In this lesson of learning how to graffiti, I will be going over a variety of different ways to look at adding your own 3D elements to your graffiti tag. This is one simple way to add a sick amount of depth to a piece. 3D does not have to be complicated, though there is always room for a higher detail. I guarantee you that after reading this, you will have broadened your views on the possibilities you have with 3D graffiti tags, and will be able to implement 3D skills easily into your tags and sketches.
There are 3 main “styles” of 3D that most writers add to a piece to make it come alive. Below are the different types, and some good representations of their formats:
Shaded 3D Graffiti Tags
These are perhaps the simplest examples of 3D to add to a piece. I think of this as “shaded,” as it often makes me think that the tag is nothing more than a 2-dimensional object, floating over the surface it was painted on. A light source is creating the shadow, which adds the “3D” element to what would normally be a 2D tag.
As you can see with this tag, it appears as if there was some large light source in the left center of the 2D picture, casting some sort of shadow on the tag wall below.
Directional 3D Graffiti Pieces
These are very common in the US, and are generally more complicated than the shaded 3D graffiti. Still not difficult to do though! The easiest way to describe this type of graffiti is by describing the use of a vanishing point in your sketches.
The vanishing point – when looking at the sketches below, follow the lines of the 3D shading drawn. They all lead to a single point in space. This point that all 3D lines lead to is called the vanishing point.
You can do this.
All you have to do is take your tag, mark a point (say, bottom center of the tag), and extend every edge of your sketch a certain distance towards this point. The lines that do not overlap the outlined sketch already drawn – those are your lines for the directional 3D tag.
You can make this fantastically complicated, too. Try creating a tag that starts out with a thick 3D outline on the right, and gradually reduce the extension of all of your 3D lines as you move leftwards on your sketch. Now, it is 3D, and has a varying thickness. Also, different angle vanishing points can be cool (note: only one vanishing point per sketch – if it does not flow, it looks sloppy). Pretend everything is on a sphere, and the thickness is really changing!
European 3D Graffiti
These pieces are complicated. Honestly, it takes a special eye to master one of these 3D graffiti pieces. The concept of the European 3D graffiti, is to take a piece, and shadow it as if it was a real living thing in this world. Imagine if the piece was alive, and made of “stuff” never before imagined.
These 2 pieces are from the artist, Daim. Fantastic representations of the European 3D graffiti piece. This version of 3D is very common in Europe, and not as much elsewhere in the world (hence, the name European 3D).
With these, it is all about visualizing these as actual “things” in the world, and witnessing all of the shadows that could possibly be created. It takes a lot of practice to learn how to realistically shade, and the best way I would recommend is to start with practicing sketching things you see in everyday life, and making them come alive.
Based on the other 2 forms of 3D graffiti, you have gotten used to 3D images, and this is just the next step. It just requires practice.
So take this lesson, apply it to your sketches, and start creating a new depth to your piece.
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