tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29398459505418812132024-03-13T07:47:27.990-07:00Graffiti GuideUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2939845950541881213.post-21560599624673810092009-09-24T12:21:00.000-07:002009-09-24T12:37:48.234-07:00Buying Paint in IrelandGetting your hands on Spray paint in Ireland can sometimes be easier said than done. There are several ways of getting paint in the major cities, if not all of them (apart from kerry obviously lol)<br />The easiest and quickest way, but not necessaraly the cheapest always way is to go into the nearst city, find the local Skate, Graff, Art, Book and even Sex Shop and see if they have paint. A large number of them will have MTN at least and some of them stock a good varity for both piecing and bombing.<br /> There is some unofficially designated graff shops about the place too eg. South Central (Limerick) or All City "Records" (Dublin) These have pretty much everything you will need to constructively and creativly vandalize any city, They will have racks of paint, shelfs or markers, mops and inks, its a writers dream. The downside is they are so rare and hard to find.<br /> Since this article is about buying paint i wont go into racking, but there is no shortage of BnQ's, Halfords, Car Shops etc. that all stock pretty ok paint for bombing and arent the hardest at all to rack from.<br /> Next up is the under-recognized especially amount the new writers is the Internet, now the downsides are nearly every site wont deliver out side the U.K, or US (rember we fought the cunts to be outside the UK... that now has one downside) but you can still get markers, mops, inks, stickers, pretty much anything but paint as it can explode during delivery from there. But the good news is All Citys Website, You can order paint from it and they deliver it pretty cheap, concidering their paints pretty cheap anyways its definitely worth it to get what you want. Another site is ebay, you can buy Molotow, Mtn, Montana etc.. off ebay and because there small dealers they wont have a problem shipping it some times.<br /> To order online you need a credit card but 3v is one of the greatest things in the last few years, its like a disposable credit card that is pay-as-you go, so there is no debt. Check it out on <a href="http://3v.ie">3v.ie</a><br /> .<br />So now there shouldnt be that excuse anymore that "oh umm theres like no paint in town, lets not bother goin out bombin weekend"Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2939845950541881213.post-27180078582006079762009-05-28T08:21:00.000-07:002009-05-28T09:23:50.312-07:00How to Roll a Joint<h1 class="text" align="justify"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;"><span class="GreyBold">Rolling Papers</span></span></strong></h1> <p class="mainText" align="left"><strong><img src="http://www.concept420.com/images/joint/rolling_paper_pic.gif" alt="Rolling a Joint" align="left" height="68" hspace="5" width="100" />Rolling Papers</strong> come in all shapes, sizes,colours and designs. Novelties aside, the best <strong>skins</strong> are the ones which stick where and when you want them to. These nothing worse than spending half an hour on your masterpiece only to have it fall apart at the crucial moment. Rice or wheat straw are recommended - the thinner and finer the better. Most of these designs are based on using standard size papers but work just as well with king size. <img src="http://www.concept420.com/images/joint/rolling_paper_pic2.gif" align="right" height="68" vspace="15" width="120" /></p> <p class="text" align="left"> Paper never got anyone high so the aim is always to use as little as possible. Try tearing your papers down to size. Some judicious trimming can also make the joint easier to roll. The wider, squarer types of paper give you more scope for creating tailor made skins of different shapes. </p> <p class="text" align="left"><img src="http://www.concept420.com/images/joint/rolling_paper_pic3.gif" alt="Roll a Joint" align="left" height="74" hspace="5" width="120" />If things start go bit pear-shaped the humble skin can save the day. Gummed strips torn from a spare paper make excellent bandages for tears, leaks, gaps and other emergencies. The strips are also ideal for creating joints between <strong>spliffs</strong> and <strong>roaches</strong>. </p> <p class="text" align="justify"> </p> <p class="text" align="justify"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;"><a name="howtorollajoint"></a><span class="GreyBold">Rolling the Joint</span></span></strong></p> <p class="text" align="left">Most people reading this will be well practiced the art of rolling a decent, smokeable joint. However, for those with more thumbs than fingers and a zero rating on the Kudos scale, here are few basic tips</p> <p align="left"><span class="text"> <img src="http://www.concept420.com/images/joint/rolling_joint_1.gif" alt="Rolling a joint mix" align="left" height="112" hspace="5" vspace="7" width="121" />The mix is perhaps the most important part of the joint. Make sure the consistency is even and break-up or remove any lumps or 'woody' bits.<br />The shape of the finished joint is decided by how you distribute the mix over the papers. Many of the numbers here are cone-shape. Cones tend<img src="http://www.concept420.com/images/joint/rolling_joint_2.gif" alt="Rolling a joint mix spread" align="right" height="97" vspace="7" width="120" /> to smoke more smoothly than straight joints, but are slightly harder to roll. </span></p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left"><span class="text"><img src="http://www.concept420.com/images/joint/rolling_joint_3.gif" alt="How to Roll a Joint" align="left" height="108" width="118" />Putting the roach in before rolling is recommended and saves time and hassle. You're also more likely to get a perfect fit.<br /> </span></p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left"><span class="text"><img src="http://www.concept420.com/images/joint/rolling_joint_4.gif" alt="Joint Rolling" align="left" height="93" vspace="0" width="120" /></span><span class="text">Now for the 'tricky' bit. Pick everything up and start in the middle, rolling outwards. Let your thumbs do most of the work and give support and pressure with your forefingers. You should start to feel the mix firm ing inside the paper.<br /> </span></p> <p align="left"><span class="text"><img src="http://www.concept420.com/images/joint/rolling_joint_5.gif" alt="Twist the Joint" align="right" height="89" width="120" /> When you have an even consistency tuck down the facing paper edge with tips of your thumbs, wrap the excess paper around the joint, wet the and seal that baby!<br /> <img src="http://www.concept420.com/images/joint/rolling_joint_6.gif" alt="Final Joint!" align="left" height="119" width="120" />The best joints are firm but so tight you have to bust a lung drawing smoke. Loose joints taste rough, burn too fast and have a nasty habit of setting light to clothing and furniture. </span> </p> <p class="text" align="justify"> </p> <p align="left"><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2939845950541881213.post-65046410562733217912009-05-26T06:06:00.000-07:002009-05-26T06:07:13.752-07:00Graffiti Wars<h1 align="center">THE GREAT GRAFFITI WARS OF THE <br />LATE 20TH CENTURY</h1> <hr align="center"> <h3 align="center">***D R A F T C O P Y*** <br />MISSING: NOTES, CITATIONS, ILLUSTRATIONS </h3> <h4>© copyright 1995 SHERRI CAVAN, PH.D.<br /> DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY<br /> SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY<br /> 94132</h4> <p><b>ABSTRACT</b>: This paper addresses the distinction between deviance and diversity by focusing on the interrelated complex of rule makers who prohibit graffiti, rule enforcers who attempt to eradicate it and rule breakers who are motivated to make their mark on the environment in spite of the active opposition of others. Each of these social roles is embedded in a subculture that justifies and organizes the activities of its members, creating meaning and morality, motivating and reinforcing behavior, even in the face of failure (to eradicate graffiti) or punishment (for making graffiti). </p> <h3>INTRODUCTION: DEVIANCE & DIVERSITY</h3> <p>In the early years of the 20th century philosophic and scientific ideas about relativity challenged the assumption of a single, fixed perspective. By mid-century these ideas were reflected in sociological theorizing. In this new manner of thinking, a single, unified standard gives way to multiple social realities that coexist and commingle, sometimes in conflict, sometimes in cooperation, sometimes oblivious to one another. The moral absolutes that dominated the pre-modern mind do not disappear, but they are no longer the only conceivable standard of judgment. Besides what appears as the dominant culture are multiple subcultures, each with its own vital agenda of values and goals, standards and sanctions, differentiated by power, influence and style. <b>[FN.] </b> </p> <p>Relativity emphasizes the parts power and politics play in establishing the dominance of one subculture over others and thereby establishing the agenda of the dominant or official culture, that unique subculture against which all other subcultures are evaluated and subordinated. What is officially regarded as deviation (that category of acts the authorities seek to prohibit and punish) and what is an expression of diversity (any tolerable alternatives) is but a temporary expression of the dialectics of difference----the conflict between the authorized version of social reality and all those other claims. <b>[FN.]</b>(SERIAL MURDER, AND CLAIMSMAKING) </p> <p>Relativity views "social order" as an ongoing, practical accomplishment, a product or by-product of people going about their everyday lives making rules, breaking rules, enforcing rules, and witnessing these moral dramas of deviance from one standard and conformity to another. <b>[FN. Becker, Lemert]</b> </p> <p>Many topics illustrate the relativity of deviance and conformity and how these practices become institutionalized in the complex of subcultures that, taken collectively, make up society as an entity. I will address the topic of graffiti---those unauthorized words and images that appear in public places. </p> <h3>METHODOLOGY</h3> <p>This paper derives from fifteen years of studying graffiti, among other topics---specifically political and white collar rule breaking. The graffiti project began in l980 as the subject of a qualitative research seminar I was teaching. It continued as a personal exploration in the theory and methods of visual sociology. <b>[FN.]</b> Gradually it became a cross-cultural odyssey. <b>[FN. on the sample]</b> </p> <p>My research is not funded. However, graffiti is not difficult to observe: it is everywhere. I use a very small camera, a notebook and a pencil to document my observations. I talk to people about graffiti, eliciting their opinions and experiences. I have a growing network of contacts with people in the graffiti world and with people who are active in graffiti eradication. I maintain a copious file of clippings and illustrations that document what is known of the history of graffiti and the ongoing "graffiti war" as it is reflected in my local community, San Francisco, and elsewhere. Friends, colleagues, acquaintances and students, aware of my interest in graffiti, provide me with clippings, pictures, references and stories. I keep current with the research being done by others in this field. <b>(FN: graffiti bibliography)</b> This analysis is based on these sources</p> <h2>THE GRAFFITI WARS</h2> <p>Since the 1980s, authorities in communities throughout America have used the rhetoric of "war" to define the "threat" posed by graffiti and to justify the mobilization of community resources to eradicate it. The monetary cost of these aggressive campaigns is in now in the billions of dollars and it is difficult to calculate how much ink and video tape has been expended in popular stories about the graffiti menace.</p> <p>Yet by any measure, there is more graffiti now then before graffiti was declared a social problem and war envisioned as the solution. Almost two decades have passed since this war was decreed. Despite the considerable economic and social resources the rule makers have invested, despite the enthusiastic support of these polices by both official and volunteer rule enforcers, despite the continued support of the graffiti eradication program in the press and on television, the war has not been won. Instead, the conflict has been institutionalized. </p> <p>Subcultures of rule breakers have emerged out of this routinized conflict. The beliefs and practices associated with the "aerosol nation" of youthful graffiti writers have taken form and substance from their conflict with the authorities and the conflict with one another. <b>[FN. </b>Matza, Subterranean values<b>]</b> What was historically an ad hoc activity, motivated by impulse, became organized, with rules governing the behavior and a value system establishing the basis for judgment and reward, differentiated internally into high status muralists and low status taggers, as well as outlaws who "dis" (disrespect) their peers as well as disrespecting the establishment. <b>[FN...]</b></p> <p>These ideas and images associated with the graffiti subcultures diffused from big cities to the suburbs and small towns throughout America and abroad. <b>[FN.]</b> The young (mostly) males involved in the subcultures represent every race, every ethnicity, and every social class. The innovative style coming out of these gangs that call themselves "crews" has been established as an identifiable style of art by being featured in mainstream galleries, museums, and art books, along with being the topic of criticism in established art journals. <b>[FN.]</b></p> <p>On the other side of the equation, subcultures of anti-graffiti enthusiasts have emerged, providing residents of local communities with an issue to rally around. Schools, churches and neighborhood watch groups, as well as independent good Samaritans, have joined together in collective action to eradicate the menace from their community. In San Francisco, hardly a month goes by without an announcement of a graffiti eradication work party taking place in some part of the city. People meet and sign in, establishing a network of activists who are willing to come out on a cool and foggy Saturday morning to paint out the marks the graffiti artists have painted in. The city provides paint and brushes; local businesses provide coffee, donuts and juice.</p> <p>In the rhetoric of the ruling class, graffiti symbolizes anarchy, its very presence an unquestioned threat to social order. Graffiti destroys the beauty of the environment and challenges the resolve of the authorities to maintain their aesthetic vision of what public space should look like.<b>[ pictorial examples of the dominant aesthetic]</b> </p> <p>The anti-graffiti crusaders act in the name of established authority. They make their mark by marking over the anarchy of the rule breakers, eradicating what is "ugly" and "offensive". Despite cursory instructions that "neatness counts", the crusaders use very little technique in their applications, and the paint they are provided rarely matches the background color, although sophisticated computer color matching has been developed and entrepreneurs with a van can match the background paint on the site. Their services are costly, but they eliminate all traces of the multiple layers of meaning expressed by the interaction between the rule breakers and the rule enforcers. Without the services of background color matching it is difficult for the untutored eye to distinguish what is beautiful and what is not; what is anarchy and what is style; why irregular patches of beige, often dripping around the edges, are preferable to elegant calligraphic curlicues in bright colors, carefully applied to express technique by avoiding drips and splatters<b>. (pictorial examples of anti-graffiti whitewashing and what is eradicated) </b></p> <p>Like the graffiti movement, the anti-graffiti movement goes beyond the local community. In 1991 The National Graffiti Information Network was established in Long Beach, California. That fall, they held their first extra-local conference in Denver, Colorado. Reinforcing one another's belief in the seriousness of the graffiti problem, participants included city officials, community leaders, and neighborhood volunteers. Entrepreneurs with newly developed products that can be used in the eradication of various types of graffiti were present also. The president of a painting company planning to market a new anti-graffiti coating is quoted as saying, "Business is booming". Participants at the Denver conference discussed the latest technologies for graffiti eradication, the need for stricter laws, better enforcement, and more stringent penalties, along with ideas about prevention programs. <b>[FN article + experience.]</b></p> <p>Graffiti artists also have an entrepreneurial side. Unauthorized art in public places can be the beginning of a professional career in the art world, as it was for Keith Haring, who began painting in New York subway stations. However, the fads and fashions of the art world are constantly changing. Whether they come from art school or from the streets, few who begin a career in art make art their profession for long. <b>(FN BECKER, ROSENBAUM)</b> </p> <p>The career of the dilettante street artist is even shorter than that of the professional artist. Regardless of whether or not they have encounters with the legal system, most leave the scene by their early twenties. There are very few thirty year old graffiti artists. <b>(FN Werthman & Pilavian, police encounters with juveniles)</b> </p> <p>Still, some like Crayone manage to keep a foot in different worlds, advertising his work in various local papers, earning money for commissioned pieces, and still occasionally getting up with his crew, "Together with Style". I first met him at the big, a fresco graffiti gallery on Market Street. One afternoon I ran into him as he and a crew of two were painting a large "Save The Rainforest" mural on the wall of my corner grocery store. Crayone said the grocers were paying him $300 for the job, which took most of a day, part of a day, and considerable spray paint. My grocers are not connoisseurs of art. Their objective was to inhibit "tagging", and indeed, the wild style mural on the long wall of the grocery and the realistic portrait of Bob Marley on the short wall have remained relatively pristine compared to the walls on either side of them. When the murals are tagged, Crayone returns and touches up the mischief.</p> <h2>MULTIPLE REALITIES</h2> <p>In the museum at Ephesus, Turkey, there are two Greek portrait busts. On each sculpture the nose is broken off and a cross is carved on the forehead. The English guidebook points out these "marks of vandalism" to tell the history of the statutes and the place where they were found. The curators did not remove these pieces from the viewing public because Christian zealots "ruined" what the Greek classicists had in mind when they created these works of art. Instead, the marks are incorporated into the story as part of a series of events that make up the history of these pieces of art and that part of the world.</p> <p>Similarly, people do not go to the ancient city of Pompeii and say "Look at all that graffiti. This place is a mess. Those people have ruined everything for everyone else. I'm sorry I ever came here." Instead they view the copious graffiti on the walls of that place as a normal feature of the landscape. Guidebooks help tourists decode the popular inscriptions written on every public wall. No distinction is made between the proper and the improper, between what is valuable and what is vandalism. All is history. The frescos represent the history of the elite; the graffiti represents the history of the common people. <b>(FN Tanzzer)</b> In contrast, the current mayor of San Francisco made the eradication of graffiti a cornerstone of his campaign for office, claiming that graffiti is one of the "quality of life offenses" that drive tourists away from the city and therefore cost the community money in terms of unrealized revenue.</p> <p>Actually, the presence of graffiti may enhance rather than diminish market values in the modern world. Consider the Berlin Wall. For over 40 years, photographers have documented the ever changing graffiti that embellished the west side of the wall, where dissent was still possible. When the wall was demolished as evidence of the reunification of Germany, segments of the wall went to various museums and libraries, as well as private parties. In California, both the Nixon Memorial Library and the Reagan Memorial Library exhibit a slice of the wall, ablaze with graffiti, exhibited as a symbol of the historic era. Ironically, it is the existence of graffiti that makes it obvious that the wall has been installed upside-down in the Nixon Library. There, in the gift shop, visitors can buy considerably smaller chunks of the wall. The pieces with graffiti are priced higher than the unembellished chunks.</p> <p>The impulse to make a mark on the environment is very ancient. Since prehistoric times people have used the available technology to make a record of themselves, their beliefs and their practices. In fact, ancient painted and carved rocks are critical data for archaeologists in their quest to reconstruct the prehistoric era. <b>(FN LASCAUSU)</b> We do not describe these marks of our ancestors as "destroying nature", even though we use these terms to define the same behavior by our contemporaries. Employing this logic, the national parks service carefully preserves the petroglyphs and rock paintings of the past while they suppress, erase and punish anyone leaving their mark on the landscape today. One is "history", the other is "vandalism."</p> <p>These examples suggest that whether making a mark on the environment is a characteristic expression of our species---that is "history"---or whether it is a kind of perversity---that is "vandalism"---is relative. It depends on who is making what marks in what social and historical context and with what objectives, as well as who is passing judgment on this activity and why. If we see "graffiti" and think "dirty, ugly, meaningless, visual pollution, wrong, destructive, bad" we express a socialized point of view<b>.</b> The truth of these judgments is not some absolute reality that is "natural and obvious" but instead, truth is a point of view that is learned from and reinforced by a variety of others: our peers, our parents, the authorities, the media taking the role of the "generalized other". <b>[FN. social learning theories] </b></p> <p>Critically important to the social construction of meaning are people in positions of power and authority, the rule makers. They form, inform and reinforce the perceptions and judgments of an authorized social reality and they enforce this ideal by various methods of reward and punishment.</p> <p>What makes graffiti wrong is the claim that "public" space should represent <em>only</em>the interests of the propertied class. This unspoken assumption is the premise from which contemporary graffiti is defined as ugly, meaningless, dirty, destructive and the wholesale eradication of graffiti is viewed as a socially responsible act. Unlike the rule makers at the museums in Ephesus and Pompeii, American lawmakers do not see the marks on the walls of the city as representing a part of history, speaking to the lives of powerless and marginal people. Rather, in defense of their singular claim to public space, the authorities have undertaken a broad range of punitive actions. In California, as one example, the graffiti menace serves as the justification for legislation restraining trade by prohibiting the sale of spray paint and broad tipped ink markers to people under the age of 18. In response, some young people identify themselves as the "aerosol nation". Their goal is to question the rules of authority by doing art wherever and whenever they can, while other youth tag over their peers expressions and rule enforcers paint over them both.</p> <p>In various communities throughout America local authorities have</p> <ul type="disc"><li>installed barbed wire around popular graffiti sites </li><li>put guard dogs in train yards </li><li>installed hidden video cameras to document the identities of offenders </li><li>created complex entrapment programs to lure graffiti writers into nonexistent "documentary films" </li><li>proposed caning or paddling offenders </li><li>established laws calling for fines, community service incarceration, loss of driver's license </li><li>proposed punishing the parents along with punishing the actual offenders </li><li>enacted laws punishing merchants if they do not eradicate the marks on their buildings, lest their indifference give the appearance of support to the prohibited activity. </li></ul> <p>Local authorities believe these responses are appropriate punishments for breaking their rules about who has the right to express themselves where. </p> <p>By using their power and influence to legislate against the practice of graffiti, civic authorities transform a very ordinary and ancient form of behavior into a crime. Those who practice graffiti become rule breakers---"criminals"---while community resources from public sentiment to cash allocations are mobilized in defense of the authorized version of public space. </p> <p>Despite all of the propaganda, prohibitions and punishments associated with contemporary graffiti, representatives of the dominant culture exploit the character and style of graffiti when it is profitable to them to do so. Film makers who want to give an ethnic or class illusion to a neighborhood cover the walls with imitations of the graffiti that the city authorities are trying desperately to eradicate (cf. "Sister Act"). In a recent advertising campaign, the billboards for an automobile incorporated what looks like graffiti sprayed on the ad but is actually part of the authorized text. The National Graffiti Information Network protested Chrysler's glorification of crime. Nonetheless, those who make the rules that prohibit graffiti by defining it as "bad" recognize a category of "good graffiti" as a function of who is writing what where when and why. During the 1990 Gulf War, the al-Mutla barrage killed thousands of Iraqi servicemen and civilians. A newspaper account describes the copious graffiti American troops left on the enemy equipment destroyed at this gravesite. In his State of the Union address the following year, President George Bush quoted some of this "good" graffiti as testimony to the courageous and independent sprit of American youth serving in the interests of their country. <b>[FN.]</b></p> <p>These authorized distinctions between "good graffiti" and "bad graffiti" suggest that the "graffiti problem" is about constraints on freedom of expression. Graffiti gives voice to unusual, unpopular, unacceptable, inaccessible ideas, expressing them in unorthodox and unauthorized places. When graffiti is forbidden by the authorities, it is a crime. </p> <p>As a social practice, it is most frequently (but not exclusively) done by powerless, marginal people, people without social and/or economic resources, people without property rights. <b>(FN)</b> Those who own space have few restraints on what they can express. Although the freedom of expression of the propertied classes has been tested on more than one occasion by neighbors protesting one another's taste in art and/or politics, American courts have generally sided with the right of the individual to self-expression. For example, when the case of "too many Christmas lights" was brought before the Supreme Court, Justice Clarence Thomas upheld the lower courts ruling that the offender reduce his Christmas display (Dec., 1994). The accused was not prohibited from embellishing his property, only admonished to keep that expression "within limits". People without property rights find themselves in a very different situation. Having no economic assets there is no place they can express themselves freely. Rather than being appreciated for their creative spirit and the colorful contribution they make to the urban landscape, they are introduced to law breaking by those who criminalize their behavior.<br /></p> <h2>BUT WHAT IF EVERYONE DID THAT?</h2> <p>What would happen if graffiti were not criminalized? Would everyone rush to the walls with magic marker and spray paint? Not necessarily. The more involved people are in the everyday management of their own lives, the more involved they feel in the affairs of their community and the more varied ways they have to express themselves, the less likely they are to do graffiti. One way to inhibit graffiti is to provide meaningful participation in a richly textured social life to the poor as well as the rich, the young as well as the mature, although such a proposal is clearly neo-utopian thinking.</p> <p>Besides, marginality is always relative and other reasons motivate graffiti in addition to expressing discontent or striving for status in an adolescent peer group. <b>(FN REVIEW OF MOTIVES)</b> It is unlikely that the impulse to make a mark and send a message will ever be eliminated. Even the National Graffiti Information Network acknowledges that the best they can hope for is "containment".</p> <p>What would be the consequence if graffiti were not prohibited but seen instead as diversity, as modern petroglyphs or urban folk art? A different aesthetic. Public space would appear different, although perhaps not much different. Those who are seriously involved in the graffiti subculture---and therefore those who are motivated to do the most graffiti---act with very little regard for the punitive consequences of their actions now. If there were no punitive consequences, there would not necessarily be more graffiti than there is today. </p> <p>Eliminating the risk and high stakes associated with getting caught diminishes the thrill associated with breaking the rules of the dominant culture and therefore makes graffiti less desirable to some, especially young males looking for a way to test their manhood individually and to bond with others collectively. So it is very possible that <em>without criminalization</em> there would be <em>less graffiti</em> than there is now, less restraint yielding less motivation to resist.</p> <p>Even if there were no change in the amount of graffiti, there is another socialized way of seeing. Outdoor "graffiti galleries" can be examples of a different aesthetic of public space. They are "folk art" in the literal definition of the term: spontaneous expressions of untutored artists. (<b>FN--, PLUS LEBFERVE)</b> Public space embellished with multiple layers of colorful graffiti looks different from space that exhibits the authorized aesthetic of unadorned gray or beige surfaces. But outside of a cultural system of aesthetic values, no thing is inherently beautiful nor inherently ugly. By broadening our values, we encompass rather than exclude alternative versions of beauty and joy.</p> <h2>SO WHY BOTHER? WHY MORE PROHIBITIONS AND MORE SEVERE PUNISHMENTS?</h2> <p>Why bother to legislate against graffiti and propose more and more severe punishments for an activity as insignificant as leaving a bright colored mark on the public walls of the city as testimony of the authors' mortal existence?</p> <p>We must understand that the graffiti wars are not just about conflicting definitions of pleasure and aesthetics. They are also about displaying power and displacing attention. Even if the authorities were to acknowledge that graffiti expresses a different aesthetic, they would still demand the right to control what the city looks like, for that is what power and influence are about. Establishing the canon for what is beautiful and what is ugly is one of the ways power and influence are displayed. Punishing the behavior of others is another way power and influence are displayed. </p> <p>In addition to asserting their power and extending their influence, those in positions of authority have a vested interest in perpetuating the conflict. (a.) It reinforces the war metaphor; (b.) It fulfills the need for a scapegoat; (c.) it mobilizes citizen involvement with and allegiance to authorized objectives. </p> <h2>THE "WAR METAPHOR"</h2> <p>The war metaphor is a way of seeing that views <em>all</em> conflict as expressions of victory and defeat, winning and losing, total success or contemptible failure. The war metaphor leaves no room to see conflict as a tragic misunderstanding, or as a comedy of errors, or as a cautionary message. Rather, in this gothic vision of the world, no conflict is too small or too insignificant to symbolize war. Consider some of the ordinary headlines in my local newspapers, the San Francisco Chronicle and the San Francisco Examiner:</p> <p>Mortgage lenders wage telephone war (3/22/93) </p> <p>5-yar bidding war for Continental getting hotter (10/7/92) </p> <p>Task force wars on toxics (9/20/86 </p> <p>Scientists say U.S. is losing war on cancer (2/5/92) </p> <p>"Preventing playground warfare" ( 11/5/92) </p> <p>"Airline fare wars" (2/14/93) </p> <p>"Peace in our Park as dahlia war ends" (9/4/93) </p> <p>"US is winning chip war vs. Japan" (4/7/92) </p> <p>"Success in S.F war on graffiti" (7/20/86) </p> <p>"S.F. losing war on graffiti" (6/30/87) </p> <p>This ubiquitous metaphor---and its derivatives such as enemies, aggression, killing and destruction---is found at every level of the popular culture. As a single example, consider the advertising copy for a video game, targeted for both youthful and mature consumers:</p> <p>[T]he Super New. Street Fighter II, the hottest arcade ...game around is here...purchase the game with only one objective---to win!</p> <p>The war metaphor enflames the passions with fear---whether virtual or real---and patriotism---whether symbolic or emotional. The war metaphor polarizes the world into the implacable enemy, who plays by no known rules, on one side and on the other, the embattled forces of virtue, pushed to extremes in self-defense . <b>(FN 20th c.)</b></p> <h2>TECHNIQUES OF DISPLACEMENT</h2> <p>The drug wars, the wars against the poor and the homeless, the wars against street crime, litter, and environmental degradation, the great graffiti wars of the late 20th century are all wars for distraction. They mobilize community sentiment against a powerless, named enemy while the passions they engender direct attention away from other events. The "enemy" is a scapegoat, given the ritual role of both evoking and diffusing strong sentiments, feelings, emotions.</p> <p>In part. these domestic wars of distraction serve as substitutes for more ambitious wars. The end of the Cold War and the beginning of the domestic wars are found in close historic proximity. Waged with enthusiasm on both sides of the globe, from the American perspective, the cold war cast our former ally---the Soviet Union---in the role of our nemesis. In the name of national defense, civil rights were curtailed and military spending expanded. The voices of youthful dissent that were raised in the 1960s reopened the debate about "freedom of expression". The defeat of American military forces in Viet Nam in the 1970s challenged the unquestioned superiority of American military intervention. By the 1980s, the Cold War came to a symbolic end as our enemy gave up its evil ways, converted to capitalism, and reentered global society.</p> <p>If we examine these domestic wars in their historic context we see that they are declared and waged through the 1980s, as though to substitute for the loss of more grandiose conflicts. </p> <p>However, they served other interests as well. The 1980s was also a period when the crime rate of the ruling class was rising dramatically.<b>[FN.]</b> During this time, stories about the graffiti menace are found on page one of the newspaper while stories about white collar crimes appear in the business section or buried on a back page with the obituaries. Where "war" is the metaphor used to describe the conflict between the authorities and powerless people, "scandal" is the metaphor used to refer to rule breaking by the rich and the powerful. While community sentiment is actively mobilized <em>against </em>youthful graffiti artists, white collar criminals who raided the savings and loan industry are subsidized by legislative bail-outs that passively mobilize the taxpaying public in <em>defense</em> of ruling class rule breaking. In l990, Fortune Magazine listed 282 men and 49 women who had been found guilty of one or more felonies involving fraud (of over $100,000 for each count) in conjunction with the failure of the American Saving and Loan institutions in the l980s. Though the cost to tax payers for repaying the insured depositions may amount to more than a trillion dollars, these people received an average sentence of 3.5 years, and spent even less time in prison. The editors of Fortune write, "Today's S&L fraud dwarfs every previous carnival of white-collar crime in America." (p.92: Nov. 5, l990)</p> <h2>PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT</h2> <p>In addition to displacing attention away from elite rule breaking, wars waged against powerless people give ordinary citizens an opportunity to "do good" by enforcing authorized rules. It empowers them---or at least it gives them the impression of power. </p> <p>My neighbors established an adopt-a-sign-or-a-wall anti-graffiti policy in our small district, each pledging to keep their site free of graffiti by applying paint provided by the city and stored in the garage of a helpful neighbor. Since I declined to engage in these anti-graffiti activities, a neighbor from around the corner took over the responsibility for the sign in front of my house as well as patroling his own sign. These efforts brought people in the neighborhood together with a serious purpose. The feelings of power experienced from actively defending their neighborhood against the forces of chaos led someone to suggest that we also eradicate the myriad of notices that get posted on the utility poles that transverse the neighborhood, advertising lost cats, a man with a van, spiritualists and heavy metal bands. I was more successful getting my neighbors to recognize this as a freedom of speech issue. So instead of making it a neighborhood policy, they invoked the principle of lazier faire: people who wanted to remove notices from the utility poles could do so and others could leave them. Next the topic of pigeons came up---how we could get rid of these "filthy creatures". My neighbors' experience with graffiti-eradication was leading them to dreams of increasing control over the public spaces of our neighborhood. </p> <p>In contrast, the complexity, the remoteness, and the considerable power and influence of political and white collar criminals does not invite ordinary people to be active participants in law enforcement. The complexity of the activity involved in elite rule breaking creates a barrier to easy comprehension. The institutions of information and influence do little to enlighten the public about the crimes of the ruling class, since the owners of these agencies have membership in that class and may themselves be active participants in either the crimes or the cover-ups, or both. Ordinary people are removed from the scenes of elite deviance; they learn about the nature, the extent, the scope and the consequences of elite rule breaking only when the institutions of secrecy break down. <b>(FN examples)</b>. The FBI Uniform Crime Reports represent the basis of all public statistics about "crime in America". It addresses only interpersonal crime, not institutional assaults. White collar crime is neither statistically traced nor tallied, so there is no official record of its extent, whether it is decreasing or whether it is increasing, rates of recidivism, the dollar cost to society, etc.. </p> <p>Segregated from the sites of power and influence, ordinary people generally learn about elite deviance as theater, as the media play out the dramatic scandal of ruling class rule breaking in headlines, television coverage and radio talk shows. The social, economic and political success of former while collar felons minimize their perceived threat to society. Consider a few of the more publicized careers: Convicted of burglary for political objectives, G. Gordon Liddy spent 52 months in prison. Upon his release he took to the lecture circuit with his former "enemy, Timothy Leary, had a few bit parts in Hollywood movies, and now is from convicted political burglar to national radio talk show host on the air four hours a day, five days a week. Convicted on numerous counts of fraud and manipulation of stock and bond markets, Michael Milken went from prison to the lecture halls the U.C.L.A. School of Business. Public outcry forced his resignation, but the fact that he was invited as an inspirational speaker is telling in and of itself. A few years earlier, his mentor, Ivan Boesky, addressed the graduating class at the UC. Berkeley, telling them, "Greed is good." Like his prodigy, Boesky also spent time in federal prison, emerging from his sentence tanned, rested and ready to resume his place in the ruling class. Consider Oliver North. Accused of masterminding a complex extra-legal financing of Latin American insurrection forces in defiance of congressional order, his convictions on three felony counts, including lying to congress, were overturned on appeal. After running a close but unsuccessful campaign for the United States Senate from Virginia, he was awarded his own radio talk show in the Washington DC. area. Like Liddy, North is in an especially powerful position, able to influence large numbers of people that their vision is right. </p> <h2>CONCLUSIONS</h2> <p>How we as observers feel about graffiti is a function of whose side of the conflict we are on---whose values we share or do not share, whose status we respect, whose situation we empathize with----the authorities who make the rules, the people who enforce them, or those who break them. <b>[FN. Gouldner]</b> During the second world war, inmates in German concentration camps left copious graffiti wherever they dared, in direct defiance of the rules of the Nazi authorities who prohibited and severely punished such expressions. Today, most people see those defiant acts of the inmates as heroic, they would understand the vision that graffiti expresses is an authentic and poignant voice of oppressed people facing genocide.</p> <p>Placed in their historic context, the great graffiti wars of the late 20th century illustrate the relativity of judgments of deviance and diversity, and how the dynamic interaction between the participants of different subcultures, each with their own agenda and resources, produce the perceived reality of these conflicts. </p> <p>At least two version of the 1980s exist. The version from the top is one of technological and economic growth. The version from the bottom is one of social and economic oppression. By the 1980s, the last vestiges of the social and economic programs that expressed the idealism of the 1960s had atrophied, while deregulation of a variety of industries, especially banking, severely effected the flow of cash through the society. Profiteering was the rule in financial transactions. Technological innovations replacing human labor with automated production and service systems combined with corporate management practices of "downsizing" the workforce to protect and enhance profits. As a result, great wealth was created for some, along with great poverty for many. </p> <p>Beneath the surface of technological progress and economic success was and still is a massive sea of discontent. Historic records document the fact that urban walls are always coopted by the disenfranchised to express their discontent. <b>(FN)</b> But in the historic context of the 1980s, local authorities overreacted to this expression. Rule makers were quick to define graffiti as a challenge to their authority. There was little resistance to criminalizing the behavior. In response to the authorities, subcultures emerged, motivating more and more elaborate expressions of graffiti. The authorities escalated their sanctions and the sub-cultures became more entrenched. As the rule breaking subculture grew, anti-graffiti subcultures emerged. At an graffiti eradication work party, I overhead someone say that the graffiti artists had also read the announcements about the graffiti-eradication workday. They came out the night before and added considerably more graffiti around the school, providing more work for their graffiti foes. Like a video game, the participants are locked into a version of Street Fighter II, parents against children, authorities against outsiders, the powerful against the powerless, each the nemesis of the other. </p> <p>Between the first version of this paper and the last, a youthful tagger has been shot and killed by an armed citizen intent on protecting public property from enemy attack. The Los Angeles County district attorney's office declined to file murder charges against the gunman; the aunt of the slain 18 year old threatens revenge. (Chron 2/8/95, p. D16; Examiner, 2/24/95 pA7) The conflict continues to escalate.</p> <p>Can a society that envisions war as the ultimate metaphor, enshrines hierarchy while preaching democracy, and practices the politics of exclusion rather than inclusion ever acknowledge writing on the walls as an ancient and common practice, as expressive of our humanity as making those walls gray and imposing? Today's graffiti challenges the authorized vision of social reality. But these aerosol revolutionaries are powerless and young. They fit the criteria for an ideal scapegoat better than the ideal of a cultural liberator. Even though their innovative, visionary styles are routinely coopted, commodified, and capitalized on, it is unlikely their aesthetic visions will be granted legitimacy in the 21st century, if such a thing is possible at all. </p> <p> Author: Sherri Cavan <a href="mailto:scavan@sfsu.edu">scavan@sfsu.edu</a> </p> <p> Cavan, Sherri, "The Great Graffiti Wars of the Late 20th Century"<br />Paper presented at the Pacific Sociological Association, 1995 </p> original archived at <a href="http://userwww.sfsu.edu/%7Ekazbeki/">http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~kazbeki/</a><br /><br />Ripped from Graffiti.org - Great ArticleUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2939845950541881213.post-90085778904067176672009-05-24T08:13:00.001-07:002009-05-24T08:13:28.668-07:00Racking OnlineI sent this to elmers.com just to see if it worked, and it did. They are sending me a new marker soon. I know that its just one, crappy marker, but if this worked, it should work on other sites too.<br /><br />P.S. my name isn't James Timberman<br /><br /><br />From me:<br />Hello, my name is James Timberman, and I recently purchased a Painters Marker from the local Walmart for a home project to decorate a flower pot.<br />When I had gotten home and opened the marker, I proceeded to fill the nib<br />with paint, when all of the paint in the marker bled through the tip and made a big mess. I have bought your products before, and I like them very<br />much. I would prefer you send me a new product instead of a refund. Thank you.<br /><br />From them:<br /><br />If you will please reply to this e-mail with your full address, I will be happy to send you a new Painter. Please also let me know what color and what tip size(fine,medium, ultra-fine). Thank you.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2939845950541881213.post-15744522500861545502009-05-24T07:54:00.000-07:002009-05-24T07:57:00.417-07:00Shoplifting TechniquesSome common techniques in the ancient art of retail theivery.<br /><br /><br /><br /><b>"Accidental" stealing</b><br />In "Accidental" stealing, a thief takes his place in the queue with the items he intends to steal, and pays for only one of those items while holding what he intends to steal in full view to cause confusion (or places said items into his pockets), while avoiding suspicion due to his apparent intention of payment. In the unlikely event of being caught, the thief can simply pass off the attempt at stealing as accidental. This method is also referred to as "left handing," a reference to the stolen item being held in the left hand while payment is made with the right.<br /><br /><b>Baby stroller boxes</b><br />This scam involves the use of baby stroller boxes, which tend to be quite large in size. A would-be shoplifter removes the stroller from the box and proceeds to conceal a large amount of merchandise inside. The would-be shoplifter then reseals the box and takes it to a checkout aisle, where he pays the purchase price for the stroller. If the scam is successful the would-be shoplifter walks out of the retailer with concealed merchandise still inside the stroller box.<br /><br /><b>Bagging, Simple</b><br />The '''Simple Bagging''' Tactic is when a would be shoplifter bags the item in a bag that they have brought into the store (ex. purse or shopping bag from another store). This generally done while no one is watching.<br /><br /><b>Bag switching</b><br />Bag switching methods are generally attempted by a group of two shoplifters. Typically the first shoplifter will have a large bag and gather a large amount of merchandise quickly to get the attention of a Loss Prevention Investigator. Once the first shoplifter knows that he is being followed he will conceal the merchandise into the bag. The first shoplifter will then switch his bag with the second shoplifter, who usually has a matching bag that is already filled with items that don’t belong to the retailer. Often the Loss Prevention Investigator will miss the switch and arrest the first shoplifter. Subsequently, the first shoplifter may claim false arrest and receive a gift card from the retailer.<br /><br /><b>Barcode counterfeiting</b><br />In barcode counterfeiting the shoplifter will bring in pre-made barcodes from low value items. They are then applied over the barcodes on higher value items. This allows the shoplifter to go through the check out process, make a payment, have any secruity tags deactivated by the clerk and walk out without any suspicious behavior. The shoplifter might be working with the check out clerk to ensure the incorrect prices are not noticed.<br /><br /><b>Barcode Switching</b><br />This is when a shoplifter switches the tags/barcodes between to pieces of merchandise most likely putting the cheaper tag on the product they wish to obtain<br /><br /><b>Booster boxes (bag)</b><br />A booster box is a device that allows a would be shoplifter to conceal a large quantity of merchandise on his person. These boxes are lined with metal or some other substance to prevent security tags from setting off the security gates at the exit. Typically professional shoplifters of large girth most commonly attempt this scam. The use of booster boxes is most prevalent at clothing retailers due to the fact that clothing merchandise can be easily molded to fit inside the box. Some professional shoplifters have been known in the past to attempt to use booster boxes to conceal electronics and DVDs.<br /><br /><b>Coupon returns</b><br />One of the more common scams involves returning items that were paid for partially with coupons. Some stores, including Target, refund the entire item amount, including the amount discounted by coupons. Shoplifters involved in this scam often shop at multiple stores, and have family members return items so that no suspicion is aroused.<br /><br /><b>Defective software scam</b><br />A person buys a piece of software from a computer store, exits, opens software, and records serial number/CD key for single license of the software purchased. After at least a few hours the same person re-enters the store he bought the software at and complains to customer service that the installation disc is defective. Most computer store policies allow same-item exchange for opened computer software, so person is given a different copy of the same software. The scammer now has two licenses after only paying for one. A more convincing variation includes intentionally nicking the top layer of installation CD/DVD, rendering the discs actually defective before exchanging it.<br /><br /><b>Double cart</b><br />Two shoplifters are usually involved with this scam. They fill two carts with goods and approach the checkout. They load the checkout with the high value goods first. The cashier scans the items and removes the security tags. One of the shoplifters bags the items and places them back into the now empty first trolley. As the second trolley is being scanned the first shoplifter leaves with the first trolley while the second shoplifter stays at the checkout. The remaining goods are scanned and the cashier awaits payment. The second shoplifter puts on an act of a forgotten wallet. This gives the first shoplifter time to load the goods into a vehicle. The second shoplifter then makes an excuse to go and get her wallet, and leaves the remaining goods at the checkout. She then leaves the store and they escape with the high value goods.<br /><br /><b>Fake return</b><br />Sometimes shoplifters will actually gather an item from the selling floor and try to receive money for it without a receipt at the return station. Although this method is not as fool proof as the receipt matching method, it is very effective particularly when done to an inexperienced cashier. Usually the shoplifter will start complaining to the cashier about his inability to return the merchandise. Typically the shoplifter will state that he lost his receipt or threaten the cashier by stating that he wants to talk to the employee's supervisor. To avoid confrontation the cashier will ring up the return and give the shoplifter the value of the merchandise. (See refund theft.)<br /><br /><b>False alarm scam</b><br />The shoplifter grabs something with a tag on it, puts it into someone else's bag, and waits for him to walk out. As soon as the alarm goes off the shoplifter walks out with whatever he's stolen without being stopped.<br /><br /><b>Fitting room bagging</b><br />Typically this scam is seen in large clothing retailers. This scam generally preys upon the common Loss Prevention policy of prohibiting the apprehension of shoplifters when concealment is not actually seen by an investigator. The shoplifter enters a retail establishment with a large bag, and then selects a large amount of merchandise and takes it to a fitting room. Once inside, the shoplifter conceals the merchandise into the bag out of sight of store employees and store investigators.<br /><br />This technique is very effective due to the fact that most department stores do not supervise the dressing room (they do not check the amount of clothes a person has before and after using a dressing room). Also, because it is common to leave clothes in the dressing room that one does not wish to purchase, entering a dressing room with clothing and exiting with none will arouse no suspicion.<br /><br /><b>Gift card cloning</b><br />In this scam, a normal store gift card with no value attached is stolen from a store. The shoplifter then clones the magnetic strip on the back of the gift card and makes a copy or copies of it. The original gift card is then returned to the store by the shoplifter. The gift card is activated once purchased by another customer, and the dollar amount applied to the legitimate gift card is passed to all the cloned gift cards.<br /><br /><b>Grab and run</b><br />A common shoplifting technique is known by the Loss Prevention community as a "grab and run." Simply put, a shoplifter enters a retail establishment usually with prior knowledge of what he is looking for. The shoplifter moves very quickly toward the merchandise he or she wishes to steal. Once the shoplifter has found the merchandise, he or she proceeds toward the nearest store exit, usually while running. Due to the short amount of time that the shoplifter is inside the store, persons who attempt this scam are seldom caught or, in some cases, even detected.<br /><br />Less common is for a group of people to rush into a store, grab as much merchandise as possible, and then rush out. The speed at which this happens as well as the large number of people involved make this approach difficult to stop.<br /><br /><b>Metal-lined clothing or containers</b><br />Metal-lined sacks, containers, or clothing (such as aluminum foil-lined undergarments) allow a would-be shoplifter to shield the RFID tags attached to merchandise concealed on his person from the scanners at the door of a store (see Faraday cage). 2001 Colorado House Bill 01-1221 made it a misdemeanor to possess, use, or know about and fail to report others who possess RFID shielding devices with intent to foil anti-shoplifting devices.<br /><br /><b>Milkshake subterfuge</b><br />A less common shoplifting technique used for smaller high-dollar items is the milkshake subterfuge. A milkshake is purchased by the shoplifter and taken into the store. The shoplifter proceeds to drop small heavy items like jewelry into the milkshake. On leaving the store her milkshake is unlikely to be searched. Shoplifters using this method must be wary of drinking too much of their milkshake or the items will be revealed in the bottom of their cup.<br /><br /><b>Opening the item</b><br />This is a very simple form of shoplifting that has been used for years. The shoplifter gets a small valuable item, quickly puts it in a pocket, so that CCTV cameras and store staff don't notice. Then the shoplifter goes to the public toilet, opens up the item, and flushes wrapping down the toilet. The shoplifter is sure to unwrap the item so that alarms will not go off when he or she leaves. After finishing this, the shoplifter simply walks out with it in a pocket. To combat this, many stores have policies barring unpaid merchandise from being taken into restroom facilities.<br />Alternatively, with DVDs or other disc type merchandise, the shoplifter picks up the item and walks away with the look of wishing to buy additional merchandise. In another area of the store, the shoplifter very precisely cuts a slit in the cellophane wrapping on the side the case opens on. Using a plastic knife (most commonly, but can be anything rigid and flat that will do little damage to the disc, such as a popsicle stick) the shoplifter pops the disc off of the internal clasp and slides the DVD out from within the case. They then leave the item's case somewhere in the store and exit with the disc hidden. Often this is not discovered until the item is purchased and opened legally.<br />Another smaller value version of this method is usually used in a grocery store. The shoplifter walks up to an item that they could eat or drink while browsing and does so. An empty can be discarded on any shelf in the store (stores usually do not provide a trash can so no forgetful consumer throws away what they should be purchasing). Even if the shoplifter is not finished with the item, by the time they approach the check out counter the cashier will sometimes think they came in the store with it.<br /><br /><b>Out the wrong door</b><br />This method requires a common outside door with two diverging doors from the vestibule: one for an entrance (which is not usually supervised) and one for an exit. Two people enter the store. One person retrieves merchandise from the selling floor. When this person is ready to leave the store, he waits at the entrance door. The other person walks around to the exit, walks into the vestibule and activates the entrance door on the way out, and the person with the merchandise also leaves. Sometimes the second person will just distract the cashiers while the person with the merchandise waits for some unknowing customer to enter the store and activate the entrance door.<br />Another variation is to exit through a fire door. Although these are alarmed, by the time staff respond, the shoplifter will be long gone. Many stores now have fire exit doors that operate with a delay - the alarm is set off several seconds before the door can be opened.<br /><br /><b>Power failure</b><br />In the event of a power failure where all lighting and CCTV goes out, the shoplifter quickly grabs as much merchandise as possible and calmly leaves the establishment before power is restored.<br /><br /><b>Razor Finger</b><br />This technique involves using a razor blade to remove or destroy security tags on merchandise. The razor blade is taped onto the fingers with medical tape to give the appearance of an injury. The blade is then used to cut off or destroy the security tags. This technique was used in the book ''Evasion''.<br /><br /><b>Receipt matching</b><br />The receipt matching scam involves using receipts to match merchandise codes from the receipt to items found in a store. Most retailers use company specific merchandise codes on their merchandise so store personnel can identify the location more quickly and efficiently. Additionally the merchandise is used to verify merchandise that was purchased at a particular retailer during a return. This information is printed onto the receipts of purchased merchandise.<br />Typically shoplifters will search either retailer's parking lot or trashcans looking for receipts that have a high dollar item on it. The shoplifter then enters the store and compares the code on the receipt to the codes printed on the merchandise in the store. Once the shoplifter finds a match he will take the merchandise to the return area and receive money for it. Typically, to avoid detection, shoplifters will use a piece of paper with the merchandise code they are looking for written on it.<br />Another variation is to purchase the target item, then leave the store, and send a friend back in with the receipt to obtain the same item. The friend can either return the item right then, or leave the store with a second target item.<br /><br /><b>Receipt passing</b><br />A person walks into a retail store and buys a high-value item, such as an iPod. On the way out he gives the receipt to a friend who enters the store, receipt in hand, picks up the same high-value item and a low-value accessory, at the checkout he shows the receipt to the cashier explaining he already bought the item, but walked back to buy the accessory. The accessory is then purchased, and thus the thieves get two for the price of one. This method is combated by locked merchandise.<br /><br /><b>Rope and fenceline</b><br />In large retail stores such as Home Depot and Walmart that have Garden areas where there is no ceiling, two shoplifters will attempt to steal merchandise. One shoplifter will wait outside, while the shoplifter inside will take a cart full of merchandise (such as drills or sawblades) to the garden center. The shoplifter inside will then tie the merchandise to the rope, and throw the rope over the fenceline, and the shoplifter waiting on the other side will untie it and take it.<br /><br /><b>Self-checkout scam</b><br />At some larger retailers, such as Wal-Mart, customers have the option of using self-checkout lanes, in which customers do not interact with employees at all when making purchases but check themselves out at a computer. Customers are expected to scan the items that they wish to purchase, insert payment for the scanned items, then bag the items and leave the store. Shoplifters have been known to purchase small items with these machines, and place additional items in their bags without paying for them. In some grocery stores with salad bars, thieves can find the UPC for a small salad and place a pack of cigarettes on the weighted scanner, type the UPC for a salad, and get away with a cheaper pack of cigarettes. Many shoplifters intentionally act slightly confused when using these machines, and act as if they are attempting to scan the item which they wish to steal, so that, if confronted, they can claim that they took the additional items by mistake.<br />NOTE: The majority of these self check out machines have scales under the shopping bags (where you place the item after scanning). The scale checks that the amount of items in the bag weighs the same that is scanned. If the weight is off, generally, the supervising attendant will be signaled to come to the station for assistance.<br /><b>Shoe-switching</b><br />This scam involves footwear at major shoe stores or department stores. The shoplifter starts with finding the intended shoes to steal and when ready, asks the store sales associate to retrieve the correct sizes from the back stockroom. Once the shoes are brought out, the shoplifter will try on the shoe and pretend wrong sizing or that the shoe is uncomfortable. They ask for a new size and state that they will do a size comparison in which the shoes being worn are then left with the shoplifter. Once the store associate is sent back to the stockroom to retrieve the 2nd size, the shoplifter simply walks out with the new pair of shoes leaving the old pair in the box. Store associates assume that they must have changed their mind and discoveries are usually made when the same pair of shoes are summoned by a new customer. If seen by other store associates or door/greeting associates, the shoplifter explains that wearing the shoe immediately is preferred.<br /><br /><b>Shoe-switching (Alternative)</b><br />This scam involves stores that allow customers free access to shoeboxes (the customer does not have to ask an attendant to retrieve shoes). The shoplifter walks in with a pair of old shoes and replaces the new shoes in the box with those. Any security alarm tags on the new shoes are discarded. The shoplifter walks out wearing the new shoes while leaving the old shoes behind.<br /><br /><b>Shoe Box Switching</b><br />A shoplifter walks into a shoe store and finds an expensive pair of shoes. The shoplifter wears the expensive shoes. Old shoes in hand, the shoplifter finds a cheap shoe box and places his old shoes in it. At the cash register, the cashier looks inside the shoe box and ask, "Are you wearing the shoes right now?" The shoplifter replies, "Yes, I am wearing the shoes right now." The cashier scans the box and the shoplifter leaves the premises with expensive shoes but having paid for a cheaper pair. This works in stores with accessible shoe boxes, such as warehouses like Academy Sports and Outdoors.<br /><br /><b>Shopping cart magic </b><br />Shopping cart tricks are often disregarded by Loss Prevention personnel. Typically, older or professional shoplifters usually attempt this scam. The scam works in the following way: when the shoplifter first enters the store, they locate an empty shopping cart. The shoplifter finds the item they are looking for and typically place on the bottom or under the baby seat. The shoplifter then continues to gather a small dollar amount of merchandise and places it in the shopping cart. The shoplifter then brings the shopping cart to register and removes all the merchandise with the exception of the item they wish to steal. If the cashier is not paying attention the shoplifter will usually be able to get the merchandise past them without much effort. After paying for the smaller dollar items the shoplifter leaves the store and successfully pulls off the scam. The most prevalent method used to combat this scam is the use of door personnel who are trained to ask for receipts for high dollar and un-bagged merchandise; however, the shoplifter is under no legal obligation to comply with this.<br /><br /><b>Shopping cart passing</b><br />Shopping cart passing is usually attempted by a two-person group of shoplifters. The first shoplifter will gather the desired merchandise into a shopping cart and take it to the register. The cashier will then ring up all the merchandise and place it in bags. Once the total is rung up, the first shoplifter states that they forgot their wallet in their car. The first shoplifter will then exit the store and most cashiers will put the shopping cart off to the side and resume ringing up customers. At this point, the second shoplifter moves in and grabs the cart and walks out of the store with the stolen merchandise in bags.<br /><br /><b>Wal-Mart TV theft</b><br />A shoplifter fills a cart with about two weeks' worth of groceries and a DVD and pays for them at the register. In the meantime an accomplice approaches the store's door with a TV. The two meet up at the doors and pass through simultaneously, with the TV on the far side of the associate/greeter. As they pass through the doors the TV will set off the alarm. When the greeter asks the shoplifter carrying groceries to show his receipt, he claims that the DVD in the cart set off the alarm. The person carrying the TV will be outside waiting for the person with the grocery cart at the getaway vehicle. They quickly flee. The scam is said to work best with LCD TVs under 32".<br /><br /><b>Walk out technique</b><br />The walk out technique is the process of browsing the store, collecting the target item(s), and upon completion, simply walking out of the store with item(s) in hand. This seemingly impractical idea is can potentially be very effective if the shoplifter's appearance and attitude are not of a suspicious nature. This tactic is usually limited to small amounts of clothing and is generally only done in large department stores that have multiple entrances.<br /><br /><b>Walk out technique (Alternative)</b><br />In the alternative walk out technique, the shoplifter walks casually up to the item that he wants, takes it, then walks to the doors. Once the shoplifter gets there, he simply lifts the item over top of the scanners. The shoplifter may also re-use a bag from the same store to put the item into.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2939845950541881213.post-32420595043938954272009-05-24T06:55:00.000-07:002009-05-24T07:36:39.304-07:00Parkour and GraffitiHere is a short article that should help you out in your life as a Street Bomber. If you love the thrill of bombing at 3am in the city center and not just mellow chill spots this should be pretty obvious but is also quite important. It will add (at least for me) a extra thrill to bombing, it should allow you to hit up riskier areas with alot less risk. Parkour or FreeRunning can be a great sport and way of life in its own right but combined with Graffiti bombing it can be a amazing adreniline rush and help you avoid cop trouble. When the cops show up when your tagging some pretty lit up road or alley in a big city center what most people will do is leg it ! Run as fast as their legs will carry them and keep on running, Now there is nothing wrong with this method but it is usually only successful for those who are fast runners. What about the rest of us, we can run fast enought but a good few cops (not the fat b*stards) are in training and are very fast sprinters, we underestimate them, they do train to hop over fences but not half enough and alot of them couldnt be arsed hopping them. The rest of this article focus's only on some of the most practical ways to outrun any unwanted trouble, to get to more spots faster and to hit up more heavens and hard to reach spots.<br /><br />These are videos I found about on the net.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Vaulting:</span><br />This is the fastest way to get over a railing or wall while keeping momentum, there are many many different fancy vaults that look really cool but this is (in my opinion) the easiest and most practical of the vaults. Here is a Video on how to do the Speed Vault.<br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lR8bn1KdLTA&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lR8bn1KdLTA&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Climbing/Hopping Fences:</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Small Fences</span><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/4rm9Bjz5Has&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4rm9Bjz5Has&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Medium Fences</span><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lR8bn1KdLTA&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lR8bn1KdLTA&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Large Fences</span><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tJZoyK29VYA&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tJZoyK29VYA&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Climbing Building/Drainpipes</span><br /><ol><li>First, identify the building you want to climb.</li><li>Then look the building over for drain pipes or solid ledges which could hold your weight.</li><li>Then once you have found a good starting point to start your climb, for example, a sturdy drain pipe, you should look for what you would then use to get to your destination whether it be on top or through a open window high up.</li><li>Once your have found a good route up which you are happy with, start to climb.</li><li>If you find this route too tricky, start the process over again but with a different route until you reach your destination.</li></ol> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Tips</span> <div id="tips"> <a name="Tips" id="Tips"></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span> <ul><li>There is always a way up a building, but make sure that you can do it.</li><li>If you are attempting this because you need to hide or get away without being seen, try to survey the building from behind a bush or up a tree etc.</li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">Warnings</span><br /></div><div id="warnings"><ul><li>Never attempt climbing a building or object which is high up and not to your ability, it could result in serious injury or death.</li></ul>More Coming Soon.<br /> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2939845950541881213.post-9593348703301958912009-05-23T23:43:00.000-07:002009-05-23T23:44:19.677-07:00Filling a NYC mop<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>NYC Mop filling instructions</b> One way to fill your Mop is to draw up your ink and put a syringe about 2 inches down, between the nib and the container and fill it up that way. This way might take a little while. But, it does not require you to remove the nib.<br /> The other way is,<br />Carefully pinch the nib and pull the nib out slowly.<br />You will noticed a thin middle felt strip between the wide felt strip. Make sure they stay in the same fashion when reinserting the nib. After you carefully pull out the folded folded strip, then fill your Mop with your favorite "Dye Type" ink, don't fill container all the way to the top, leave space for the nib to be reinserted along with the middle felt strip, you can add more ink by putting the ink nozzle between the nib and container or you can use a syringe.<br />(Do Not Use Paint Type Ink, As it Will Ruin The Felt) <br /> <img src="http://artprimo.com/catalog/images/nycmop-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /><br />This "marker/mop" is very different than any graffiti tool sold on the market today. Being it does not have a valve and the nib is loose, you have to control the ink flow. It is all in how you hold the mop that will make a differeance. you want to tag in an upright angle. Because if you tag downwards, you will get too much ink flow and make a mess. After a few tags you will get the hang of it and unserstand how it works. It is all in the wrist, I can go bombing and make the drippiest tags around and not get a drop of ink on me or my hands. That is because I am careful in regards to how I hold the mop.<br /> <img src="http://artprimo.com/catalog/images/nycmop-2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /><br />You always want to store the marker in an upright angel. If you store it sideways you will make a mess. If you feel that you can't handle this mop due to the nib being too loose, you should than take the center strip and double it and put it between the big strip and reinsert the whole set up, this will make your nib tighter and you will get less drips. But, you will still have a hell of a bombing tool. I have been using these mops 25 years. So, I have alot of experieance. However, common sense should be able to make you use the mop the way it was intended<img src="http://www.puregraffiti.com/graffiti-space/images/smilies/smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" class="inlineimg" border="0" /><br />Carefully put the nib back into the container, it will go back in the same way it came out (use common sense when putting it in). Once it is in hold mop sideways (not upside down till you see the ink being absorbed by the felt).<br /> <img src="http://artprimo.com/catalog/images/nycmop-3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /><br />What you should do is take the nib out and reinsert it a few times before adding the ink, that way you know how the nib works and you will find the best way to reinsert it...when it is time to actually fill the mop up with ink..<br /> <img src="http://artprimo.com/catalog/images/nycmop-4.jpg" alt="" border="0" /><br />Now you are ready to bomb, you can control the drips based on the angel of how you hold the Mop. To refresh the nib for a drippy tag just hold it long enough till the felt is wet and bomb! Have fun and be careful!!!!!!!!!!!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2939845950541881213.post-42933025102925566732009-05-23T23:20:00.000-07:002009-05-23T23:24:51.925-07:00VHS Tape Mop<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Materials:</span><br /><ul><li> VHS tape</li><li> screwdriver</li><li> exacto knife</li><li> craft glue gun and glue sticks (or epoxy)</li><li> duct tape</li><li> lots of your favorite ink</li><li> old sock, or other filler</li><li> 2 chalkboard erasers</li></ul><br />You are better off getting one of the VHS tapes with the plastic sleeve, since that's inkproof. First, you pull off the cover that protects the exposed tape. This is where the chalkboad erasers will go. Next, unscrew the tape and take everything out. What you want to do now is use the duct tape and epoxy to seal off the interior, so it won't leak all over you. Don't put the tape back together yet. You need to cut all the plastic junk out, so you can stuff the tape case with filler, and insert the eraser felt. Use the utility knife for this. Remember! Cut away from yourself, so you don't sever an artery or something. Once you're pretty sure the felt will fit into the marker, put it together and seal the edges with the epoxy, and then tape over it.<br /><br />Ok. We're about halfway there. Now that you have a completely sealed container for your ink, you can cut up your filler and stuff the tape with it. The less you put in, the drippier your marker will be, since there's less to soak up the ink. 3/4 full is a pretty good amount. Now you're ready to put n the nub, or marking surface. Cut up the chalkboard eraser so that it fits into the space. You have to use a full one, and cut some from the second to fill up the remaining space. Once you got this all together, you can epoxy it in place. If you want itto hold together longer, epoxy all the eraser pieces together. Sometimes they fall apart if you don't do this. Make sure the epoxy makes a nice seal around, so all your ink doesn't leak out when you try to write.<br /><br />Now you can fill with ink and start writing. You shouldn't use this to vandalize other people's property, because that's illegal, and you can get arrested. If you do, that's not my fault. (disclaimer) Have a lot of ink, because it takes a lot to fill this bad boy. Two marsh ink bottles will do the trick. Cover it with the case the video came with.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2939845950541881213.post-30517749426019197552009-05-22T07:24:00.000-07:002009-05-22T07:27:25.816-07:00Checklist1. make sure your shoes are tied and the laces are tucked in.<br />2. if you take your wallet leave all identification cards at home.<br />3. don"t wear boots! (they slow you down)<br />4. if you are sneaking out of your window, make sure you leave it cracked for quick entrance.<br />5. wear a belt!<br />6. nighttime- blend in, daytime- dress casual<br />7. keep cell phone in backpack. if you drop it they will find out who you are.<br />8. don't tell anyone your going to paint.<br />9. know the spot(s) that your going to paint.<br />10. find shortcuts to get home.<br />11. always have a place to sleep if you are on the run and can't make it home.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2939845950541881213.post-53468597178028166062009-05-22T07:22:00.000-07:002009-05-22T07:23:38.151-07:00Rules of Graffiti<p>Espo's Rules Of Graffiti</p><p>As published in The Art of Getting Over:</p><p>You suck until further noticeIt's gonna take a long time before we even acknowledge your existence, even longer before we can bear to look at that foul scribble you call your name. To speed the process of acceptance, you can </p><p>A) Choose a clever name that defies the norm of simple-minded slang. An example of a good name is "ARGUE" (RIP). It looks good when written, sounds cool when spoken, and conveys a combattive attitude. On the other hand, "ENEMA" (actual name) looks, sounds, and conveys a shitty attitude. BE CHOOSY. </p><p>B ) Use paint, gain a thorough knowledge of supplies, remember that permission walls, stickers, and dust tags are small parts of a balanced diet, be bold, learn a style of writing for every occassion,and write your name bigger every time you go out.Jealousy is a diesease for the weakYour heart is your greatest possession, dont let it get taken from you.Dont write on houses of worship, people's houses in general, otherwriter's names, and tombstones. Writing on memorial walls and cars is beef beyond belief. Furthermore, involving civilians in your beef is grounds for dismissal. These are are the five fingers of your right hand. Get to know them well. Give soul claps, firm handshakes, and throw smooth bolo punches. Although being a toy seems undesirable, you should enjoy it while you can. At this stage you can bite all you want with no remorse. All your elders will say is, " Awww isn't that cute, kootchie kootchie koo." So steal that dope connection, rob that color scheme. and loot whole letterforms. Dont worry about giving any credit, we'll pat ourselves on the back and brag how we're influencing the next generation. However, style isnt a crutch or a schtick. It is understanding why that connection you bit flows, or why that color scheme bumps. Style is the process to an appealing end. Once you got it down to a science, you can reinvent letterforms to suit yourself. This creative growth will amaze the old and young alike. Pretty soon somebody will steal your secret sauce and the cycle will be renewed. If this happens to you, don't bitch about not getting your due. Graffiti is the language of the ignored. If your style is stolen, someone heard you speaking. You got what you wanted from the beginning, some attention, you big baby.It must be noted that the vandal squad loves graffiti. Their job requiresthem to fiend for graff as much as you do. </p><p>When you wreck enough walls, they'll want to meet you. Just like the ball huggers outside the graff shop, they'll recite every spot you hit, with the difference being you'll also hear the Miranda Warning. To postpone this, go solo as much as possible. Dont write with anyone that wont fight for you. Don't be paranoid, but be careful. If you avoid writing on pristine properties, you'll stay in misdemeanor territory, and you wont divert the cops' attention from pastry and caffiene consumption (consult local laws to be sure). Remember, if they didn't see you do it, it's almost impossible for them to win a conviction without your own damming testimony. Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP! Giving a cop info on another writer will doom you to a life of ridicule, from cops and kids alike, with no parole.</p><p>There's nothing wrong with knowing your the shit as long as you are. But once you reach that conclusion, your one foot over the edge of falling off. Watch your step fathead, there's no shortage of people chanting, "JUMP JUMP JUMP!" There are plenty of writers that have been painting well for the better part of 20 years, and your posing and fronting looks retarded next to them. Get back to work, you "never was" slouch. In conclusion, graffiti is free, impresses the girls, is heroic in our couch potato culture, will provide you with a million stories to tell at parties, and a sure cure for the inner-city blues. If it's not fun, you're doing it wrong or have been doing it too long. So get going, fame awaits the fly among you. </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2939845950541881213.post-64689492953991268152009-05-22T06:51:00.000-07:002009-05-22T06:57:17.683-07:00Know Your RightsKnow Your Rights! While this is technically for Canadian laws, American and other country's laws are so similar that you can use this as a guideline to get start. Always check your local laws though.Oh, and to cover our ass, this isn't official legal advice so don't sue us if this gets you in trouble.* Start* Being Searched and/or Having Items Confiscated.* Caught While Painting* You've Been Officially Arrested* You've Been Ratted Out* House Searches* The Lie Detector* General Tips* Always RememberBefore i get going, of course the formals:- I am not condoning illegal graffiti writing.- I am not condoning evading legal action or misleading police.- I am promoting knowledge, and the right to know your own rights and freedoms.- The following is for educational purposes only.- The information is, as to the best of my knowledge, accurate. But no guarantees...<br /><br /><strong>START</strong><br />If you're a Canadian writer it can sometimes be hard to find information regarding to dealing with police situations. It appears as though most information found on sites relating to writing were written with the United States laws in mind (although these are similar to Canada and are worth the read), or in the rare case European laws.... but for whatever reason, information for Canadians doesn't seem to be entering these sites/forums. So here I am writing out a general guide for Canada (it is usually good idea to check local laws since provincial or municipal laws may vary, although those laws usually only affect punishment if you are found guilty). Keep in mind this guide was written with people over the legal age (18) in mind. Also keep in mind this is not a guide for running from the police, or any other illegal activities for evading the police. You can choose to use those at your own discretion depending on the situation. This is the all legal (no running, no lying, but lots of clever wording) way of keeping yourself out of shit creek.<br /><br /><strong>BEING SEARCHED AND/OR HAVING ITEMS CONFISCATED :</strong><br />Typically if police ask if they can search you then it's a sign you might not be as screwed over as you'd think you'd be. If police have probable cause to search you, or have a search warrant then they wouldn't need to ask you, they'd straight up tell you "I'm going to search you" or whatever. So if they ask, reply with something along the lines of "No, I do not give you consent to search me." Remember that when dealing with the police always be polite and friendly. Being hostile, angry, or even being a smart ass can work against you. You've got to make yourself sound educated and let them know that you are aware of your legal rights and freedoms, but don't let yourself sound sarcastic or like a smart ass, so sound friendly, polite, and as cooperative as you can while still upholding your rights and freedoms in order to cover your ass. If they begin searching without asking, remember to tell them (clearly) that you do not consent to the search of yourself or your belongings. If they give you a response like "it doesn't matter" or "I'm going to search you anyway" tell them that this is unlawful and anything found under and unlawful search cannot be used in court. As the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms says "Everyone has the right to be secure against unreasonable search or seizure."Now let's say the police have probable cause. Probable cause can include the smell of marijuana/alcohol/etc, having clearly seen you deface property, obvious intoxication (you look/act drunk or high), etc. If an officer doesn't say anything and begins searching clearly remind them that you DO NOT give consent to be searched or to have your belongings searched. This is when they would mention probable cause (or a warrant) if they have it. Make sure the officer clearly states what probably cause he/she has, and what they are looking for. If probable cause is the smell of marijuana, then make sure they state that they are searching for marijuana. If and when they find paint/markers/etc on you, this is the same as an unlawful search, as none of those items can be used against you. This is why it's very important to make sure you know under what cause they are searching you and what they are searching for. Now to be honest, I believe that probable cause is in the discretion of the officer (another reason why being friendly/polite and as cooperative as possible is good), so that means I can't be positive if the police would consider paint on your hands/clothes or rattling cans in your schoolbag as probably cause (although being scene commit the crime is probable cause). However as far as I know, having paint on your hands/clothes is not illegal, and neither is the possession of spray paint or markers if you are over the age of 18. None the less, if you can silence your cans (I hear powerful magnets applied to the base work), wear gloves, and roll up your sleeves, it probably wouldn't hurt. Try to avoid getting paint on your shoes either. But in this case if they say they have probable cause because of cans rattling, etc, then it probably wouldn't hurt to state "I have nothing illegal in my possession and do not give consent for me or my belongings to be searched." Although they must state what they are searching for, it's probably a good idea to leave other illegal objects at home, such as drugs, alcohol (especially if open and/or if underage), weapons, etc. It also doesn't hurt to leave anything that may be incriminating (sketchbooks, etc.) at home while on missions as well. If they do search you and find spray paint, that's as incriminating as you'd want to be, no need to add salt to the wound.Warrants is very similar to probable cause, as in the warrant is to search for a specific item. So if they have a warrant for drugs, and find paint, there is no need to get overly worried.In general, searches are not a big deal, as you can probably get off without being searched, and even if they do, all they've done is found spray paint and/or markers. This is somewhat suspicious, but not illegal, so don't incriminate yourself by admitting to have done any illegal activities with the paint/markers. If they ask if you have done anything illegal with them, you can choose to lie (if proven wrong, this could hurt you), or you could choose not to answer. The only information you are required to give to police is your name, address, and date of birth (probably shouldn't lie when giving out that information either, this can get you in even deeper shit, as giving false identification is an offense). If they give you an open-ended question like "what have you used these for" you can answer also very broadly with a response like "painting." If they ask what you were painting, time to shut your mouth and refuse to answer again. Of course, if you wanted to get real technical you could spray a little bit of paint onto a wall in your bedroom, and old bicycle, anything, and if they ask what you painted you could say "I have used this to paint a wall in my room" or "I have used this to paint my bicycle", etc. Of course, saying you ONLY used it to paint a wall/bicycle would be lying. Don't lie if you can give answers like those listed above. Notice how it says "I have used this to paint a wall in my room," and not "I have ONLY used this to paint a wall in my room." If asked why you have them in your schoolbag at such an obscure hour, you could reply that you placed them in there earlier and haven't dropped them off at home yet. This would technically be true, since you did place them in your bag earlier, and haven't dropped them off at home yet...A (popular) example of police trying to trick you into letting them having items in your possession that they can not legally confiscate is to ask you "If you were me, would you take the paint?". Basically this is them<br />ASKING for LEGAL PERMISSION to take your paint away from you, but they try to word it otherwise. The best way to answer this is to say that spraypaint isn't illegal and that you'd like to keep your possessions. Don't play along with the whole 'if you were me' game, it's all a bunch of bullshit, they're just trying to get you to answer in a way that gives them the permission they need. If they could just take your paint, they would, without asking.Top<br /><br /><strong>CAUGHT WHILE PAINTING:</strong><br />Okay, let's say your painting a piece, you go to pick up a different can, you stand back for a second, anything, and the police come over. It seems pretty bad because here you are with your paint covered gloves, a can in your hand, and fresh paint on the wall, but you DO have one thing going for you, and that is that the police did not clearly see you painting the wall (this is a good idea to move all paint, and yourself, far from the wall if you hear footsteps, voices, or other strange sounds, until you investigate them). Basically that means they'll ask "did you just paint that wall?". Be careful to questions like that, and also be very aware that they probably won't word it as outright as that. They will probably make it seem as though they are making a statement rather than asking, or make it seem like they already know that you were. Just remember, if they did see you paint the wall for sure, they would not need you to say that you did. Don't get tricked into confessing without realizing it. However, that question may be risky and you are really only given 3 options. To say yes (bad idea), to deny or to simply keep your mouth shut (after all, the only information you need to give is your name/address/DOB). Let's say you deny, make up some lame lie like you saw the cans on the ground while walking by and were going to take them home with you for whatever reason. If they didn't see you painting, it may work, but its a long shot. If they did see you painting or otherwise prove your lying then you'll be in deeper shit just for lying. Now clearly not responding or stating 'I am not required by law to answer that question' will seem somewhat out of place as well. Perhaps the best way to not-answer that question is to reply asking "Are you detaining me?." If the answer is yes, ask under what grounds. If the answer is no, ask "am I free to go?" (perhaps best worded more naturally, "I should be getting home, am I free to go?". If they reply that you are not allowed to leave, then state "you just said I am not being detained, so I am free to go?". Not being free to go is in sense being detained. If the officer responds that you are being detained, ask under what cause. Chances are you already know the answer to this question. The next logical question I can think to ask after this (keep in mind you haven't admitted to painting the wall yet, you lead them off with a trail of questions) would be "am I under arrest?" If the answer is no, then repeat the process of questions about being detained, and being free to go. If the police ask you to go to the station with you (but haven't officially arrested you) than that is considered arbitrary detention, and you do not have to comply with it. Basically, to make things simpler, the only information you MUST give the police is your name, address, and date of birth. After this, the police have two options, to arrest you or to let you free. If you didn't let yourself get tricked into confessing or making yourself any more suspicious, then it MIGHT be hard for the police to lawfully arrest you, so there is a VERY SLIM possibility you will go free. If you are under arrest, there is 4 things that the officer must officially do. Make sure you pay VERY CLOSE ATTENTION to this because if they don't do one of the steps you may be able to have your case thrown out.<br />The 4 things are:<br />1) Say who they are and show identification (in other words, show you their badge, etc.).<br />2) Tell you they are arresting you, explain why they are arresting you, and make sure that you understand why they are arresting you.<br />3) Touch you in a non-harmful way as an indication that you are officially under arrest.<br />4) They have to tell you that you have the right to call a lawyer and that you can remain silent.Number 2 is an interesting one. If they did not see you clearly painting, and you didn't give yourself up on it, then if they say they are arresting you for painting the wall you can tell them that you don't UNDERSTAND (key word) why they are arresting you if they did not see you paint the wall. Either way they can probably argue they have enough evidence against you, but get them to point out that evidence. If they say you had spray paint, tell them that it is not illegal to have possession of spray paint and that you haven't had a chance to drop it off at home yet, etc. In other words, bring up points stating that you do not UNDERSTAND why you are under arrest if the officer did not clearly see you commit the crime. Remember to stay polite and friendly, yet sound knowledgeable, and make sure you are clearly stating you don't understand you are being arrested. If you are lucky enough, you may get off scot-free, you may be issued a warning or a caution, or something along those lines. But there is a good chance you will end up under arrest anyway.Number 3 can also be interesting, and worth paying attention to. If the officer makes a movement as if they are going to touch you make a statement along the lines of "I do not give consent to be touched." Chances are, this won't work, but if you sounded knowledgeable talking to the officer before they may think you are a law buff and being afraid of causing trouble for themselves, they might not touch you. Excellent. Don't make a big deal of the fact they didn't touch you until you are talking to your lawyer, hopefully your lawyer can make a big deal out of this and get your case thrown out... it's a long shot, but if you can remember this it might just save your ass.Number 4 is in the same boat as Number 3. Make sure they say it, and if they don't, don't remind them that they didn't. Leave this little detail for when you're talking to your lawyer. Speaking of which, whether they said it or not, it's good advice to remain silent and to call your lawyer. Keep in mind that according to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms you are allowed privacy with your lawyer. Anyway, details aside, things didn't work out and you ended up arrested... more information in the 'You've Been Officially Arrested' Section.Top<br /><br /><strong>YOU'VE BEEN OFFICIALLY ARRESTED:</strong><br />First thing to note is that this said you've been OFFICIALLY arrested, referring to that the police used all 4 things required to officially arrest you, and that you were clearly seen painting the wall. There isn't much you can do to get out of being busted for that one wall, so this section is dedicated to keeping yourself out of even more shit once arrested. Assuming that you have been busted for that one piece they caught you painting, one thing they're very likely to do, is to try to get you to confess to other graffiti. Usually they'll do this by matching tag names, and there is a chance they'll even have photos of other graffiti you've done, and maybe even some that you haven't. So what do you do? Simple, don't admit to have done that other graffiti. I'm not saying you lie and give them a straight up no, just be calm and careful with your wording. They'll probably try to say something like "we know you did it. it's obvious, the signature looks exactly the same, blah blah blah". You don't admit to doing it, no matter what. Try to avoid lying to. The best thing if they say something along those lines would probably be "No, you don't." Now you may be thinking, I thought you said 'don't lie', and you're right. Saying "No, you don't" is you saying that the police don't know you did that other work. Its careful wording that works in a way to try to deny you from having done the other graffiti, and also undermines the police knowledge on it. Just think of it this way, how many times have you seen SLAYER or METALLICA or AC/DC written in public in the exact same style letters. If the police catch one person writing SLAYER he can't truly be blamed for everyone else who has written it exactly the same. So, don't admit to having done those other tags. If they ask why they are exactly the same say you aren't sure why it is, or that maybe you think some other kids have decided to write it too. Using the SLAYER/METALLICA/ACDC reference is something you should tell your lawyer, but not the police, perhaps he could use it in court for your defense. Let all the incrimination against you happen in the court. By letting the police know as little as possible you are able to keep them from building a case. At the same time, you are learning how they work and what they know, letting you and your lawyer build up a case. You may get busted for that one piece you got painted but they sure as hell don't have concrete evidence you painted/tagged anything else if you use these tactics. If the police continue to persist that they KNOW you did it, ask how they know you did it, etc. Reverse the tables and find out what they know and discuss with your lawyer. You can undermine them and build your case up while they learn nothing from you. Once again, I cannot stress how important it is you don't let the police know what you know, or even your tactics. This will give them something to build a case up against you. I almost forgot a very important thing, and that is what if the police outright ask you "Did you do those other tags?" A good answer would be "I cannot be responsible for what any other teenagers/kids do with spraypaint/markers/whatever." You are not lying, but you do slide the blame away from you while exploiting just how weak of a case the police have against you. The police will make it seem like they have a huge case against you, with tons of evidence. If they tell you scary accurate details about what you were wearing while painting another piece, or anything along those lines, reply again "I cannot be responsible for what other people do, even if it is similar to what you have accused me of doing." In the case of clothes, lets say they say you were wearing jeans and black nike hoody say "I can't be responsible for what everybody in jeans and a nike hoody has done." Again, slides the blame away without lying. Remember to be very careful not to say something like "I can't be responsible for anything anybody has done that is similar to what I had done." While it may seem like you slid the blame away, you also admitted to the crime you were arrested for. Bad idea. Even though you are probably going to get in shit for it anyway, and this section assumes you are and is about avoiding more shit, just keep in mind it's not over until the fat lady sings. Never admit, let the judge decide if the police have enough against you. If the police ever tell you that they even have pictures or video of you doing graffiti, ask to see it. Don't admit, don't deny or lie. Just say something like "well, I'm not sure how that could be, do you mind if I look at these supposed pictures/video?". Once again, be careful with wording. Do not say something like "well that'd be interesting to see," even though it's not admitting to it, it could be used against you as you aren't denying that it exists. If the photos/videos do exist, there is no proof that it is you unless there are super clear facial shots or anything of the like either. So don't fret too much. If you wear a mask in the first place, then even less to worry about. Basically, if you aren't able to come up with clever non-lying denials for what they ask, don't answer. Say you feel uncomfortable and don't want to answer, or anything along those lines, or simply say nothing at all. Because if you aren't careful and speak you can do more harm than good without even realizing it.Another thing to keep in mind, be prepared to do some embarrassing things. If you are being interrogated they may use bathroom breaks as a way to get you to confess. This means they may have water on the table, and over time you may feel the urge to piss. While not moral they may say they can only let you use the bathroom if you confess. NEVER CONFESS. PISS YOUR PANTS BEFORE YOU CONFESS. I'm serious, I'd rather pee my pants right there and get it out of me, then to confess to things. Remember, interrogation cannot go on forever. If it goes on for what seems like too long, ask to speak to your lawyer in privacy. At the very least it'll give you a break, he can give you some tips, and you can make sure the police at the very least are conducting legal interrogation. Never sell yourself short, let the judge decide if you did what you are being accused of, no matter how much things stack against you. Also remember that police are not in charge of 'cutting you deals'. Offering less sentence time for ratting on somebody else, etc. Sentencing is up to the judge and can't be determined until you are charged with the crime (judge finds you guilty). In other words, they may say you'll get a less of a sentence if you rat somebody out, but how would the police know this if you haven't be charged or even sentenced yet. If, however, you are charged and sentenced by the judge (God forbid), then they may try to cut your sentence for real. Just remember, no matter what, NO RATTING. You know all the shit you've been through, don't make it harsh for anyone else. When and if you are sentenced, try to see if you can get into a diversion program, or perhaps community service in exchange for lesser fines and/or lesser to no jail time (if it's that serious). No matter how little the sentencing, check the alternatives out...Top<br /><br /><strong>YOU'VE BEEN RATTED OUT:</strong><br />Being ratted out is the same as the previous section on being arrested, except they didn't even catch you painting in the first place. Follow the same guidelines as the previous section on being arrested and hopefully everything works out fine. Chances are they can't prove anything unless you pretty much (and possibly inadvertently) told them what they needed to hear. Word cleverly and surely when you can, and when you can't, say nothing at all. Basically somebody said that you do graffiti, and what you write, but they didn't list any specific places or times or places you did graffiti. A person could be a witness in court and say that you write 'whatever' but since the person didn't witness you actually do the graffiti it doesn't help the case against you much... However, the police will try to use this information to question you more, and try to get you to talk. If you've been ratted on and the police ask you to go down to the station for questioning, it's probably best to politely refuse. If after someone rats on you, the police show up and arrest you, it's best to remain silent.Now in the case that the person who ratted on you also gives a specific time/location that he witnessed you vandalize property... well, I think in this case say NOTHING to the police, talk only to your lawyer.Top<br /><br /><strong>HOUSE SEARCHES:</strong><br />The police show up at your house with a search warrant. Check the warrant and see what it's for. Check to see what they are allowed to seize according to the search. Ask the police officers for their names and badge numbers. If the warrant is for drugs and they find paint, sketches, markers, whatever, then they can't seize that or use it against you. Seizing it or using it against you would be unlawful. If they do have a warrant for graffiti stuff, and find it, what they have no is evidence against you, but possibly not proof. It's not illegal to be in possession of those items, so you can't be arrested or charged for that. As in the previous two sections, just don't let it work against you, and don't let yourself work against you. If they find sketches, there is no proof to say that you didn't draw what you saw on the street. Drawing what you saw on the street is not illegal. Proving that because you have something on paper that you painted it on a wall can be a tough sell if you don't confess or inadvertently tell them what they need to hear. Try wording it in such ways that don't indicate whether the sketch was drawn before or after the piece was painted. Once again, know how to be quiet, or use the Ronald Reagan "I Don't Recall" answer to questions that would be hard to answer without directly lying.TopThe Lie Detector:Lie Detector (Polygraph) use is becoming more and more common, as the cost of polygraphs goes lower. Now, the first thing to keep in mind, and this is VERY IMPORTANT, is that in most (or all?) cases, you DO NOT have to take the lie detector test. The police may once again try to trick you into taking it, perhaps by telling you that by taking it you can 'clear your name right now'. Again, REFUSE to take the test, just say you'd rather be on your way or whatever, just don't take the test. In a case where the police try to make you take a lie detector test, consult with a lawyer first, seeing as how I don't think the police have a right to make you take a polygraph, but I'm not a lawyer, so it's best to check with one. I highly recommend going to <a href="http://www.antipolygraph.org/" target="_blank">http://www.AntiPolygraph.org</a> and reading what they have, not only about how the lie detector is unreliable and had a low accuracy rate, how the lie detector is based off tricking the person taking it (you), and tips for beating a lie detector in the case that you HAVE to take one. It is not a bad or wrong thing to do, to refuse to take a lie detector test, and they can't use it against you in any sort've way, the very same way they can't use you refusing to let them search you to make you seem more suspect.Top<br /><br /><strong>GENERAL TIPS:</strong><br />Wear gloves and roll up your sleeves. Keep the paint off your hands and clothes.- Wear a mask. It'll keep your pretty face from unknowingly being photographed or videotaped. Plus if it's a respirator it'll keep your lungs nice and safe.- Be aware of the environment around you while painting, as well as noises such as a car pulling up and stopping, somebody walking close by, etc, etc. When these happen, remove yourself and paint from the immediate area of the wall and investigate what's up.- Don't leave cans at the crime scene. Finger printing is getting fairly cheap and practical for the police to use, and if they think they can bust you for other graffiti they wouldn't be against checking prints. At the same time, nobody is to say that just because you touched some cans, you actually did graffiti. Anybody can walk by a public place, see cans, pick them up to see what they are, and put them back down on the ground. Again, police will try to trick you if they have your prints... don't be fooled.- When talking to police be calm, confident, knowledgeable, polite and friendly. Be as cooperative as possible without the risk of incriminating yourself... unless you're put under arrest, then remain silent, and only talk to your lawyer. ONLY YOUR LAWYER. (If you don't have one, say nothing anyway. Just keep saying nothing. Try to get a lawyer... and in the meantime, say nothing to the police.)<br /><br />KNOW YOUR RIGHTS. Read this over a few times, read the Canada Charter of Rights and Freedoms.- Check these relevant links: <a href="http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/charter/" target="_blank">http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/charter/</a> & <a href="http://www.settlement.org/sys/faqs_detail....&faq_id=4000360" target="_blank">http://www.settlement.org/sys/faqs_d...faq_id=4000360</a> & <a href="http://www.antipolygraph.org/" target="_blank">http://www.AntiPolygraph.org/</a>- If you are being charged with vandalism to business/private property, talk to the owners and see if you can't somehow get the charges dropped. Even so, try not to admit. Just say it isn't worth the hassle of the court system if you could simply clean it off.- Lawyer fees are better to pay then legal fees, fines, and a record.- You have to remember that legal thinking and logical thinking are two VERY different things. If the police present enough evidence where any sane person would easily assume you did it, you might not be caught. The legal system thinks very different. So don't let them stack evidence against you and tell you it's obvious you're caught. If this was true, they wouldn't be needing you to say anything or sign anything.- DON'T SIGN ANYTHING.- You are innocent until proven guilty. This is why you don't have to deny things, you merely don't have to let yourself get tricked into admitting them.Top<br /><br />ALWAYS REMEMBER:The police, if charging you with a crime, don't need to talk to you at all... so when they're talking to you, they're only trying to get you to incriminate yourself. If they need to ask you to do something, they don't have the right to do it, or else they would've done it without asking... so whenever they ask you if they can do anything, take anything, get you to do anything, etc.... just refuse. And if you're already under arrest, it's probably best not to talk to them at all...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2939845950541881213.post-53040728867329261872009-05-21T10:40:00.000-07:002009-05-21T10:42:12.464-07:00What is a Tag<strong>What is a "Tag"?</strong><br />Tagging, as we know it today, got its beginning in New York in the late 1960s and early 1970s.A graffiti tag has become an individual identifier adopted by writers. They develop an individual style to differentiate their tag.A tag is selected often because the writer "likes the sound" of the word. It can also be chosen from the dictionary, or it may be a nickname.A tag primarily consists of three to seven letters.Lower Mainland graffiti taggers have taken to writing "1", or "one" or "oner" after the tag, e.g. "westoner", "westone", or "west1". "ONER" is a graffiti term for a tagger who has no tagging crew affiliation.To an active tagger, their name and tag are synonymous.<br /><br /><strong>What is a Tagging Crew?</strong>A group of active taggersA crew will have anywhere from two to 12 membersMost common local crews have three to seven membersOccasionally, a tagger will for their own crew (only one person)A tagging crew name is usually two to four worlds, i.e. the "MBK" = "Master Bomb Clan" or "TK" = "Twisted Kids"For the Lower Mainland, most crew names are three words. The crew will write their crew name next to their individual tag on a wall.<br /><br /><strong>Why Do Taggers Tag?</strong><br />Recognition Low self-esteem Peer recognition For recognition; a distorted view of "fame"See it in the community and want to try it too<br />Anti-AuthorityA way to rebel against authorityTo "get out their aggression"<br />Artistic AbilitySome are very talented and this is their way of expressing themselves and developing and practicing their ability.AddictionBecomes an obsessive-compulsive disorder; they are addicted to "getting up", which is a term for tagging throughout the community, as well as to paints, markers, and tagging.<br /><br /><strong>Tagger Profile</strong><br />Sex The large majority of taggers are male Females are most often associated with "bubble gum" graffiti (Laurie loves Jim) Females are more interested in having their name involved in the graffiti<br /><br /><strong>Age</strong><br />For tagging, the age generally ranges from 11 to 25 years Most taggers get their beginning around grade 8, and those in their 20s are often "developed" taggers, preferring rail cars and walls that offer a canvas for their work. Background<br />Taggers do not reflect any specific socio-economic or racial background .<br /><br />Note: This is ripped from a anti-graff website and is very bios and not all the info is correct but alot of good info too..Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2939845950541881213.post-57608981995122783392009-05-21T10:37:00.000-07:002009-05-21T10:38:23.399-07:00Evolution of a Graffiti Tagger<p><strong>Beginner</strong></p><p>select a tag name practice writing tag over and over writes on books and personal items may begin to tag in the community, referred to by taggers as "getting up". Common tagging areas are schools, buses, mail and newspaper boxes, etc. will tag if the opportunity presents itself may see the term "toy" written next to new tags. "Toy" means inexperienced or incompetent tagger. </p><p><strong>Developing</strong></p><p>will have established a unique style to his/her tag may start a "piece book", a graffiti practice book associates with other taggers may form or join a tagging crew will tag more frequently and in more difficult places (rooftops, under bridges) will try "throw ups", balloon or bubble style letter two coloured mural will go out late at night (dusk to dawn) for the express purpose of tagging strive to be "all city", which is a graffit term for having ones tag visible over a large area, such as the Lower Mainland </p><p><br /><strong>Practiced/Hardcore</strong></p><p>will begin doing more "piecing", which is an elaborate mural with many colours will have a very elaborate "piece book" with "pieces" outlined has all the graffiti tools (spray paints, magazines, photographs of work, paint masks, etching items, etc.) the pinnacle of expression for a tagger is acheived by "piecing", a painting or mural done with spray paint in graffiti style (short for masterpiece), or "bombing", which is a multi-coloured piece or a crew name in large bubble letters will look for highly visible areas to "showcase" their work (murals), such as rail cars, buildings, along transit routes, rooftops, etc. carries camera to photograph graffiti.</p><p>Also ripped from anti graff Website. Good Info but alot of Insults too...</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2939845950541881213.post-87545443273789704082009-05-21T10:32:00.000-07:002009-05-21T10:34:49.261-07:00Types of GraffitiTypes of Graffiti<br /><br /><strong>Hip Hop or Wild Style</strong><br />Sophisticated, often pre-planned cartooned murals, which incorporate a tag. Lettering is commonly done in a bubble or three-dimensional form. Uses many different colours.<br /><br /><strong>Tag or Signature </strong>Currently the most common graffiti in the Lower Mainland. This is the individual assumed name of a graffiti writer (a "tagger"). The tagger will then practice their tag and develop a unique style to their written tag. The tag will be written on an object with a marker (there are many different types of marking tools). Taggers will also do a "throw-up", which is a tag written in bubble style letters which incorporate one or two colours. One colour is the outline of the bubble letters and the second colour is used to fill in the letters. Throw ups are a more elaborate way to tag, and can be done quickly by a developed and practiced tagger.<br /><br /><strong>Gang graffiti </strong>is used to establish recognition, create intimidation, and mark off turf or area. Gang graffiti is commonly written when a new gang is formed. When gang graffiti stops, it usually means that the gang no longer exists or that it has evolved into more high profile activity and no long wants to draw attention to itself through graffiti.<br /><br /><strong>Non-descript</strong> Meaningless graffiti in terms of the writer, e.g. rock band name, or sports team<br /><br /><strong>Bubble Gum </strong>The eternal proclamation of love, e.g. "Jim loves Laura".<br /><br /><strong>Socio-political</strong> More adult-oriented; a commentary on social issues or the political environment.<br /><br /><strong>Skateboard </strong>Skateboarders have evolved more into taggers, but may utilize skateboard lingo, groups, or names, e.g. "Team Dread".<br /><br /><strong>Racist </strong>Discriminating comments directed toward certain racial groups, or directed to pronounce specific beliefs that propose superiority of a particular race.<br />Satanic e.g. "666", "NATAS" (satan written backwards).<br /><br /><strong>Religious</strong> e.g. "Jesus Saves", "John 3:16"<br /><br /><strong>Stencil </strong>Usually done by adults and tends to reflect socio-political statements. A pre-designed stencil is created and put on objects and spray painted over to create the stencil image on the object.<br /><br /><strong>Eulogy</strong> Graffiti in memory of friends or other loved ones.<br /><br />Ripped from shitty anti graff websiteUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2939845950541881213.post-23041732404723712742009-05-21T09:46:00.000-07:002009-05-21T10:13:08.615-07:00Racking Spray PaintRacking or Stealing Spray Paint is how graffiti was founded and is still a huge part of graffiti. This is a article that will explain some of the techniques used by Writers who steal Spray Paint, You can use this information to protect your business from further thefts. I accept no responcibility for how you use this information. Stealing IS illegal and I do not condone it. ;)<br /><br /><strong>Jackets.</strong><br />Large Ski Jackets or Winter Coats are excellent for concelling cans of spray paint, a Person could easily conceal anything from 2 to 20 Cans in a Jacket making use of all the inside pockets and even creating his/her own specialised pockets for carring paint. The person would usually stroll around the shop browsing and at the paint section slip in various cans of paint over some time and buy something small or just walk out.<br /><br /><strong>Shopping Bags.</strong><br />The Writer can also use shopping bags to conceal many cans of spray paint. The Person would stroll around the shop and slip a few cans of spray paint into shopping bags with a jumper or two in them at a time, After a small time the Person could have anything upto 40 Cans of Paint in the shopping bags. He would then slip the jumper in the bag on top of the cans to conceal them even more and leave the store.<br /><br /><strong>Hoodie and Shirt.</strong><br />This Method involves the person wearing baggy Jeans, a baggy hoodie, and a Shirt and belt. He/She Would tie the belt tight with his/her shirt tucked in. They would walk around and put a few cans of spray paint down their shirt and it would get cought by the belt. A Writer could get upto 5 or 6 cans this way and maybe one in his front pouch. This meathod is more commen for racking markers.<br /><br /><strong>Shopping Trolly.</strong><br />This method offers the most reward but requires the most bravery. The Writer would go into usually a large store, fill up a trolly with spray paint and maybe a few other things from the store, he/she would then stroll out of the store casually and although you may think it would be obvious to staff it can be highly successful as people wouldnt expect it to happen so they are unlikely to assume that the writer didnt purchase any of the goods. If cought the writer would say hes tired, apologise and act imbarresed and go pay or say he must get cash wheres the atm and bounce.<br /><br /><strong>Garden Center.</strong><br />This is a technique used in big stores for home improvement or supermarkets. The Writer would get a few cans of paint and stroll out to the gardening section, then he/she would toss the cans over the wall to the car lot and retive them later or get a friend to catch them. There is usually only a few cameras if any in the garden section.<br /><strong> </strong><br /><strong>Box Stuffing.</strong><br />This is where a customer would find a large low price item such as a computer desk, stuff the box with spray paint and reseal it. Then Purchase the Desk, Take out the cans and return the desk for a refund. This works with alot more than just spray paint.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2939845950541881213.post-42245770342448058882009-05-21T09:12:00.000-07:002009-05-21T09:39:21.893-07:00Graffiti Yard RulesThis is an issue that isnt stressed enough. This thread is mainly for people who havent painted in yards before or have and dont know what they are doing. All the heads can add some tips and information in this thread that will be helpfull, all others should read up.<br /><br />NUMBER 1-Dont get seen! This should be a no-brainer for anybody who paints right. But I still go down to the local yard here and see kids painting in there from the road just walking around bombing the shit out of everything. If you paint in a yard make sure that nobody sees you, and this goes from workers, people who live in that area and local businesses to hero joe who walks by and hates graffiti. The less you are seen the less heat get sput on the yard because nobody knows that painting is going on there and they will leave the security pretty slack.<br /><br />NUMBER 2-Leave the numbers! every train has to legaly have a set of numbers on it. This includes stuff such as the weight limits and capacity of the freight. They will usually be in a box at one of the ends of the car. When you paint over them the rail company has to take that car off of hte tracks to get those numbers restampes back on it. The cost isnt cheap and this will make rail security tight. There is usually always room to paint around the numbers. Dont take cardboard and tape to cover them up, this just creats more of a mess that youll have to take out of the yard later.<br /><br />NUMBER 3-Clean up your mess! Do not leave your mess in the yard. This is a simple thing that will keep your yard chill. Dont just throw you can a few feet into the bushes or leave them around the freights, just throw it in your bag or stuff in under your shirt and get rid of it away from the yard. Dont leave tips around either, or paint spilled on rocks. If this happens then kick the dirt up to hide the paint. The idea is to make it look like the painting of the particular freights didnt go on on that yard. Dont test your paint on plants or gravel or the tracks. If you must, test your paint on an unrelated piece of the car.<br /><br /> NUMBER 4-Dont get retarted! When you paint in a yard dont go ape-shit and start painting every train. Workers will reconize this and will have to report it. Dont paint more than two freights in a line and make sure that they are spaced out. The same art on two freights side by side is a dead give in that the art was done there because the frieghts get switched up and mixed around when they come into the yard. Also when you paint dont follow any routines, workers will catch on. If you paint the same cars in the same lines, the workers who are out there everyday will begon to notice and whether they like it or not, they will have to report it. NUMBER 5-Observe! When you go to a yard that you havent been to before and want to paint, observe. Go there for a bit before you even consider bringing paint, and look for things like ways in and out without getting seen. Also learn what times they do the switch-ups at. This will help you learn whats going on so you can stay safe in the yard from teh freights and getting caught by workers.<br /><br />-und busboy-<br /><br />you do what you wantUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2939845950541881213.post-43317577803719940812009-05-21T08:53:00.000-07:002009-05-21T08:55:41.007-07:00Cleaning CapsHave some clogged caps, dont throw them away ITS A RECESSION! Save them with these technequies.<br /> Just turn a can upside-downSave a few dead cans of paint; they usually still have plenty of leftover propellant. Just spray the propellant through a wet cap to clean it. This way you don't waste paint as you would using a can that still has paint in it to clean your caps.<br />Another way to do this is to buy commericial Graffiti Remover, then put your dirty cap ontop and spray the remover through the cap.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2939845950541881213.post-20472042271251107572009-05-21T08:52:00.000-07:002009-05-21T08:53:20.199-07:00Touch-Up ColorsTouch-Up Colors<br />Take an empty can, drain the pressure out for a while, then cut the top of the can off with tin snips, and you will find a little bit of paint left in the can that you can save and use for touch-up with a brush. If you've ever worked at a restaurant cook, you know about using a spatula to get all that extra stuff out of tomato sauce cans and mayonnaise jars? It's kinda like that.Even if you don't do brush touch-up (most people don't), you can surely still find some use for that leftover paint, right?If nothing else, put that salvaged paint in a balloon and throw it at something.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2939845950541881213.post-30790938575570431872009-05-21T05:41:00.000-07:002009-05-21T05:43:14.221-07:00Stencil Graffiti BibleALL RIPPED FROM <a href="http://www.onelegout.com/stencil_tutorial.html">http://www.onelegout.com/stencil_tutorial.html</a> Go there for Pics and article ! Amazing article. Read on if you want or go to his site.<br /><br />Stencil Graffiti: The Beginner's Bible<br />Ok, so you saw an article about banksy, and instantly wanted to make your own stencil, right?<br />But how are you going to go about it?<br />Well here we go, I'm going to try to explain everything you need to know about stenciling, from start to finish.<br />Step 1: Motives.<br />Some people stencil to convey a political, social, or religious message, some stencil because it looks pretty, and others do it simply to beat the system. Before you begin looking for an image, you must understand your own motives. Are you trying to put forward a message? Are you trying to make people smile? Are you trying to shock? etc. etc. Once you are sure of what you want, you must focus every aspect of your stenciling on it, be it colour schemes, location, subject matter, or text; everything must suit your motives. Why? because a shocking anti war slogan doesn't look good in baby blue with a stencil of a chicken.<br />Step 2: How?<br />There are many methods of creating stencils, I will list a few of them, along with a breif description:<br />1. Hand drawn - Exactly what it says on the tin, you draw the stencil out yourself, cut out, and spray. this can be difficult and it takes a lot of skill to get it right.<br />2. photocopy - Find a photo that you like, stick it in a photocopier and resize it to a suitably large size with the photocopier set to high contrast. This, in my experience, never works, you loose a LOT of detail and it only works with certain images. The results are also messy and generaly lookbad.<br />3. Trace a photo - place a sheet of acetate over the photograph, use a permenant pen to colour in the shadows, placing the appropriate bridges, and then cut out. This can produce very good effects, but can equaly turn out bad. The downside is that you are not left with a computer copy of the design, so it is not easy to produce larger versions at a later date. (If you wanted to do a multi layer, you would then have to use another sheet of acetate for the highlights and midtones.)<br />4. Photoshop - There are many ways to produce a stencil in photoshop, and i will deal with them later.<br />Step 3: Aquiring an image.<br />Many will argue that the best way to go about this is to take the photos yourself. Others belive that the most respectful stencils are hand drawn. Most prefer to use stock photography, as more often than not, it is impossible to create the image yourself.<br />The stock photography site that I use is <a href="http://www.sxc.hu/">http://www.sxc.hu</a><br />Others can be found by searching for 'stock photography' in google.<br />Another way to find images, is to use google image search. <a href="http://images.google.com/">http://images.google.com</a><br /><br />Step 4. Photoshop!<br />Once you have the image on your computer, you must convert it into a stencil in photoshop (other photo editing software can be used such as Paint shop pro, or The GIMP (the gimp is free, search for it in google). One method for doing this for this can be found here: <a href="http://www.stencilrevolution.com/tutorials/tutorialsview.php?id=4">http://www.stencilrevolution.com/tutorials/tutorialsview.php?id=4 </a><br />Here is a more simple way:<br />Firsty you need to remove the background from the image, do this by selecting the background using the select tools such as magnetic lasoo, and delete it. Another way is to simply use brish tool to colour over the background in white so that you're left with your subject that you want to stencil.<br />desaturate the image<br />Then go to filter > blur > Gaussian blur, and blur the image a just enough to soften the image while keeping as much detail as possible.<br />Once this is done, go to image > adjustments >brightness/contrast, turn the contrast up to full, and play with the brightness until it is a simple black and white version of the original image, the detail of the image should be simple but easily recognisable.<br />If there is not enough detail, then you have blurred your image too much, simply click edit>undo, to undo the blurring. Play around with different amounts of blurring until you are happy with your image.<br />Now, imagine cutting out the black bits of your image, and you may find that you have a problem. If a white part of your image is surrounded by the black bit you're going to cut out, then this is called an 'island'. You need to find a way to attatch the island to the rest of the stencil and the normal way to do this is with bridges. Bridges are extra bits of white area which are used to hold your stencil together, take for instance the letter 'O'. If you were going to cut out the letter O the middle bit would fall out, so instead, we connect the middle bit to the outside using two bridges at the top and bottom, to make a shape like '( )'.<br />As you become more used to stenciling, your skill at placing bridges will develop.<br />You can cover the marks left by bridges using a pen or a brush and paint.<br />Print out your image onto paper.<br />window.google_render_ad();<br />Step 5: cutting.<br />There are many different materials to cut out of. The most popular is card, 300gsm is the best thickness for stencils, however any card will do so long as you can cut through with it in detail. Do not use corregated cardboard, unless it is for a BIG low-detail stencil. Other materials include manilla folders, accetate, posterboard, or even paper.<br />You will need a very sharp knife to cut with such as an x-acto or scalpel. You will also need some spare blades because cutting with a blunt blade is hell on earth for any stenciler. I use a cheap box-cutter but i'm an idiot. My first stencil was cut with one of those things you use to scrape wallpaper off the wall!<br />you may want to purchase a self healing cutting mat, they don't leave a mark and last forever, however a recular cutting board or chunk of wood will do fine.<br />The first thing to do, is to stick your printed stencil design on to your stencil material. The best way of doing this is to purchase some 3M spray adhesive, you can get it from any hardware store, but it can sometimes be expensive. only spray a light amount on, and stick your image flat onto your stencil material. normal glue will be ok too, but be sure that you don't use too much, and make sure that it is completely dry before cutting it.<br />When you first begin to cut, don't go pressing realy hard. Take your time and press lightly on the stencil, if it doesn't cut all the way through, then press a little harder and try again, the thing you don't want to do is press realy hard and have your blade snap off and hit you in the eye!<br />If the blade slips and you cut something off, you can usualy fix it using some selotape or masking tape. just tape over the area on both sides and cut it out again out of the tape.<br />Step 6: spraying<br />For your first few stencils, I sugest staying legal. There is a certain skill in the actual painting which you have to learn confidently before you can go painting the streets, otherwise you would end up with a lot of messy black blobs all over the streets!<br />If you bought spray adhesive, then it is a good idea to use it for keeping your stencil down. All you have to do is spray a LIGHT coat of it on the back of your stencil, then leave it to dry for at least 3 mins or until it is no longer wet and sticky but instead just tacky. You can also use masking tape to hold it to the wall if you can't afford the spray.<br />It is a good idea to get hold of some latex gloves, as getting paint on your hands is just as bad as inhaling it. Other common sense saftey precautions while spraying are as follows:<br />Allways spray in a well ventilated area.<br />If you have the money, it is a VERY good idea to buy a respirator. These are not very expensive and work wonders, any stenciler who has one will tell you that it is the best thing he ever bought. If you don't feel the need to buy one at first, wait til the morning when you sneeze out a mix of black, pink, and silver paint. The best respirator to get is a 3m 6000 series, you will need the organic vapour filters as well as the dust filters. Remember: Bandanas don't block out the fumes, which is what will kill you, they only block out the particles. This is why you need the vapour filters.<br />Ok, so before you start painting, you're going to need some paint!<br />There are SO many brands of paint it would take a long time to list them all, so we'll just go with a few of the more well known ones.<br />Cheap paint:<br />Krylon<br />Rustoleum<br />Plastikote<br />Wal-mart brand<br />These will be fine for first time stencilers, but a word of warning - If you live in the UK, so called 'cheap' paint like plastikote can cost up to 6 quid a can, where as the good paint such as belton costs only 2.50 a can. (but if you're ordering off the net you must remember 10 quid standard shipping charge)<br />Good paint:<br />Belton premium<br />Montana (german)<br />Montana (Spanish)<br />This paint is thicker than the cheap paint, it is specificly designed for art as apposed to household use so it is of a better quality, and has a much wider colour range.<br />It can, however, be expensive, and if you're just starting stenciling you will not be able to tell the difference.<br />UK websites which sell paint:<br /><a href="http://www.valleyofchrome.com/">www.valleyofchrome.com</a> - My favourite, sells beltons which are my favourite paint so go figure.<br /><a href="http://www.thelayup.com/">www.thelayup.com</a> - Recomended by many people<br />There are many other websites and it would take an age to list them all, i do not know about sites in the US or aus, so feel free to email me at henry@onelegout.com if you have any suggestions!<br />window.google_render_ad();<br />How to paint your stencil:<br />Place your stencil on the surface which you wish to spray.<br />Secure it using tape and/or spray adhesive.<br />Mask off the area around the stencil with paper to avoid overspray (where the spray goes over the sides of the stencil onto the surface)<br />hold the can about 9 inches away from the stencil and begin to spray, you are aiming for a light covering, just enough to cover the stencil and you are specificly aiming to avoid spraying too much on, as this can cause problems like underdrip or bleeding.<br />if you find that you are getting underspray (the stencil is blowing up, causing the paint to go where it shouldnt underneath the stencil) you should either buy some spray adhesive, hold the stencil down, or hold the can further away.<br />Do some test sprays on a peice of old wood or even on paper just to get the hang of it, and remember not to breathe the fumes!<br />Well there you have it, your first stencil!<br /><br />Storing your wet stencils:<br />You will find that painting your stencil on the streets is the easy part; the hard part is transporting that newly-sprayed stencil in a subtle manner.<br />There are many methods for this, I will only go through a few of them.<br />A) The pizza box method.<br />1. Take one pizza box, a few sheets of wax paper, and some glue!<br />2. Glue wax paper sheets to every inside edge of the pizza box<br />3. carry stencils in pizza box<br />note: This will only work for small stencils, and most pizza boxes wont be big enough for a can.<br />IMPORTANT: Always carry pizza box horizontaly, because nobody carries a pizza box on its side!<br />suggestion: Try cutting the bottom of two pizza boxes, and the top of one, and stacking them/gluing them. To the innocent bystander it looks like a guy carrying 3 pizzas back to his house for late-night-munchies. Little do they know that it is infact, a cleverly disguised box full of paint cans :D<br />B) The cardboard and chickenwire method.<br />1.) Wet stencils will peel easily off chickenwire, even if the paint or adhesive has stuck to it. Some people have been known to construct folders from folded cardboard boxes and chickenwire. Others use chickenwire shelves in the back of their cars to transport wet stencils without covering the car's interior with paint. I do not reccomend that you take your car when you paint!<br />C) Other things I've used:<br />1. An acoustic guitar hard case (stencils in body, cans in neck.)<br />2. hoodie pocket (don't try this, it doesn't work!)<br />3. laptop case, lined with wax-paper. (prepare to be mugged)<br />4. large folder with 'COLLEGE ART DEPARTMENT' written on the side (nobody questions it because it just looks like painted card)<br />5. nothing. Just get three drunk friends, and get them to carry the 6x6ft stencils miles across a city. Ensure that they do not try to ride bikes, as this will inevitably end in injury.<br />Stenciling and Ethics:<br />A lot of people will disagree with me here, but I don't realy care.<br />Stenciling on the street carries with it many do's and dont's so far as ethics go. Here are a couple of things to remember:<br />1. Don't paint racist/explicit/offensive images<br />2. Don't paint over another artists work<br />3. Don't paint on places of worship, including cemeteries.<br />4. Don't paint private property, this includes cars, houses, private walls, doors, or belongings<br />5. Have respect for other peoples views and opinions, and be aware that changes in current affairs may influence the way people view your work.<br />6. Never paint for the simple goal of vandalising - It's better to create than to destroy.<br />7. Never paint in spite. seeing 'Fuck terrorism' sprayed everywhere is as bad as seeing 'go terrrorists!'. It makes the place look shit, and is pointless.<br />8. Always paint because you enjoy it, not because you think it will make you cool.<br />9. Fame comes after skill. Never paint to be famous, or you will never be famous.<br />10. This one's more of a tip. Don't ever be a graffiti writer, just be a guy who likes to write his name on things.<br /><br />Multi-layered stencils<br />Here's how I make my multi-layered stencils in paintshop pro. The base image is supplied by an SR member who will stay anonymous unless he wants to be mentioned - you may not use/modify it in any way whatsoever.<br />Ok well Im using paint shop pro. but things are almost the same in photoshop and gimp. If I were you, I'd buy a copy of the latest paint shop pro - I find that it is WAY better than photoshop when it comes to stenciling.<br />Im also only going to do 5 layers - black, shadow, midtone, highlight, white.<br />I duplicated the main photo layer so that I had an un-edited backup<br />I turned the original layer's visability off<br />I used noose select tool to select the background and delete it<br />I desaturated the image using either, desaturate tool (photoshop), hue/saturation tool (paint shop pro/photoshop) or convert to greyscale tool<br />I then found the 'levels' adjustment, which is usualy located in the brightness/contrast tools menu, and played around with it until I had a higher contrast in the mid-tones of the face and body, but still had definable black areas for hair/eyes/tux etc.<br />I used noose select to select a black area<br />I created a new layer called 'black' and painted into the selected area using brush tool [img]http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/5390/screenie21jp.jpg[/img]<br />Once Ive got all of the black layer done.<br /><br />I can do my mid-tone. for this, I simply have the whole tonal area, in this case the skin - im not going to bother with the tux or hair today, because they look better solid black, and I don't want to make it too complicated for you :P<br />For my tonal layers, I always put a white backgroundlayer in, filling it all in white with the fill tool.<br />So, create a new layer call it 'mid-tone' and use brush tool to select the skin. Remember that it will be underneath your black layer (black will almost always be the top layer) and so you must overlap it with the black at the edges to ensure a clean edge. Remember to move the layer down below the black layer using the layer pallete (look on the right of the screenshot)<br />I then use the dropper tool to select a suitable mid-tone from the base image layer.<br />it must be mid-way between the darkest colour and the lightest colour. you don't have to be exact!<br />then fill it in!<br />Now you do EXACTLY the same thing that you did with your black layer, but you select the shadowed areas. You want to select the bits that are darker than your mid-tone shade.<br />Then create another layer, call it mid-tone, position the layer inbetween black and mid-tone<br />double click on your mid-tone colour in the colour pallete, then select a slightly darker shade. you only want a subtle difference in tone, so that it looks natural and not too dark.<br />Fill in your selected area in your new layer.<br />Do the same with the white.<br />I decided that her dress and bag, and his trousers looked wrong in white, so I added a highlight layer and coloured them in a highlight tone (slightly lighter than the mid-tone)<br />Finaly, I added a layer called 'reg marks'. This is for my registration marks. I make two crosses which I will cut out of every layer. I then put masking tape on the canvas/wall where the crosses will be, and spray them on every layer. That way, it lets me like up the layers perfectly.<br />I would paint this in this order:<br />Mid-tone<br />shadow<br />highlight,<br />white<br />black<br /><br />If you find any mistakes in this article, or would like to add to it, please email me at henry@onelegout.com. Alternatively, PM me at www.stencilrevolution.com (username: onelegout)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2939845950541881213.post-25048238872174513122009-05-21T05:38:00.000-07:002009-05-21T05:39:16.715-07:00Toys Guide Before Joining a ForumBrutal but very True guide all toys shoulds read !<br /><br />Unfortunately, many of the aforementioned toys not only hate being referred to as toys, but will defend it to the point where it becomes a flamewar. You are new, your work will suck until you learn, you are a toy. game over, get over yourself, we've all been there once and some manage even to stay that way for years.Dearest toy, our art is not a game. It is not something one "plays around with". That "only do it till it stops being fun" ethic is for the cats that have been doing it for awhile. This is not something you half-ass or can learn with 10 minute sketches. There are people that have been doing it for ages and are still learning...myself included. Your ten minute sketches attached with statements like "can someone give me crits on this" are insults both to yourself and to any of us that have actually worked to become skilled in this game. Again, learn what you can, make an honest effort, and then come up to the professionals for assistance with something you are proud of. That is the only way any internet advice can help you. Even better find a living breathing mentor to teach you the real ropes. This is a lifestyle as much as it is a technical craft. I can't speak for anyone but me, but those "give me crits" on half-assed art that insult the ones who bleed for this art will be met only with insult. i hope to hurt your feelings by saying so.of course, in the same vein, if you seriously want information and not shortcuts, ask and you shall receive. but dont go and challenge the credibility of the dude helping you out. Thats just stupid.Now for the gallery. If you want to waste precious server space with your wack looking shit that took you 5 minutes then so be it, but expect to be flamed beyond compare. Again, I hope you get your feelings hurt in such a way that will either make you improve or cry yourself away from our precious vocation. We need less wannabe's.To add to that, if you are not a king and throw a crown on top of your wack little pencil sketch, expect to be flamed hard. If you did that in any of the neighbourhoods i came up in you would be beaten bloody. It takes alot more than even dedicated experience to become king. disrespect kings, expect disrespect and condemnation. Nuff said.If you are offended by this then you must be guilty of some of the things mentioned. If you think I am being too harsh, then trying pulling some of that bullshit in your nearest city. I hope you have insurance.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2939845950541881213.post-49845847577917696462009-05-21T05:34:00.000-07:002009-05-21T05:35:45.154-07:00Basic Practice Technique*this was stolen from UBER on lounge37.*"I'm going to give you all some advice.firstly. Everybody needs to sketch more.. and what a better time to sketch than the winter.This is what you will need... 1. 1-2 bricks of white printer paper 8.5 x 11.. you will need to buy more by the time your finished.2. a pencil and black markers.. preferable sharpies.. also black bic pens work great.3. an empty milk crate.Now what you have to do over the winter is fill the milk crate with paper.. don't crumple it up.. stack each peice on top of the other.until it's full.. it will be extremely heavy.Start of you sketch with light pencil lines to get the general shape of your letters.. It helps if you try and balance the letters so they are all roughly the same size and thickness. However do what you do.You should burn through 10-20 peice of paper everytime you sit down. work on ideas until you find one you like and then spend some time on it..There should be at least one out of ten that shows some promise. another good tip however is that if your start a letter peice.. you must finish it.. even if it sucks..You don't want to have pages of half done peices..By not abandoning your work you'll learn techniques you can use to save a peice.. even make a sorta wonky lookin peice look awesome.Also loose the color for now.. Maybe color your very favorite out of 10 or 20.. color is not as important as stucture.Stucture and legiablity are all that matter in the beginning. It's like a house.. who cares what fucking color you put on the walls if the walls fall down and kill you.Alot of you might try this.. maybe you'll start doing it and get board with your milk crate and go back to playing video games and talking shit on the internet.This is a hard test of your resolve. It's like letter boot camp. If you get through it, if you put all of your creative energy into whatever you are creating on each page.. If you learn about your letters then you will be able to work with them.. Alot of you who attempt this will not follow through. alot of you will give upBut the people who fill up that milkcrate will have a milkcrate full on ammunition when they get to the wall.. These people will stand out. there work will kick ass and they will burn all of you. They in essense will have developed a super power.. from a box of paper. I would suggest starting at the same time.. get some people together.. and get started.. you can post your best work online and give each other tips.Post only your best work.. most of what I have seen on this thread should end up in the milk crate..When your all done, you can burn your milkcrate full of junky letters, you can recycle it.. you can keep it if you want.. but that is alot of weight to carry for your whole life and by the time you finish all of those letters will be trapped in your subconcious.You have alot of trees to kill before you become a master of letters.. I suggest you all get started. "Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2939845950541881213.post-77328018135607412782009-05-21T05:24:00.000-07:002009-05-21T05:28:25.345-07:00Get Free Slaps/Stickers LegallyIf you want free slaps and you dont want to rack them Here's what you do.<br /><ul><li>Go to <a href="http://www.usps.com/" target="_blank">www.usps.com</a></li><li>Scroll on For Mailing/Shipping</li><li>Go down to Labels and click on it</li><li>When you can see 1,2,3,4,5,>>View All Click on View All</li><li>Scroll down till you see blank slaps (make sure it says ORDER not BUY)</li><li>Click on it (if you don't have an account, make one)</li><li>Then do all the required information </li><li>you should then come up with your shipping information and confirm it. You should receive a form and you should print or save that. You should get your slaps in 7-10 days.</li></ul>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2939845950541881213.post-68482545535261081442009-05-21T05:18:00.000-07:002009-05-21T05:24:42.494-07:00Glue Container Mop<strong>You Will need:</strong><br /><br /><ul><li>Glue Stick Container (with the kindof velcro Nib)</li><li>Wax (candle)</li><li>Lighter</li><li>Water (for testing)</li><li>Chalkboard Eraser Felt (or other nib)</li><li>Super Glue</li></ul><strong>To Make:</strong><br /><ol><li>Remove the Glue</li><li>Melt wax into the container</li><li>Put in some water to test for leaks</li><li>Close the lid a few times to double check for leaks</li><li>Pour in some Ink</li><li>Shove in the felt so its air tight</li><li>Glue the Felt in place</li><li>Dip the nib in some Ink</li><li>Go Bombing</li></ol><p><strong>Tips</strong></p><ul><li>You can use a eye dropper to drop the ink onto the nib</li><li>To refil use the above meathod</li><li>Squeeze for drips</li></ul><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2939845950541881213.post-11668670693703257282009-05-21T05:03:00.000-07:002009-05-21T05:07:52.273-07:00Homemade Chapstick Marker<strong>You will Need:</strong><br /><ul><li>Chapstick container</li><li>Some Ink</li><li>A candle and matches</li><li>A felt chalk board eraser </li><li>Eyedropper</li></ul><p><strong>To Make your Chapstick Marker:</strong></p><ol><li>Get the chapstick container, empty out the chapstick and clean out the container. </li><li>Melt some wax into it from the candle, so that the bottom is sealed and won't leak any ink. </li><li>Put in your ink of choice with the eyedropper. i used pilot because it's cheap and flows fine. </li><li>Get the felt eraser. Rip off one of the strips. cut it about 1/4. Shove that bit into the container, just make sure you can get the cap back on. </li><li>Finally, get the eyedropper back out and drip some ink onto the nib until it becomes juicy. After that you're ready to go. When the nib gets dry, rejuice it with the eye dropper and ink. </li></ol><p> Your Chapstick Graffiti Marker is done, Enjoy :)</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2939845950541881213.post-91441057563360670192009-05-21T02:19:00.000-07:002009-05-21T10:40:00.170-07:00Etching<strong>Etching</strong><br />Etching is a form of graffiti where an object is used to scratch graffiti into metal, plastic, and most commonly, glass. Unlike graffiti with paints and markers, etching also referred to as "scratchitti", cannot be cleaned off. It results in a permanent marking that can only be painted over where possible or, in the case of glass or plexiglass, the panel or pane must be replaced.Commonly Used Items for Etching:<br />Lava rock (most common) Sand paper Pumice stone Knives Keys Scissors Box cutters Exacto knife Tools: screwdriver, drill bits, etc. A "scribe" is a graffiti term for a metal etching tool<br /><br /><strong>Acid Etching</strong><br />Acid etching is a form of graffiti that has started to show up in the Lower Mainland. It is graffiti that is marked on glass or plexiglass with an acid containing craft etching product, found in craft stores. The graffiti is put on with the container. It will not show immediately, but will burn into the glass over a short period of time. The longer the acid etched graffiti remains, the more permanent it becomesThe acid graffiti effects can be stopped or slowed down if the substance is cleaned off soon after it is applied to the surface, or it can be neutralized with water or baking soda paste. It is also possible to buff the acid graffiti off of glass, but that must be done as soon as possible.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0