Wildstyle is a complicated and intricate form of

graffiti Graffiti (plural; singular ''graffiti'' or ''graffito'', the latter rarely used except in archeology) is art that is written, painted or drawn on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from s ...

, the most complex type of graffiti

piece Piece or Pieces (not to be confused with peace) may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Games * Piece (chess), pieces deployed on a chessboard for playing the game of chess * ''Pieces'' (video game), a 1994 puzzle game for the Super NES * P ...

. Due to its complexity, wildstyle can be difficult to read for those unfamiliar with the form and process. It is considered the most difficult graffiti style to master. Barcelona graffiti art - Fasim I

Form

Wildstyle is an extremely complex form of graffiti in which letters have been transformed to the point that it is illegible to those who are not familiar with this style. This illegibility is sometimes considered a defining trait of the style. Wildstyle has drawn inspiration from traditional calligraphy and has been described by some as partially abstract but does have specific traits associated with the form. The letters in wildstyle graffiti are often highly exaggerated with curves and overlapping, intertwined, and interlocking letters. Arrows are very common in wildstyles, and are used to suggest flow. Wildstyle pieces often use large amounts of vibrant colours. It is also common practice to incorporate 3D elements into wildstyle paintings. Some pieces that are considered on the borderline between what is and isn't a wildstyle are called semi-wildstyle or semi-wild.

History

The term "wildstyle" was popularized by the Wild Style graffiti crew formed by

Tracy 168 TRACY 168 (born Michael Tracy in 1958) is an American graffiti artist. He pioneered the art form known as Wildstyle. Tracy 168 came to be known as one of the most influential graffiti and street artists of all time, as variations of Wild Style wri ...

the Bronx The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

in 1974 and was named after his crew, Wild Style. The style became more popular throughout the 1980s.

Phase 2 Michael Lawrence Marrow (August 2, 1955 – December 12, 2019), known as PHASE 2 and Lonny Wood, was an American aerosol paint artist based in New York City. Mostly active in the 1970s, Phase 2 is generally credited with originating the "bubble l ...

is also credited as one of the earliest writers of wildstyle. Complex and elaborate graffiti writing had previously been known by various names such as "mechanical letters" and "bubble letters". Its first instances were generated as early as 1970, by legendary writers like RIF, Phase 2, and Stan 153 and the crews that they founded in the early 1970s centred around Manhattan subway lines and surrounds. Kase2 later introduced "computer-rock". As this stylistic approach developed, the Wild Style crew expanded and spread throughout

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

.http://www.at149st.com/ws.html at149st.com entry on Wild Style

References

External links

Subway Art online Wildstyle Graffiti as Artwork
{{Street_Art Graffiti and unauthorised signage