The
Ultimate Graffiti Buyers' Guide
by Adam de Angeli
This is pretty much everything I could tell you about
graffiti products. Since I run a graffiti shop, I hear tons of
feedback
about the different paint brands and the different caps, and I've
compiled all of their opinions, as well as my conclusions based
upon them, and the results of various tests.
Not only that, I found that as I wrote it, I wanted to tell people as
much as I could. It's almost like a textbook of graffiti now.
I make no claim that anything is 100% accurate. These are just my
honest observations. Email me if you
would like to offer suggestions for improvement. I want this to
lead to further understanding of graffiti and hope to publish newer
additions. The more information you give me, the better.
This work, less the illustrations, is the intellectual
property of the author. It may be freely reproduced, in whole or
in part, if and only if full credit is given to www.a2planet.com and
this legal notice is included.

DTC burner
Introduction: Graffiti
culture in transition
It's popularly believed that graffiti
originated in New York, also it's popularly believed that it started in
L.A. or Europe. Nonsense. Graffiti originated
with civilization iself. Perhaps it even pre-dated it!
After all, who were the first
letter-writers? Probably whoever could find the pigments (the
oldest pigments and inks were extracted naturally, from indigo plants,
blueberries--anything that had a color stain) would be inclined
to use them somehow. Before any written language developed, isn't
it likely that some people invented a mark to put on their property and
applied it? Isn't it likely that some of the same people also
left their marks wherever they could, such as, on others' property?
Human history is remarkably connected to
technology. I bet there is no historical event of any
significance where technology was not a factor. The technology to
mark a surface must have pre-dated the development of written language,
because written language cannot exist without ink or similar marking
devices.
Which
means, graffiti is probably the oldest form of written
communication.
It's
a little daunting to realize, but graffiti is an ancient art.
Sure, only since spray paint has it really developed. Or has it?
Banksy once said, "Some people say that
graffiti writers are only out for some pathetic kind of fame...but if
that's true, it's just because graffiti writers are just like everyone
else in this fucking country."
If you think about it, that little
network logo in the bottom-right corner of your TV screen, the company
logo on everything you wear, all of those logos are basically corporate
tags.
You see their names everywhere: Bank of
America, McDonalds, Dell, Ford. They get into your head.
But their tagging is paid for and
stamped for approval by the corporate government. Yours can land
you in jail. Even though yours is ten times more artistic than
their moronic logos and slogans.
Doesn't seem fair, does it?
Graffiti has always been despised by
rulers; adored by rebels.
To some, "graffiti"
is a dirty word associated with gang violence and wanton destruction of
property. To others it is a new and unbound form of
artwork. To others still, it is a weapon of information warfare,
a means for the underground to force the public to recognize its
existance.
In varying ways, graffiti is all this and more.
While graffiti
has been around since ancient history, it has only been since the
advent of the spraycan that graffiti culture
has begun to really develop.
What we have today comes from three
general places: protest movements,
hip hop movements, and of course, the
ancient practice of scribbling your name, initials, or moniker on
someone else's property. The detailed history of graffiti is too
rich for me to review here, but I'd like to say a few words about where
the culture is going.
Today, graffiti culture seems to be
undergoing a transition from
underground to mainstream in the U.S. While the mainstream
once did all it could to exclude graffiti from the growing mainstream
hip hop culture (few people in America these days even know what the
"four sacred elements of hip hop" are), today it is breaking through at
last.
I'm not sure what caused this, but I can
name three factors that
probably had a lot to do with it. The first is that many rappers
seem to have noticed that the mainstream was neglecting graffiti and
started speaking out about the disappearing history of hip hop.
The second is that the satanic babykillers
in the U.S. government and the Corporate Mafia that put them into power
have provoked an enormous backlash in response to their crimes,
resulting in more graffiti.
The third is that Mark Ecko, a very popular fashion designer, took it
upon himself to launch a video game about graffiti, "Getting Up:
Contents Under Pressure," which was a big hit with the kids.
Apart from that, I think that just because pop culture has been trying
to get "edgier" these days, it's been more supportive of graffiti--not
as an art, but as a condition of violence.
But with popularity comes
responsibility. Every art form today is
at war with the mainstream, whether fake-thug-shit-rap versus real hip
hop, fake-Hollywood-garbage versus real filmmaking, etc. Will the
mainstream capture the art of graffiti and turn it into a sanitized,
commercial product? Or will the art form resist?
For some reason, people seem more
open-minded to graffiti art than
before. I have seen parents come with their kids to shop for
graffiti supplies, and seen schools, libraries, and art groups
sponsoring graffiti events. This may be a good thing, but the new
generation of graffiti writers need to understand where the culture
came from, what is represents, and what it strives for.
In my mind, graffiti is an anarchist
movement: we don't need somebody
else to buy our art, we don't need somebody to "authorize" our
art. The artists doesn't depend on anybody to say where the art
does or doesn't belong. It's truly a D.I.Y. movement.
Public opinion of graffiti runs with
public opinion of direction
action. Today seems like a turning point, where graffiti art can
either prove itself or continue to be stigmatized.
The solution, of course, is simply for
artists and admirers to do
everything possible to help people create better art. That is the
purpose of this document, and, to that end, I hope you find it useful.
Apex?
|
PART 1
The Tools of Graffiti
In this part, we will cover spray paint, caps, regular
paint, protection, and other supplies the artist might use.
|
1.1
Protection
Spray paint is toxic, and spray
painting is often illegal. For long-term success, minding one's
health and safety is critical.
Respirator: Yes,
you need one. Laugh all you want about how nice spray paint
smells, and about getting high on the fumes. But in the long
term, spray paint fumes are quite toxic. Wear a respirator.
It's a critical investment in your future health. And besides, it
concelas your facial features should you have a fugitive situation.
Gloves: Often
overlooked! But wizened old graff writers insist, they got health
problems on their hands from not wearing gloves. Paint is
toxic. Wear gloves! Fingerprints are a major risk: wear
gloves!
Clothes: Police can be
nasty to people who look like they're spray painters. Don't wear
your writing clothes to school! In fact, if you're in any school,
keep your painting practice to a low at all times.
Vehicle: Bicycle!
Magnets: The amazing can
silencer! Major hardware stores sell these circular magnets than
can fit right on the bottom of the can and keep the ball-bearings
("peas") from rolling around and making noise. Good for avoiding
dirty looks.
BONUS TIP: Get a bunch of these magnets,and some heavy
cord, and fashion a sort of "cat o' nine tails" with magnets on the end
of the cords, so you can hold one handle and tow 9+ silent cans.
Handy! Plus it turns your palette into a weapon of self-defense!
Intercom: Helpful!
Climbing Gear:
Reach new heights!
1.2 Spray Paint
Graffiti
would be nothing without the spraycan. To spray with skill you
have to know your cans. There are many brand choices (subject to
availability, of course), and every brand performs differently.
It's best to know as much as you can about the paint you are using
before you begin painting with it. This way you will know what to
expect.
There are certain characteristics of
various paint brands that you should be aware of. Within the
brands, there are certain products lines and certain colors that are
better than others. Here I hope to give you the best information
about that possible. But first, some definitions.
1.2.1
Terminology
Can:
duh.
Cap:
For clarity, the "cap" refers to the piece that you push down on
and the paint comes out of, not the big plastic cylinder that encases
the top of the can on the shelf. We call that the "top."
Top:
The plastic shell protecting the cap from being accidentally
pressed.
Tip:
A cap.
Nozzle:
This term is ambiguous; don't use it.
Ring:
Spanish Montana and Belton Molotow have rings that indicate the
color of the paint, designed to stay attached with the top removed (see
illustration at right for the Belton example). Generally Spanish
Montana (MTN)'s rings are less likely to be lost.
Valve: The valve is the hatch that
opens when
you push down on the
cap. There are different valve systems with properties discussed
below.
Propellant:
Propellant is compressed gas in the can that makes it
spray. More propellant means heavier spray.
Base:
The base is the liquid that carries the paint's pigment and
attaches it to the surface. A base can be water, oil, latex,
alcohol, or other things. Spray paint is usually oil or latex
based. Markers are often oil or alcohol based. Water-based
paint is good for the environment but not good for resisting drips.
Pigment:
Pigment is the ingredient that gives paint its color. It
is an insoluble powder, as opposed to dyes, which are soluble liquids.
Pea:
The industry term for the ball(s) inside the can that mix the
paint when you shake the
can. Various brands have one, two, or three in each can.
Hue: The
"color" of the color (red, blue, etc)
Saturation:
The "boldness" or "value" of the color, from pure color to
grey.
Lightness
(or brightness or intensity): The color's position
on a scale
from pure
light to pure dark. On a modern computer monitor or color
printer, its is thought that every visible color can be defined by its
hue, saturation, and lightness.
Thickness:
This is a general term for how "thick" the paint seems to
be. It varies by the density and cohesion of the base as well as
the amount of pigment in the paint. Paints that are too thin will
cover poorly and tend to drip.
Opacity:
Similar to thickness, opacity is the opposite of
transparency. An opaque line leaves no indication what color is
underneath it, while a line with poor opacity will be tinted by the
color below it. A more opaque paint can be less thick and get the
same result as a less opaque paint.
1.2.2 Properties of Spray Paint
Coverage
Some
paints completely replace any
color beneath them with their
color. Other can let the undercoat show through. "Coverage"
means how much area can be covered by a given amount of paint; which
correlates to how opaque the paint is, among other things.
Coverage is
important because a $3.99 can of Krylon is no better value than a
$6.99 can of Molotow, if the Molotow can give you twice as much
coverage.
Within all
brands, certain colors cover better than others; see below
for details.
Valve System: Fixed-pressure
vs.
variable-pressure
There
are two
valve types; fixed-pressure and variable-pressure. With
fixed-pressure
valves (often called "high-pressure valves"), the can is either
spraying or it is not; with variable pressure valves (often called
"low-pressure valves"), the can may spray lightly or heavily depending
on how hard you press down on the cap.
The technique
for using fixed-pressure versus variable-pressure cans is a bit
different; if you're used to one type of valve and try the other, take
some time to get the feel of the other system.
The
difference between high/low versus
fixed/variable pressure
Many
companies garble the
difference between these two classification of pressure systems.
Variable/fixed pressure distinguishes between having and not having
control of the can pressure as described above. High/low pressure
simply describes how much paint will be coming out.
Pressure is
determined by a few factors, including:
-The amount of
propellant in the can;
-The amount of
space for propellant in the can, left over from the space taken up by
the paint; and
-The density
(thickness) of the paint in the can; among other more technical ones.
This sounds confusing but it basically comes down to this:
If your can has too much pressure, you
can reduce it by turning the can upside-down and spraying out the
excess pressure.
If your can has too little pressure,
enjoy it while it lasts, or shake the can until the pressure's back up.
High/low pressure varies from one product line to the next; for
example, Rustoleum paint is more pressurized than Belton paint.
Also, pressure varies by the size of the can. Larger cans are
higher pressure than smaller cans.
Working
temperature
Some
brands of paint simply do not work in extreme temperatures.
Montana MTN does not work below the freezing point, while Belton
Molotow does. Check your can, most state their temperature range.
Pigmentation
Some
brands use more pigment than
others, and some colors have more
pigment than others. Most pigments these days are synthetic, as
opposed to the olden days when indigo pigment was actually harvested
from indigo. Many colors are blends of different pigments, for
example, MTN's Solar
Orange is a yellow pigment mixed with an orange pigment. Paint
companies use different amounts of pigment, and the ones that use the
most generally have the brightest colors.
Different pigments, for lack of a better scientific understanding,
"just
sometimes work better than others" and you will find that some colors
are just better than others. The only way to find out for
yourself is to experiment. We will name some best and worst
colors later.
Color
Selection
Naturally
the artist prefers having
the most possible choices of color.
Peas
We just
noticed this, but some
brands have one or more peas. Having more peas makes it quicker
and quieter to stir the paint around. Montana MTN Hardcore has
two peas, Molotow has three, while Rustoleum and Krylon only
have one.
1.2.2.1 Can Sizes:
High-pressure vs. low-pressure
Spray
paint is available in a wide
variety of can sizes, all the way from 30ml (picture of a shot of
liquor) to 750ml (picture a fifth of liquor).
As can size
increases, the unit price of the paint ($/volume) goes down, but the
pressure goes up. With a tiny can, you will get less paint for
your money; with a huge can, you will be unable to create detailed
lines.
400 ml cans
are most common size, and this is a good balance between
value and can pressure.
With 600 ml
cans, you get 50% more paint for only a dollar more.
But, the pressure issue is a problem. In a 600 ml can, the spray
will be very powerful for the first half of the can's life. Once
the can is about half empty, the pressure eases up a bit. But
since 600 ml cans generally only make wide spray, they're really only
good for fill-ins. But most companies offer only black,
metallics, and a few colors in the bigger sizes. Blacks and
metallics are not popular fill colors, so your choices are limited.
With a little
creativity one can find a good use for the large
cans, but in smaller 400 ml cans are generally better.
Smaller cans
have the opposite problem. You can do great work
with 250 ml cans, but you get less paint out of them. The lower
pressure means you will have more control over the spray (particularly
with variable-pressure systems like Montana Alien Art Concept), and
this yields a hidden benefit: with lower pressure cans, you can hold
the can closer to the surface you're spraying, and thus lose less paint
into the air.
Still, smaller
cans are less paint for the money.
Conclusion:
The 400 ml can is your workhorse, the 250 ml can is good
for touches and effects, the 600 ml can is good for filling in large
undetailed areas.
Paint
companies determine how much propellant to put in the can by trying
many amounts and choosing the one that is the best balance of desirable
pressure, and balance of
pressure. Balance of pressure is how even the pressure
remains from a new can to a depleted one. As a can is used, the
amount of propellant goes down as the space for it increases, so
generally, a new can will spray more vigorously than an
almost-exhausted one. There is a greater change in cans with less
propellant than cans with lots of propellant, making higher pressure
cans more desirable, but on the other hand, cans with too much pressure
cannot do detailed work precisely.
So, companies
try to make their cans with as much pressure as possible, without being
too pressurized to use effectively.
It generally
comes that larger cans have more pressure than smaller ones. Big
cans are dynamite and small cans can do incredible detail work.
400ml is the most popular size because it seems to have the most
popular balance of control and size value.
But remember,
this is not the same as fixed-pressure and variable-pressure. F/V
determines the user's amount of control over the flow of paint; H/L
determines how much pressure is in the can. Please use these
terms correctly even though the leading manufacturers of spray paint do
not.
1.2.2.2
Metallics and Fluorescents
Metallics
and fluorescents look really cool in the catalogs. The
fluorescents appear staggeringly bright, and some metallic paints look
great for adding that "bling."
But when you actually use them, problems
emerge.
With metallics, the problem is that they
cannot be painted over until
they are totally dry, and metallics take longer to dry. I don't
know why, but if you try to paint over chrome colors with
ordinary colors, the metallic color sort of "eats" the wet color.
This makes metallic paints tricky to use when piecing.
It's a pity, but that's how it is, with
every brand of paint.
With fluorescents, the problem is that
they don't show up properly on
anything except white. And even then, the coverage is terrible.
This is true with all brands of fluorescent paint; it takes like three
coats for it to show up well.
Also, metallic and fluorescent paints
smell foul. Wear a mask!
Metallics and fluorescents may still be
used for special projects, but
for typical piecing, they do not work well.
Still, you should try them out; you may find them useful.
1.2.3
Brands of Spray Paint
Two brands of spray paint that are
available in almost every
town in America are Rustoleum and Krylon. Additionally there are
many "off-brands" one might find at superstores like Home Depot or
Wal*Mart for fractional prices. Then, there are premium brands
available in select stores. The most popular of these are Montana
and Belton Molotow. Also, there are what are called "hobby
paints" or "craft paints" which include many brands.
Even many top graffiti artists have totally different opinions
about each brand. Some artists prefer various brands for
different reasons: I know one who likes Montana's colors but prefers
Belton's black and white. You will have to decide for yourself
what brand you prefer.
Here are some qualities to look for that
may help you decide.
1.2.3.1
Morality
This should be
important to every consumer.
Some companies support graffiti culture, while others support its
enemies. Some companies follow or even exceed strict health and
safety regulations, while other companies are apparently trying to kill
you.
Fortunately, it
seems that the only toxic spray paint is the generic
stuff; the brands listed in the table below are all clean. Yet
they still have some serious concerns in other areas. Here is
what we've found about the brands:
| Rustoleum |
The National Council to Prevent Delinquency gave the paint maker
the Partner in Prevention award, in recognition of Rust-Oleum's active
role in the national Anti-Graffiti project. The project helps local
governments and citizen groups prevent graffiti vandalism and restore
defaced property. Rust-Oleum's contributions have included paint for
neighborhood cleanups, money for retail theft prevention and volunteers
for various anti-graffiti efforts. The company has also promoted the
Council's Responsible Retailing program, designed to block theft and
illegal purchasing of products such as spray paint. |
Krylon
|
From www.krylon.com:
"Krylon® Products Group is more than just paint and
projects. We care about you and your community. Along with Keep America Beautiful,
Krylon Products Group has created a national program called Graffiti Hurts®
designed to address the growing graffiti problem in urban areas and
small towns." |
Montana
Spain (MTN):

|
Montana Spain (MTN)
sponsors some graffiti artists and contains links to other graffiti
sites from theirs. The company states that it was founded by
graffiti writers Moockie and Kapi. It sponsors many graffiti
magazines in many countries. Montana's sincere dedication to the
art is evidenced by the quality of the product.
"I heard Spanish Montana contains lead and other harmful chemicals, Is
this true?" MTN: "No, this is an unfounded rumor started by our
competitor. Our Paint
has been sent to the US EPA and they have reported that it is less
toxic than some of the well known American brands of paint. They have
stated furthermore that Montana Colors (Spain) is well within the
regulated legal standards for paint in the United States. Succesfull
Chemical analysis's conducted in Europe can be viewed by Clicking
Here." |
Montana
Germany (Dupli)
|
The German Montana
company committed the greatest crime in the world of graffiti, and on a
massive scale, by stealing the Spanish Montana company's name.
That says a lot about the company in istelf, but moreover, when pressed
an explanation, the company claimed that it did it "for the artists'
sake" because the Spanish Montana company put toxic chemicals in its
product.
As it turns out, the opposite is true, and the German Montana company
is now doing all it possibly can to avoid even mentioning the existance
of the Spanish Montana company.
The confusion between the two companies is, as you will see, a huge
headache for everybody, and the company really shouldn't be forgiven
for this.
The German Montana company is owned and controlled by Motip Dupli,
a.k.a. Dupli-color, a multinational corporation primarily in the
automotive paint industry. They feature a slick youth-targeted
corporate website, with lots of pro-graffiti tones that conceal the
slimy corporate face behind it.
In some instances, some shown in the "Write and Unite" DVD,
Dupli-Montana seems to be deliberately confusing their brand with the
Spanish company's. This is, in my view, totally opposed to the
culture of graffiti. The brand is a total fraud, good paint or
not.
|
Belton
Molotow
|
The Belton company named
their product "Molotow," which is the German spelling for "Molotov"
like the cocktail, hence even their name is a reference to graffiti.
Belton sponsors many artists and their paint was developed by
artists. Several of their colors are named for the artists who
helped develop them. The U.S. distributor of Belton sponsor many
graffiti magazines in many countries.
Belton's sincere dedication to the art is
evidenced by the quality of the product.
|
Generic
/ Other Brands
|
Read the label
carefully. Many off-brands do not meet the chemical safety
standards of the brands above. Some of them are covered in
warnings about toxic chemicals. If you use these brands, be sure
to wear
a mask and gloves.
|
As
you can see from the
table, Spanish Montana (MTN) and Belton Molotow seem to be the only
brands that have honesty, decency, and respect.
1.2.3.2 Product
Quality / Performance
Rustoleum
|
Quality varies
considerably from one color and sub-brand to the next. The "stops
rust" black is exceptionally good and favored by artists
everywhere. Run-resistant and generally covers well, though some
colors do not. Works with almost every type of cap out there,
though some hi-pressure caps do not work well. Offers about 100
colors.
|
Krylon
|
Again, quality is not
consistent with every color. Watermelon is one of their
best, Tomato and Stonewash Denim are among their worst, along with many
ugly
pastels.
As
quality is concerned, Krylon is not bad, though it is far from the
best. Some colors cover poorly; on a white wall, this will not
matter, but when
covering previous lines, the color beneath may show through. This
is important, because if you don't want undercoats showing through, you
will have to go back over the line again (thus using double the paint
and also possibly creating deviations from the original line.)
One of the biggest concerns (especially for novices, but pros as well)
is drippiness. Krylon is definitely less drippy than generic
paint, but compared with premium paints discussed below it is
definitely more drippy.
You can make a can of
Krylon much better by simply turning a new can upside-down and spraying
propellent for about 10 seconds. (spray cans have a straw that
runs from the nozzle to the bottom of the can, so by turning a can
upside-down, you spray out the propellent without the paint, thus
reducing the pressure in the can). This will give you much better
control of the spray.
Krylon offers many
lines of paint,
but their "All-purpose spray paint"
line is by far the largest with 52 colors, and when people say Krylon,
they are usually referring to this product line.
|
Spanish
Montana (MTN)

|
Montana
has two primary lines of
paint: Hardcore, and Alien Art
Concept.
Montana is great paint for several reasons.
The most important is the colors. Montana colors are bright. They cover great and
they stand out, more than any other brand in most cases. They
also have 124 colors to choose from, more
than Rustoleum or Krylon offer.
Another important quality is drip resistance. Montana paint is
highly drip-resistant. After getting used to Montana paint, using
cheaper brands can be frustrating, because you will be accustomed to
paint that sticks to the wall.
Montana (and also Molotow, below) have a clever system for making it
easier to identify your cans, too. Montana has a ring that fits
the cap between the nozzle and the edge of the can indicating what
color it is. If you've used Rustoleum or Krylon, you know how it
can be tedious to figure out which can is which once the tops get mixed
up.
There are two lines of Montana, the Harcore line and the Alien Art
Concept line. The difference between the two is that the Hardcore
line comes in 400ml (standard size) cans with high-pressure valves,
while the Alien line comes in 250ml variable-pressure valves.
Variable-pressure means you can push down a little and get a light
spray or push down hard and get a heavy spray. More about valves
further down.
The MTN Montana cans also have two balls in the can instead of one like
Rusto and Krylon, making shaking/mixing faster and easier. The
cans also include a sample color ring that stays on the can when the
top is off, making it easy to identify which color the can is without
the top.
|
German
Montana
|
We have not used German
Montana's paint, but from what we've heard, it sounds a lot like Belton
Molotow. It is said by the company that it the cans work properly
in extreme temperatures from -38 to 48 degrees C (-36 to 118 F degrees
F). German Montana offers two major product lines, the "Black"
and "Gold" lines. The "Gold" line has a variable-pressure valve
like Belton Molotow and the "Black" line has a constant high-pressure
valve like
MTN Montana Hardcore.
Due to the ethical concerns about this company described above and
below, we probably will not care to experiment with it, since we
wouldn't carry it even if it was good paint.
But, with over 140 "Gold" colors and 75 "Black" colors, this company
does have the others beat in color choices.
|
Belton
Molotow
|
Belton
and Molotow are the same
paint; Belton is the company
name and Molotow is the name of the product line. But since
Molotow is the only line Belton offers in the U.S.A., it's basically
the same thing to us.
Because it is a German company, it is actually pronounced "Molotov"
like the cocktail you throw. In German, the "V" and the "W" are
the same letter; it is written "W" and pronounced "V". This is
why "wiener schnitzel" is pronounced "veener schnitzel." Since
"Molotov" is consistent with the whole "bombing" metaphor, we say
"Molotov."
But anyway, about the paint.
Like Montana, Molotow colors are bright, and highly
drip-resistant. Molotow offers even more colors, now approaching
200 (at this writing, 20 new colors are under development).
Molotow uses a variable-pressure system on all of their cans.
This gives the artist more control over the spray than other brands
(Montana Alien paint uses variable-pressure too, but not in 400ml
cans).
One important advantage of Molotow is that the paint works properly in
extreme temperatures. When we were painting our store, it was
wintertime and we had to keep the building ventilated because of the
paint fumes, so it was very cold in the room. The Montana cans
would freeze unless we kept them on the radiators. Molotow works
in cold weather. This makes it essential for bombing in freezing
weather.
As colors go, Molotow is misleading: for reasons unknown, the color
charts on the websites of the Belton company and U.S. distributor are
inaccurate and unflattering. Many nice colors are shown to be
greyish, whitish, or just plain ugly.
Details about this below.
But, the
actual colors are very nice.
Also, Molotow paint is reported to be more resistant to fading and
chipping than the other brands named above.
|
Generic paint
vs. Specialty Paint
The graffiti artist, hard up for money and wanting a greater quantity
of paint in as many colors as possible, may be inclined to purchase the
cheapest paints available. But there are some things he/she
should know about cheap paint.
* Drips and bad coverage cost time and paint.
Many "off-brand" paints are simply brand-name paints from batches that
failed quality control tests. So the company slaps a different
label on the can and sells it at a lower price. But dealing with
drips uses up more paint, and going back over lines that didn't show up
properly the first time can drain your cans. In the long run,
this is not going to save you any money. And if you are doing a piece
where time is a factor (like an illegal piece), making corrections that
shouldn't be needed in the first place becomes a dangerous
liability.
* Generic paint is not consistent.
Name-brand companies go to great lengths to make sure every can of
paint is the same. Generic paint can vary widely, from watery to
syrupy, from high-pressure to low-pressure, even from one color to an
off-color.
A graffiti artist, like all artists, needs to have dependable
tools. One need only survey the bad graffiti in any city to see
why.
Krylon vs.
Rustoleum
Krylon and Rusto are the two biggest brands of spray paint in the
U.S. Which one is better? Depends who you ask.
Factors which support Rustoleum:
-longevity; Rusto doesn't fade or crack
-coverage; Rusto is more opaque
-pressure; Krylon is over-pressurized
Factors which support Krylon
-price; Krylon is cheaper
-pressure; Krylon is worse than Rusto but this is fixed by inverting
the can and draining some propellant
Colors: Krylon and Rusto offer different colors. Buy whichever
looks better, I guess.
The Two Montanas
There are two completely different companies calling themselves
"Montana brand spray paint." One hails from Spain, the other,
Germany. How are they different and why do they have the same
name? We went over this a little before, but now for details.
Unfortunately, we cannot say how the two paints compare, because we've
never seen or used the German company's paint. We have heard that
the German Montana is similar to Belton Molotow paint. But we
don't know.
As for why there are two
spray paint companies named Montana, the Spanish company says:
[edited for spelling and grammar from the translation at www.mtncolors.com]:
In
1993, two writers named Moockie
and Kapi both from Barcelona Spain decide to open a graffiti/hip-hop
shop. They contact a spray paint manufacturer known as "Felton" in
Spain for research and to negotiate prices. They discuss the potential
of the graffiti art market with the commercial manager at the spray can
factory Jordi Rubio who later becomes the owner of Montana Spain.
Jordi is fascinated with the idea but Felton is unconvinced of the
potential sales in a market for graffiti.
Approximately
one year later, around 1994, Jordi asks Kapi & Moockie to help
build a brand for the graffiti market. Kapi & Moockie contribute
their knowledge of graffiti needs and Jordi contributes his knowledge
in the technical aspects of spray cans. In the spring of 1994 Kapi
& Moockie organize an event called "Aerosol Art"
and invite artists
from all over Europe. At this event they introduce the first Montana
cans and this is the first time graffiti artists use Montana paint.
Shortly after Montana develops the "Hardcore" 400ml
can, which we know
today, and the "Alien" can in 2001. During the course of 1994, news
spreads that there is a graffiti store in Barcelona that sells quality
paint very cheap, and artists from all over Europe gather there and
take cans back to their home countries in bulk. The artists themselves
became the first exporters of Montana. By the end of 1995, these
artists began to import Montana into their home countries on a regular
basis, at first Italy, then Switzerland, and then France and the UK.
In 1997,
Montana grants the exclusive distribution rights for Germany to
L&G. Problems begin soon after. By 1997 Montana has become well
known and is exporting to other continents. Montana Spain began as and
still is dedicated to the graffiti art culture and has remained a small
company with about 50 employees involved with their
manufacturing
facility and distribution. Spanish Montana contends that all their
products are made with devotion to quality in aerosol art culture. All
Spanish Montana spray cans are hand-made at their own facility as they
have been since the beginning.
In 1996,
a
distribution company named L&G is founded by Ruediger Latz and Tim
Latif (known to us now as German Montana). In 1997 L&G becomes the
exclusive distributor of Spanish Montana for Germany. Shortly after
L&G also gains the rights to distribute in several other countries
in Europe. Meanwhile L&G conspires with Motip Dupli, a
multi-national corporation and the largest maker of spray paint for
automobiles in Europe (Known to Americans as Dupli-Color), to
manufacture and label spray paint cans for L&G with Montana
Spain's
customers as the target audience.
Mutip
Dupli
becomes aware of the potential in the graffiti market and makes an
offer to buy Spanish Montana from Jordi. Montana Spain rejects the
offer and soon after L&G and Dupli begin producing exact copies of
the cans labeled as Montana Hardcore and start to distribute them
throughout Montana Spain's established market. Mutip Dupli then
starts
a negative campaign of information and spreads several rumors about
Spanish Montana including that the paint allegedly contains lead and
other poisons.
L&G
contends that product ideas given to Montana Spain during there
business relationship entitle L&G to an equal share of the brand
name "Montana." L&G and Mutip Dupli initiate a
process which
results in inspectors coming to Spain to examine their products in
hopes of reducing their productivity.
In 2001
L&G and Mutip Dupli run a trademark search for the name "Montana"
and they find a company named "Farbo S.A." located in
Switzerland who
has the name "Montana" already licensed throughout
Europe. L&G and
Mutip Dupli then offer to pay a royalty for using the name "Montana"
from Farbo and succeed. L&G has now gained the ammunition they need
to file lawsuits and attempt to take away the name & market that
Montana Spain has created. Lawsuits are still pending in several courts
throughout Europe.
In 2002
L&G release the "Montana New Generation" can. In
2003 they release
the Montana "GOLD" can and the Montana "Platinum" can in 2004. At the
same time in 2004 Montana Spain begins to brand some of their cans as
"MTNMTN" to try to relieve some confusion the customers
are having
between the two companies.
The
differences between the two Montanas remain unresolved. L&G reports
to have about 20 employees involved in its distribution
operation.
German Montana also claims to have the same devotion to quality and
aerosol art culture. L&G spray cans are made with automated
machines at the Motip Dupli facility as they have been since the
beginning. |
And now, here
is a press release about the story, from the German Montana
company, giving their side of the story:
|
We
as a distributor of Montana paint and Aerosol Art paint produced by
Motip Dupli AG, distributed by L&G in Germany would like to avoid
any misunderstandings about the ongoing business differences between
the producer of Montana paint from Spain and the producer of Montana
paint in Germany. As It is uncommon to present information to the
public when a case is still with several judges to decide about, we
decided not to make any comments to these matters until a final
decission was made public.
However,
as the Spanish producer and some of its distributors have decided to
start a negative campaign out in public against the Montana brand from
Germany, instead of waiting for the final court decission we decided to
go against this in an orderly manner, based on facts, delivered by
objective parties and institutions.
The
fact that the courts have their difficulty to look into this matter in
full detail as this business disagreement is of a very complicated
nature. This matter is going through serveral courts at the moment.
Fact
is that the company L&G already won cases against the spanish
distributor in the Netherlands, France and other European countries.
To
be clear: Objective tests that are in our possession show that the
metal "Lead" has been found in the paint of the Spanish producer. ( as
these test results are in german we do not show them here but feel free
to contact us if you would like to see them) This metal is extremely
dangerous to men's health. This metal is used to make the paint cover
real good, especially with the red, yellow and orange colors, which
from nature do not cover too well. There are better and healthier
substances on the market that work the same, but these are more
expensive. Also the very dangerous substance "strontium" was found in
the paint from the spanish producer.
Due
to this shocking discovery that was made public by the company L&G
last year September, we decided to give more information about
chemicals that are used to make paint.
Toluene, xylene, petrol
gases, strontium, arsenic and mercury are some of the chemicals,
vapours and heavy metals contained in spray paint and in paint
containing such substances their leves come well within official
restrictions. Yet the noxious smell emitted from a fat cap shouts This
is doing more harm than good!" Striking a cynical note, when were
levels deemed safe by otficialdom a guarantee for comfort? On the back
of a canister of Spanish Montana cans, the warning reads; "Harmful by
inhalation contact with skin. Irritating to skin. Do not breathe spray.
Avoid contact with eyes. If swallowed seek medical advice immediately
and show this container or label."
L&G
Distribution in Germany produce the new safer Montana cans. Montana's
original home is Spain and was originally made by Montana Colors S.L.
The two companies are currently in dispute over trademark intringement
with L&G (German Montana) already winning their cases in France,
The Netherlands and Germany. When L&G (German Montana) had the old
Spanish brand analysed their
tests
petitioned that Spanish Montana contained dangerous levels of
lead. Rüdiger Glatz, managing director of L&G
told Graphotism
magazine: "Spraycans are detinitely not good for your health, but
selling spraycans containing lead and strontium [see below for possible
repercussions] as Spanish Montana Colors has is unacceptable." "We work
very closely with our manufacturer MOTIP DUPLI, and are able to have a
major influence on the ingredients. A company like MOTIP DUPLI, being
the biggest manufacturer for spraycans in Europe, does not want to
throw any old constituent Into their product and they are subject to
German regulations, which are very strict and sensitive."
Glad
to hear it, but despite the protestations, proteotion from colouring
that decorates transport, walls, boards and canvases cannot be
emphasised. A qualitv mask, gloves and excellent ventilation is
something your mind and body will thank you for. If you still don't
believe, here are the effects of five products found in aerosol paint.
[followed by a detailed
description of
harmful effects of lead, strontium, arsenic, Tuolene, Xylene.] |
So these are the two sides. Which one should you believe?
We side with the Spanish Montana company, for several reasons:
- German Montana admits
that they stole the Spanish company's trade name.
- German Montana's allegations that Spanish Montana's paint
contains lead, arsenic etc. are not
supported. To say "we have a document but it's in German"
is an insult to inquiring minds. They give no indication as to
how much lead was found in Spanish Montana's paint. By Spanish
Montana's estimation, it's about 00.0015%, or 15 parts per
million. That's nothing compared to how much lead was found in
paint before it was banned decades ago, essentially nothing at all.
- German Montana is using "booga booga" scare tactics to
discredit Spanish Montana. They trump up the dangers of
Xylene. All spray paint contains Xylene.
- Listen carefully to what they say: "Toluene,
xylene, petrol
gases, strontium, arsenic and mercury are some of the chemicals,
vapours and heavy metals contained in spray paint and in paint
containing such substances their leves come well within official
restrictions. Yet the noxious smell emitted from a fat cap shouts 'This
is doing more harm than good!'" So essentially, they're admitting that Spanish Montana
(MTN) paint is well within official restrictions, then they say that
you should trust your nose, not the testing and regulations. MTN
paint actually has a nice aroma. That doesn't mean it is good for
you or bad for you. That's why you have tests.
In conclusion, it appears that the Spanish Montana is a sincere,
by-artists-for-artists company, and the German Montana is a subsidiary
of an Evil Big Corporation that will lie, cheat, mislead, and steal to
make
money. After all, they stole the Montana name and lied to the
public about the dangers of Montana paint.
Montana MTN Hardcore vs. Belton Molotow
Legal issues aside, let us return to the question of paint quality,
particularly between the two best brands of spray paint, MTN Montana
and
Molotow.
Some artists like one and not the other, on both sides. You will
have to try both to make up your mind.
There are some definite differences that may help you decide.
Differences favoring neither but according to your preference:
-Montana
colors are glossy (sort of
like shiny). Molotow
colors are matte (not shiny).
-Molotow
cans are
lower-pressure than Montana in general. Narrower, lighter
lines. On one hand this means more control and better paint
economy; on the other hand this means that big pieces can take
longer.
-The two brands just feel different. Depending on what you're
comfortable with, you may prefer either one. For example, these
guys who were used to cheapie paint were using Molotow for an outline,
and all the joints on the outlines were messed up because they weren't
used to the variable-pressure system. You could get used to
either kind of paint or both. But be aware that they are
different.
Differences favoring Montana:
Montana's colors seem to cover
better.
The color chart on Montana's website is fairly accurate; the one
on
Molotow's website is not.
Montana is typically a dollar cheaper per can.
Differences favoring Molotow:
Molotow has a variable-pressure
system that the Montana
Hardcore cans do not.
Molotow works in extreme temperatures.
Molotow cans need to be shaken less frequently than Montana cans.
Molotow paint doesn't clog caps as often as Montana
The True Colors of Molotow
We do not know why, but the
color charts for Molotow spray paint are grossly inaccurate. Not
only that, but they are un-flattering: they make good colors look bad,
they make bold colors look pale, they make saturated colors look grey,
they make popping colors look dull.
In one case, the color "traffic red" appeared as a light, greyish red,
while "signal red" looked a little lighter (on the distro's website)
and a little darker (on Belton's website). Yet, in
reality,
"traffic red" is a bright red with an orange tint, while "signal red"
is a pure, slightly dark red.
In another case, "signal white" is shown at artprimo.com to be greyer
than "pure white." In reality "signal white" is whiter than "pure
white."
In this chart here, we show cans of Molotow in three colors. The
color on the butt of the can is the color shown on artprimo.com, the
U.S. distributor.
The inset color is the color shown on
Belton's web site, shopbelton.com. And the color on the top of each can
is what we've
determined it actually is, as best we can.
MTN - Krylon/Rustoleum
Color-matches
I found this on a cache of an MTN page. The colors are not
exact matches but they are closest matches.
R-1001 Beige = Beige
R-1013 White Bone = Antique White
R-1016 Lemon Yellow = Duplicolor Daytona Yellow
R-1028 Medium Yellow = Krylon School Bus Yellow
R-2003 Pastel Orange = Krylon Popsicle Orange
R-2010 Signal Orange = Krylon Mandarin Orange
R-2012 Caramel = Krylon Terracota
R-3001 Intense Red = Krylon Banner Red
R-3004 Bordeaux Red = Krylon American Beauty Red
R-3007 Cherokee Red = Krylon Mahogany
R-3014 Raspberry = Krylon Hot Pink
R-3015 Pink = Krylon Rose
R-3017 Fever Red = Krylon Watermelon
R-3020 Light Red = Krylon Scarlet
R-4001 Lilac = Rusto Grape
R-4003 Erika Violet = Rusto Berry Pink
R-4008 Signal Violet = Krylon Plum
R-4009 Bruise = Rusto Grey lilac
R-5005 Dark Blue = Krylon True Blue (darker version)
R-5013 Navy Blue = Navy Blue
R-5015 Medium Blue = Krylon True Blue
R-5023 Lake Blue = Rusto Denim
R-6009 Amazonas Green = Krylon OD Khaki
R-6016 Dark Green = Krylon Moss Green
R-6018 Valley Green = Duplicolor Grabber Green
R-6019 Pale Green = Osh Light Green
R-6027 Luminous Green = Krylon Light Sage
R-6028 Jungle Green = Hunter Green
R-6034 Turquoise Pastel = Krylon Jade Green
R-7040 Pearl Grey = Krylon Dove Grey
R-8023 Mustard = Rusto Cinnamon
R-V1 Pale Violet = Krylon Violet
R-V2 Violet = Rusto Lilac
R-V4 Light Green = Krylon Clover Green
R-V6 Light Grey = Krylon Pewter Grey
R-V9 Apricot = Krylon Light Peach
R-V10 Mint Green = Rusto Safety Green
R-V13 Himalaya Blue = Krylon Slate Blue
R-V17 Tenere Sand = Krylon Spanish Brown
R-V20 Party Yellow = Krylon Pastel Yellow
R-V26 Cork = Rusto Rosewood
R-V29 Artic Blue = Krylon Baby Blue
R-V30 Electric Blue = Krylon Ford Blue
R-V31 Steel Grey = Krylon Smoke Grey
R-V33 Colored Red = Rusto Farmhouse red
R-V34 Guacamole Green = Krylon Jungle Green
R-V35 Chocolate Brown = Rusto Kona Brown
R-V36 Breakfast Brown = Krylon Warm Brown
Best
and Worst Colors
Every brand of paint has some colors that are just great, and some
colors that straight up suck. You'd never know just looking on
the Internet at color charts, but here's what we've found:
Best colors:
-Montana Pistachio -Bright yellow-green
-Molotow Shock Blue -Very bright light blue
-Montana Monaco Blue -Light blue, covers great
-Molotow Telemagenta -Hot pink, comes out brighter than
advertised
-Montana Solar Orange -Light yellow, covers great
-Molotow Juice Green -Ultra-bold medium
green
-Krylon Watermelon -Similar to MTN
Fever Red but isn't pale
-Montana Intense Red -jumps out! very intense
-Molotow Deep Black -Darkest black we've seen,
great can control
-Montana Divinity White -very light white
-Rustoleum
black
-covers well, comes out even
-Molotow Seak Future Green -beautiful dark green
-Montana Ganges Yellow -a bright,
"pure yellow" with no hint of orange. Covers great, especially
for yellow
-Molotow Golden Yellow
-covers very well
-Rustoleum Harbor Blue
-bright, very light blue
Worst colors: (these colors really blow; stay away!)
-Montana Colorado Red -light, weak red;
covers poorly
-Molotow Signal Yellow -golden yellow is
almost the same but covers twice as well
-Montana Devil
Red -greyish
-Molotow 600 ml anything -too much pressure for
outlining
-Montana Light Yellow
-covers poorly
-Molotow Leaf
Green -pale
-Krylon
Tomato
-ugh, just... no
-Krylon Stonewashed Denim -bluish-grey, covers poorly
Conclusion
Buy Spanish Montana and Molotow spray paint and go wild.

Kyro
CAPS
Caps may be the most important tools of graffiti. Without premium
paint, a skilled artist can get by with cheap paint. But without
the right caps, painting can be frustrating and tedious. Filling
in large areas without a fat cap is painful. Making precise
outlines without outlines caps is unbearable: you have to cut back over
and over again to get them right, unless you have a good outline
cap. Know your caps; they are essential to good writing.
People's style is influenced, to some extent at least, by the paint and
caps they use. But also, the paint and caps people use influences
their style. When people get comfortable with different types of
caps, they get used to the technique of painting with those types of
caps, and paint. And just like a Rusto user will need to adjust
to a Molotow can, a Black Micro cap user will need to adjust to a
German Outline cap.
The bottom line is, you'll learn to prefer some caps over others.
And you probably won't agree with everyone else. Even the
pros have major disagreements pver product preference. You'll
just learn to like what you like.
But, there are some things about caps that can be identified and
described, and hopefully this information helps you choose your
preference.
A Warning Before Proceeding
All artists have individual preferences about caps. Some disagree
strongly with one another. Some have different experiences with
the same caps. It is up to you to decide which caps you
prefer. It's sort of like drummers choosing from the many
different sizes and shapes of drumsticks to use; everyone has their own
choice.
In many cases, superstition has as much to do with people's preferences
as the actual performance of the cap.
What follows is our test results of various caps with various paint
brands. Use this is as a guide, but for best results, see for
yourself which caps you like the most.
Terminology:
Dot:
The dot is the little piece on the front of the cap that the paint
comes out of.
Width:
This one's the one
the novice pays attention to.
Obviously, it's how wide your line is. The grey dot is the skinniest;
the pink dot is the widest.
Hardness (or,
"sharpness"):
This determines whether you have a
cap that distributes paint evenly across the line (hard), or one that
puts more paint in the center and less paint on the edge (soft). The
German caps (outline/pro/fat) are the hardest; the "dot" series is the
softest. Also, the closer you hold your can to the surface, the harder
the line gets. A black dot from 6 inches looks mighty soft, from 1 inch
you get a much sharper line.
Weight: This
is how much paint
comes out. If a cap is too
heavy, drips become more likely, but if it is too light, the colors
beneath may show through (which is OK, if you're fading or blending).
The brand of paint you use with your cap also
makes a big difference--some paints can be light and drippy (really
cheap brands often are) and some paints can be heavy and still not drip
(Montana). But, all else being equal, the heaviest caps are the needle
caps (we don't even carry these, they're so bad); Rusto Fats and
Orange Dots are on the heavier side while the grey, black, and gold
dots are probably the lightest.
Compatibility:
This makes all
the difference. If a cap doesn't
work with your brand of paint, then what good is it? Some caps perform
very differently depending the brand they're used with.
Regularity:
Some caps with some brands produce funny non-circular shapes.
With calligraphy caps, it's intentional. But if a cap makes an
irregular shape, it's a bad cap. Many stock caps with generic
brands make weird irregular shapes.
Longevity:
Some caps clog up more easily than others, and some paint causes caps
to clog more easily than other brands. Generally skinny caps clog
less than fat caps. MTN paint seems to clog caps a little more
frequently than other brands.
Let us know if you have any further insight
you could provide. Ultimately, every artist
develops his or her own preferences
based on experience, and artists of equal accomplishment can have
totally different opinions about which caps are better than others
(just like musicians and their brand preferences.) The best way to find
out which you like the best is to try everything and decide for
yourself.
The
caps
= favorites
Outliners
Fats
Special Effects
Outliners
|
MTN Alien
|
MTN
|
Molotow
|
Krylon
|
Rustoleum
|
|
   German
Outline (a.k.a. Skinny Banana, Sparvar Skinny)
The
line is medium-thin, the edge is VERY sharp, the weight is
medium. An ideal outline cap. Works great with Montana
Hardcore, Krylon, and Rustoleum. DOES NOT WORK WITH MOLOTOW or
GERMAN MONTANA. These can be found in three different color
schemes as pictured. Their properties seem to be identical, but
many people are superstitious about different colors. Some
artists swear by the grey model. MTN America says the black ones
clog less. As far as I can tell, they're the exact same.
|
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|
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 Universal cap
This cap seems identical to the German Outline, except
that it
works with Belton Molotow and German Montana paint. |
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  German
Pro (a.k.a. German 2, Skinny Pro) Unlike the German
Outline, this cap works with Belton
Molotow and German Montana, and for those brands, the line has the same
properties as the German Outline above has with other brands.
Used with Rustoleum,
Krylon, and Spanish Montana Hardcore, the line is slightly wider and
softer than the
German Outline. www.molotow.com says that the black version is
softer than the grey version, but I could not observe any difference
between the two in side-by-side comparison tests with various
brands. I believe they are the same cap in two colors. They
make a very even coat, lending well to stenciling and dusting.
|
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 Gold Dimpled Ultra-thin (a.k.a. Super
Skinny #1,
Super Skinny) Yes we know it sounds silly to call it the
"Dimpled gold dot" because "dimple" is a funny word to say, but we have
to because otherwise it would be confused with the other Gold Dot cap
described below.
This is a very thin and light cap. With high-pressure paint, it
is no thinner than the above outline caps, but with lower-pressure
paints it can create incredibly thin lines. It can be used from
very close
range to get tiny little lines or from a little further for
blending. It is very versatile, but unfortunately, as ulta-thin
caps tend to, it clogs easily. In his movie "The Future of Graffiti,"
EAZ says that these are the only outline caps he uses. He also
says that the half-clogged gold dot cap (meaning this one, not the
other below) is exceptional for getting the finest details. It
works with all major brands of spray paint.
Works poorly with MTN Hardcore for some reason.
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 Grey Dots (a.k.a. Super Skinny #2) These
caps are ultra-skinny like the Dimpled Gold Dot. Sources disagree
about which is skinnier. It works
great with
Krylon, Rusto, Montana, and Molotow. It is really light and thin,
very useful all-around.
Compared to the Black Micro,
it is about the same in width, but a little softer and lighter, perhaps
making it better suited for drippy brands (these caps hardly ever cause
drips).
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Black Dots
Black Dots are the
same as grey dots, but just a little bit wider. Black dots make
good outline caps for large high-pressure cans, and also low-pressure
cans. Their spray is a little softer than the Black Micro, a
little wider than the grey dot. |
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New
York Thin. The
New York Thin cap is known by many names. New
York Outlines, phantom tips, thins,
micros, and skinnies. They are medium-thin, semi-soft, medium-weight.
They work well with Rustoleum, Krylon, and Montana Hardcore. IT
DOES
NOT WORK WITH BELTON MOLOTOW.
A very good cap for fading and dusting. The shape is circular and the
distribution is even, but it is not very thin, compared to the caps
above. It is a real middle-of-the-road cap, but it's more
reliable than the stock caps on more generic brands of paint. It
works well with the cheapie brands.
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 Black Micro (a.k.a. Molotow Super Skinny) works
well with Spanish Montana (MTN), Molotow, and also with Krylon and
Rustoleum. With a black
finish and a black dot, it definitely is the coolest-looking cap.
It produces a very thin
line, but with a sharp edge and medium weight. Great for doing
outlines when you want something thinner than the German Outlines
above. We are suspicious that it might be identical to the Black
Dot cap described below; tests are underway. |
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Needle
Cap TO ANYONE I'VE
EVER SOLD A NEEDLE CAP, I'M SORRY. The needle cap is the
worst
cap ever made; in fact it's the only cap I hear people describe as
"bad." The spray is neither light nor thin; rather it is huge,
ultra-heavy, drippy as hell, irregular, ugly, just plain terrible!
For best results with a
needle
cap, spray the paint into your eyeballs instead of the wall to be
painted. Spare the wall! These caps are downright
awful. They do not work well with any brand of paint at all,
unless you are going for the "ultra-drippy, ultra-sloppy look."
I threw all of our needle
caps
in the garbage before thinking to see if they would work for mixing
cans. They might be good for that. If that, certainly
nothing else.
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Gold Soft Cap
(a.k.a. Outline Special) This
cap looks almost the same as the Gold Ultra-thin, but the hole on the
dot is smaller. This is a bad
cap. The spray it makes--with every brand tested,
including Krylon, Rustoleum, Montana, and Molotow--comes out a very
irregular shape, resembling outstretched talons. It's a really
weird shape, and while it might be cool for a particular effect, it's
generally unhelpful. Certainly this cap would not be a suitable
outline cap, with any brand. It's billed as being "soft spray" but if
you're fading or dusting, wouldn't you rather do it with an even cap
like a New York Fat or German Pro cap?
This cap seems pretty pointless and also confusing for looking like the
Dimpled Gold Dot above.
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FATS
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 Silver Super Fat.
This is one of the most versatile caps out there. It
produces a wide line, wider than any of the caps mentioned above, with
a sharp edge. The coverage is an even perfect circle. But
with Montana and Molotow, you can actually make
skinny lines with it by holding the can very near the painted
surface. With Rustoleum, the cap still works great for wide
lines, but from close up, the line will be too heavy and drip.
With Krylon, the cap works OK, but beware of drips--the Orange Dot
below may be a better choice. |
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 Rusto Fat. This
is one of the
most preferred fat caps. The Rusto Fat is
named after Rustoleum but works very well with other brands as well,
including Krylon and Montana. IT DOES NOT WORK WITH BELTON
MOLOTOW. I do not understand why these caps are name-associated
with Rustoleum; certainly they are no made by or for Rustoleum, though
they do work well with that brand. Compared to the New York
Fat cap, it is heavier; better for fill-ins but not as good with slow
and careful lines. Compared to the German Fat cap, it
is lighter, producing better results with the cheaper brands of
paint.
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 New York Fat. The
New York
Fats produce a medium-wide, medium-weight, semi-soft line, much like
the New York Thins but slightly broader. The caps themselves look
a lot like the
NY thins, too. To tell them apart, note the ridges: the Fats have
wider ridges than the Thins. Also, the very center of the dot
looks a little different. But the ridges are the easiest way to
tell them apart. Same compatibility as the NY thins, but these caps
will work with
Molotow. Compared with the Rusto fat below, these caps are a bit
lighter. They are good for large fades, and for making wide lines
more slowly. |
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German Fat. This
cap
produces a heavy-weight, sharp-edge, medium-width line. It works
well with Rustoleum, Montana, and Molotow. It makes a wider line
with Rustoleum and Montana than it does with Belton Molotow. It
works with Krylon, but tends to cause drips because of the output
weight. |
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Astro Fat
One of the newest caps available, the Astro Fat is very wide, on par
with the pink dot. It is wider than the
Silver fat cap above. It works best with European bran |