Four Graffiti Writer Black Books, Along with more than 250 Photographs
- Hardcover
- Chicago and St. Louis , 2007
Chicago and St. Louis, 2007. Hardcover. Near Fine. Four artist sketch books. All quartos. Each about 200pp. Three volumes with papercovered boards and one volume with quarter cloth, in various colors, with custom decorated covers. Very good or better with moderate edgewear, one with crude tape repair along the spine. [With]: Oblong octavo screwbound photograph album, lacking its covers, and with six additional loose photo pages. The album contains approximately 266 color photographs, measuring from 3¼” x 2½” to 11” x 4”, but with most 4” x 6”.
A group of four Black Books and accompanying photographs documenting the work of a Chicago area graffiti writer, who was active on the north side of Chicago between 2001-2007. The books include a range of images, styles and studies, from simple tags to increasingly larger and more elaborate examples. They vary from rough sketches to highly detailed finish drawings, mostly in pencil or ink, but a number in magic marker or paint pens. Three books are largely dedicated to perfecting existing tags, designing new versions, or incorporating additional element, such as figures, faces or highly stylizes backgrounds. One book appears to have doubled as a notebook for an art class, that shows more of a focus on figurative drawings. A number of pages are devoted to faces, hands, body poses, and shading of increasing sophistication, with some clearly resembling tattoo styles. In addition to the artist's own work, there is a smattering of art by fellow graffiti writers. In one image he incorporates a list of his crew into the design.
The accompanying photograph document the writers work throughout Chicago, mostly on the north side, as well as a side trip to St. Louis with the Arch clearly visible in the background of a number of images. The work captured in the photos range from small basic tags on roofs, garages, trains, and billboards, to much larger pieces beneath overpasses and long stretches of walls at train yards and industrial complexes. Later images show multiple artists at work, including the use of scaffolding, suggesting their efforts may have been part of an organized concern, possibly a city arts project or mural programs.
A compelling group of Graffiti writer's Black Book showing their development and accompanying photos of their work.
A group of four Black Books and accompanying photographs documenting the work of a Chicago area graffiti writer, who was active on the north side of Chicago between 2001-2007. The books include a range of images, styles and studies, from simple tags to increasingly larger and more elaborate examples. They vary from rough sketches to highly detailed finish drawings, mostly in pencil or ink, but a number in magic marker or paint pens. Three books are largely dedicated to perfecting existing tags, designing new versions, or incorporating additional element, such as figures, faces or highly stylizes backgrounds. One book appears to have doubled as a notebook for an art class, that shows more of a focus on figurative drawings. A number of pages are devoted to faces, hands, body poses, and shading of increasing sophistication, with some clearly resembling tattoo styles. In addition to the artist's own work, there is a smattering of art by fellow graffiti writers. In one image he incorporates a list of his crew into the design.
The accompanying photograph document the writers work throughout Chicago, mostly on the north side, as well as a side trip to St. Louis with the Arch clearly visible in the background of a number of images. The work captured in the photos range from small basic tags on roofs, garages, trains, and billboards, to much larger pieces beneath overpasses and long stretches of walls at train yards and industrial complexes. Later images show multiple artists at work, including the use of scaffolding, suggesting their efforts may have been part of an organized concern, possibly a city arts project or mural programs.
A compelling group of Graffiti writer's Black Book showing their development and accompanying photos of their work.