Graffiti is an eyesore but it is also a part of life. As much as you might try, there is no stopping street artists from leaving their mark around your community. Instead of struggling to keep up with unwanted paint jobs, let a Gorilla help out! Not all stains are the same and neither are paint jobs! In fact, graffiti comes in many styles, each with its own particular message and intention. By taking the time to understand these styles, our Gorillas can gauge the best way to protect your property.
Styles, Sizes and Messages of Graffiti
Tags: Tags are the most common and most basic type of graffiti that there is. More often than not, tags act as a signature for a single street artist or represent a group of artists. Usually done in a single colour, these can be splashed up in a matter of moments, often using paint, a marker or pen. Often used to mark territory and are usually repeat offences.
Throw-Up: These pieces are a step-up from a tag, incorporating more colours but still easily and quickly applied. Throw-ups are often an easy to recreate symbol or name, with identifiable characteristics, so artists can be recognized. Words are often done in bubble letters and outlined in a secondary colour. Much like tagging, these are often a case of quantity over quality, just designed to leave a signature.
Stencils: An easy way to put up a complicated design, stencil graffiti has been brought to the mainstream through popular artists, like Banksy. By being a more refined design, stencils are often considered more acceptable than tags and more likely to be left sitting on surfaces.
Stickers: Sometimes considered “cheating” by other artists, stickers are a simple way to leave marks across a large area without expending a ton of effort. Designs are often left on blank white stickers and slapped onto walls, poles, signage and even vehicles. Part of what makes stickers such a popular medium is that it allows artists to create more complicated designs at home without the fear of being interrupted, as might happen when painting a wall.
Piece: These works are designed to be “masterpieces”. These pieces are usually commissioned, or at least permitted on a certain area. Because they take so long to do, there is too great a risk of graffiti artists being caught in the act so they are often done legally. Pieces are widely respected by other artists and by the art community.
By understanding the type of graffiti that you are dealing with, you can decide whether your property is primed for more or whether you were just a blank canvas. Each of these will require its own unique removal technique but our Gorillas have the right approach for any tags or stickers that might be left on your property.
