authentic references to steel, he has developed stylistically over the last few years and advanced to ornamental abstraction. Recurring deco- rative elements in his original wild-style letters develop a life of their own and form meshworks of shapes and colours, some of which suggest a calligraphic approach. www.instagram.com/kidcrow_id www.instagram.com/fokus.81 CROW FOKUS (Kid) Crow has been working as a graffiti artist since Fokus has likewise been working as a graffiti artist since 1986. Stylistically he comes between semi-wild styles the mid-90s. His playful wild styles are extremely dyna- and cartoon figures. As early as 1998 he began to mic and empathetic. Since 2017 he has also been one of share his knowledge and organised Personal Initiative the workshop coaches at the Style Scouts® Graffiti Aca- Workshops and hip-hop jams. Since 2002 he has also demy. Together with Crow he is responsible for hosting been engaged in youth work and for a time looked after the action space and answers visitors‘ questions. young delinquents. In the process he was inspired in 2011, together with Hombre, to found Style Scouts®, the first graffiti academy with proper teaching in Germany, which opened its doors in Nuremberg in autumn 2015. Through Style Scouts® well-known graffiti artists and experienced teachers have developed a concept which gives children, young people and adults access to graf- fiti. As participants in workshops they work actively on design and experience the power of their own creativity and expressive skills. All are equal before the spray can Hip-hop and graffiti culture is not interested in origins or level of education.