Graffiti Artists Don't look at the act as Vandalism

Salem - Most graffiti artists don’t look at the act as vandalism, but as a form of self-expression or in some case entertainment. Many criticize the strictness of tagging laws, comparing the sentencing and fines with that of more severe or violent crimes. While the general public tends to sympathize with the victims of graffiti, citing the cost of removing paint or marker from a building, the artists often say it’s an improvement, visually speaking. Younger writers often point out that the act of graffiti pales in comparison to the drug use and violence that’s common among their peers. Like any element of popular culture, the slang related to graffiti is fluid, often changing and evolving. It tends to differ based on geographic location and personal or group preference. As a result, there are countless synonyms for every term, and while some are interchangeable, others represent nuances — for example, “hitting” might be used as a synonym for writing a tag, or it might be used to signify the tagging of numerous locations at once. Still, some trends in the language are dominant. Here are a few of the popular terms. Graffiti: A term rarely used among those who create graffiti. The practice is more commonly known as writing, tagging, scribbling or bombing. Blackbook: A book used for sketching graffiti art. Sometimes called a bible. Crew or cru: A group of graffiti writers who do their work together or share ideas or collaborate in some other way. Tag: A tag is a stylized but simple work of graffiti, often monochrome. Typically it consists of the name, moniker or symbol of the writer. Piece: A piece (shortened from masterpiece) is an elaborate, artful and time-consuming work of graffiti, often using multiple colors and/or shapes, words and scenes. Typically found on trains or large buildings. Throw-up: A throw-up or throwie is a graffiti work that takes some and talent time to create, unlike a “tag,” but isn’t as elaborate as a “piece” or “masterpiece.” Sometimes consist of the writer’s moniker but would use more sophisticated bubble-style letters.