1. Graffiti A controversial art form Start By Jane Mashburn

2. So, whats this all about?? Art is very diverse in its mediums, styles, meanings, and content. It can be simple, it can be complex, and it can be very controversial. Graffiti is one such controversial art, although its status as art is under debate. Some call it an art form worthy of display in galleries and exhibitions, others call it merely vandalism. This module will walk you through the history, characteristics, uses, artists, and controversies involved with graffiti. It will then be up to you to answer the question for yourself: Is graffiti art, or is it vandalism? On the following page you will find 6 menu options (including a self-test), which will link you to the areas of your choice. When you are finished with a section, click the menu button to return back to the menu and choose another topic. Enjoy! Next

3. Menu

4. History So… What is graffiti? Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted, or marked in any manner on property. It is any type of public markings that may appear in the forms of simple written words to elaborate wall paintings. Menu Next

5. Graffiti has existed since ancient times, with examples dating back to the ancient Greek and Roman empires. Early graffiti made from pigments can be found on cave walls, depicting animals and other aspects of daily life. Earliest Graffiti Previous Menu Next

6. Rome and Pompeii The term graffiti once referred to the inscriptions and figure drawings on the walls of ancient ruins, for example in the catacombs of Rome and Pompeii. Previous Menu Next

7. The Safaitic Language Graffiti gives us the only known form of the Safaitic language (form of Arabic). This language is preserved via inscriptions scratched onto rocks and boulders in Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. Safaitic language dates back to the first century B.C. …In other words, graffiti can preserve history! Previous Menu

8. Graffiti Styles Menu Next There are many different styles and techniques that graffiti artists use. They vary in time needed, skill needed, and the meaning behind them. The 4 styles discussed over the next three slides are: Stenciling Tagging Bombing Wild style

9. Stenciling Previous Menu Next Stencil graffiti is created by cutting out designs in stiff material and then placing that stencil over the intended canvas. The image appears when quick easy strokes of spray paint are sprayed over the stencil. This graffiti style is popular because it requires little time, so when it is done illegally, the culprits are able to paint and escape.

10. Tagging and Bombing Previous Menu Next A "bombing" is normally painted very quickly with two or three colors, sacrificing aesthetics for speed. Throw-ups can also be outlined on a surface with one color. Tagging is the most basic writing of an artists name. A tag is the graffiti artists personalized signature, and it is the most common form of graffiti.

11. Wildstyle Previous Menu Wildstyle is a more complex form of graffiti, that usually has interlocking letters and connecting points. Wildstyle is often harder for non-graffiti artists to read.

12. Why do people graffiti? Menu Next Reasons, whys, and uses: There are many reasons people do graffiti. A common reason is that they often want leave their marks to commemorate a relationship or state their presence. They also use it as advertising, for decorative purposes, and as a political voice…

13. Advertising Previous Menu Next People use graffiti to advertise both legally and illegally. Many graffiti artists take advantage of legal advertising, seeing it as a form of paid/legalized graffiti art. TATS CRU is often known for doing legal advertising campaigns (for such companies as Coca Cola and MTV).

14. Decorative Previous Menu Next Graffiti art can be decorative in manor, hung in galleries and distributed on walls as intriguing works of art.

15. Political Previous Menu Many of the most famous graffiti artists have strong political opinions, which they express through their work. Their political standpoints are often the reason they do graffiti work as well. Political statements can range from anti-war or anti-racism to anti- police/government or Nazi symbolism (like the swastika).

16. Graffiti Artists Menu Next There are thousands of people on earth who consider themselves to be graffiti artists, whether they are well known to society or not. Each of the following three slides has a well known graffiti artist with unique style and interesting work.

17. Revs Previous Menu Next Revs is the tag name of a New York graffiti artists whose work diary entries have earned him over the course of two decades the reputation of an artist provocateur. His real name is still unknown.

18. Pixnit Previous Menu Next She was an anonymous Boston based graffiti artist whom often did provocative stencil work Her art was designed to critique the uses and misuses of the urban environment.

19. Banksy Previous Menu Banksy is an anonymous British graffiti artist whom is possibly the most well known graffitist today. He is known for being a strong political activist and creating stencil work with social commentary.

20. Menu Next Moral Issues Graffiti is a very controversial topic. It is engulfed by many moral and legal issues. The biggest argument for graffitis lack of morality is its content. Aside from simple name writings, graffiti can often include very offensive, vulgar, and crude language and images. Many graffitists have strong political views, thus they try to shock the public with graffiti that will affect our society.

21. Menu Previous Next Moral Issues Another morality issue embedded into graffiti is resulting/related crime issues and other immoral acts. For example, graffiti can often be used as a gang signal to mark territory or to serve as an indicator or "tag" for gang-related activity. Thus graffiti can be a tool to foster immoral activity and crimes.

22. Previous Menu Next Legal Issues Graffiti advocates perceive graffiti as a method of reclaiming public space or displaying an art form; their opponents regard it as an unwanted nuisance, or as expensive vandalism requiring repair of the vandalized property. The fact is that if it is uncommisioned imaging, lettering, etc. on public property it is illegal.

23. Previous Menu Legal Issues In England, July 2008, a conspiracy charge was used to convict graffiti artists for the first time. Nine members of the DPM crew were convicted of conspiracy to commit criminal damage costing at least £1 million. Five of them received prison sentences, ranging from 18 months to two years. The unprecedented scale of the investigation and the severity of the sentences rekindled public debate over whether graffiti should be considered art or crime.

24. Menu Next Want to test your knowledge? The following self-test is a simple review to test your knowledge and memory. Read the first question and then click on the answer that you think is correct. If you get it wrong, just try again. Simply follow the arrows to more questions.

25. Q1) True or False Graffiti is a relatively new art form, arising in the early 1900s?

26. Correct! Next It is a very old art form going back to ancient Greek and Roman empires, and even ancient cave walls.

27. Incorrect! Back to Question

28. Q2) What language was preserved only by graffiti on boulders and rocks?

29. Correct ! Next

30. Incorrect! Back to Question

31. Q3) When referring to graffiti, what is a tag?

32. Correct! Next

33. Incorrect! Back to Question

34. Q4) True or FalseGraffiti can foster other crimes and moral issues?

35. Correct! Next

36. Incorrect! Back to Question

37. Q5) Is graffiti a form of art, vandalism, or both? Is it right or wrong to do it? Should perpetrators be punished? Next There is no right or wrong answer here. Simply take a moment to think about the questions posed above and about the moral and legal implications of graffiti. Do they matter, if so how much? Think about the moral and legal issues that run universally throughout all of art. What can you do in your art to represent your own values?

38. Want more information on graffiti, its controversial issues, and its artists? Next Check out these websites: The Graffiti Debate: Glorifying art or vandalism? The Anti-Graffiti FAQ PIXNIT Productions Banksy Graffiti Hurts General Graffiti Info

39. Congratulations you have completed this module! Click the spray paint can to exit this lesson.

40. Colors# of people from 1 st grade class who like this color # of people from 1 st grade class who dont like this color Blue1517 Red2582 Next

42. Cut out stencil in cardboard Place over canvas Spray quickly with aerosol paint How to do stencil graffiti: End show End show