This workshop will cover a history and critique of modern graffiti letterforms that stem from NYC subway writing in the 1970s. From this jumping off point, we will look at many forms of letter based graffiti work and relate them to type design and lettering. Through a series of sketching exercises I hope to help participants understand letterforms in new ways, even finding new and useful ideas for type or lettering work. This workshop will deal with the tradition of style writing, a sect of letter based graffiti art that has its own rules and subculture, fully separate from street art. As a graffiti writer working in type and lettering, I hope to help students get past any preconceptions, and learn about letterform creation from experts in a scene that the public doesn’t usually have access to.

The course is split up into two hour live classes: a pre-recorded hour, and a weekly office hour. During the live class, students will have a lecture on different disciplines of graffiti work, followed by a series of related drawing exercises. In the pre-recorded portion of the workshop, students will get access to interviews with writers, as well as Timelapse videos with narration about process. There will be homework drawing exercises geared towards refining the in-class sketches, and extracting the ideas that could work for your type and lettering projects. Over the course of the workshop, students will build an alphabet utilizing graffiti principles to create something that works as lettering or type. Student projects can utilize the workshop to create a typeface, but much of the ideation will come from sketching on paper, so ending with a detailed lettering piece is great too. The course is based around creating letter based work from new and different sources. There will be no instruction in using type design software during this course.

Audience and Format

This would be a great place to learn about graffiti letterforms if you are a fan, but not an active participant (writer) yourself, and are involved in either type or lettering work. The lessons will help you draw in new ways, learn from a subculture with its own sensibilities, and add style to your own disciplines. This is not a graffiti instructional workshop nor is it a type design class, it is about thinking about letterforms in new ways, and bringing that into your personal practice as a letter person. No prior graffiti knowledge is totally fine, but students should have some lettering or type design experience to be able to get the most out of the class.

Goals

• Introduce type and lettering people to a larger world of letterforms, and dig into history.
• Allow students access and examples from an insiders perspective, and dig into theory.
• Work on drawing exercises to get out of your comfort zone.
• Create new alphabets utilizing graffiti and other sources to make something new.

Learning Outcomes

Students completing this workshop will have a much deeper understanding of the letterform craft involved in graffiti writing. Through the lectures and exercises, students will come away with new tools for inspiration in their letter based work and how to implement those into original ideas. Class projects will showcase an appreciation for the graffiti writing discipline, but also be able to stand alone as original ideas in type or lettering. Students will also leave this workshop with a new appreciation, comprehension, and ways to critique and enjoy the graffiti they see around them.

Material Requirements

• Reliable Internet connection
• A computer (laptop or desktop)
• A free Zoom Account
• A free Slack account (an invitation to a class group will be sent to each participant)
• Canson XL marker paper 9 x 12
• Stabilo Boss Chisel Highlighters, various colors (other chisel highlighters could work too)
• Sharpie broad nib chisel markers (black)
• Sharpie or equivalent fine point markers (Black)
• Micron, Pentel Sign pens, or similar small detailed black pens
• Presto Jumbo correction pen (white out)
• Pencils and Erasers

Notes about Materials

You may use an iPad to complete your projects, but all class exercises will start on paper. Please make sure you get the supplies before class.

Scholarship Information

A scholarship seat is available for this course. Please check out more details on the scholarship page. This scholarship is open to all Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, with priority given to those who have limited resources or access to educational opportunities.