Preface


This "book" began as a simple web page comparing different fat caps.  I was surprised to find that apparently nobody else had done so before; even online graffiti offered simple and often unhelpful description of their caps.  As an art shop keeper, I heard many questions from people and frequently had to give customers the complete run-down of all the different types.  I figured that making a web page would be helpful.

As I put the page together, I kept coming across more and more knowledge that I thought I should share.  People often asked for instructional materials, and I regretted that not one graffiti magazine that I've seen had even a single page dedicated to teaching (unless you count the page in Day in the Lyfe showing you how to jump onto a train).  Eventually the page got so large that I had to give everything headings and break it into shorter pages.  Finally I decided to just write a whole book on everything I know. 

This may someday be published as a book, but I would rather release the information now than withhold it for my own benefit later.  I welcome feedback at my email address above. 

Contents
Introduction: Graffiti culture in transition Part 1: The Tools of Graffiti 1.1     Protection 1.2     Spray Paint     1.2.1    Terminology     1.2.2     Properties of Spray Paint       1.2.2.1     Can Sizes     1.2.2.2     Chromes and Fluorescents    1.2.3     Brands of Spray Paint         1.2.3.1     Morality         1.2.3.2     Spray Paint Brand Performance Profiles         1.2.3.3     Generic Paint v. Name-brand Paint         1.2.3.4     Krylon vs. Rustoleum         1.2.3.5     The Two Montanas         1.2.3.6     Montana vs. Molotow         1.2.3.7     The True Colors of Molotow         1.2.3.8     MTN color comparison chart         1.2.3.9     The Best and Worst Colors         1.2.3.99    Conclusions 1.3     Caps     1.3.1     Disclaimer: Everyone Sees caps differently     1.3.2     Terminology     1.3.3     The Caps     1.3.4     Compatibility     1.3.5     The Most Popular Caps 1.4     Markers     1.4.1     Terminology     1.4.2     Markers	Part 2: The Techniques of Graffiti 2.1     Basics      2.1.1     Practicing      2.1.2     Sketching 2.2     On-site Techniques      2.2.1     Setting Up      2.2.2     Outlining      2.2.3     Filling      2.2.4     Shading      2.2.5     3-D      2.2.6     Touching up      2.2.7     Characters 2.3      Can techniques             Tricks Part 3: Reviews 3.1     Instructional Videos     3.1.1     Graffiti Verite 4     3.1.2     The Future of Graffiti Action Videos Part 4: Graffiti and the Law: What everyone should know Afterword: The Educated Graffiti Artist

Introduction: Graffiti culture in transition

From Banksy, banksy.co.uk: Q:  Is graffiti art or vandalism? A:  That word has a lot of negative connotations and it alienates people, so no, I don't like to use the word "art" at all.

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     Utilities















 


1.2     Spray Paint





1.2.1     Terminology






1.2.2     Properties of Spray Paint





1.2.3     Brands of Spray Paint

Rustoleum	Quality varies considerably from one color and sub-brand to the next.  The "stops rust" black is the best black among the shwag brands.  "Stops Rust" is their all-purpose line.  The colors are somewhat run-resistant and generally cover well.  Rustoleum brand paint works with almost every type of cap out there, though some hi-pressure caps do not work well.  Rusto offers about 100 colors.
Rustoleum: Painter's Touch	This is the better brand of Rustoleum.
Rustoleum: American Accents	Ugly, watery, overspray... all things you will complain about if you use this paint.
Krylon	Again, quality is not consistent with every color.   Watermelon is one of their best, Tomato and Stonewash Denim are among their worst, as are their yellows and many ugly pastels.  Also, some of people's favorite colors have been discontinued.  Krylon seems to have fewer colors than they used to.  Discontinued colors sell for big bucks on Ebay. 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. All-Purpose and Satin Touch only
Krylon All-Purpose Spray Paint	This is Krylon's classic line of paint.  It's the best Krylon brand overall.  52 colors offered.  See here for details about good and bad colors.
Krylon Satin Touch Spray Paint	This is a line of mostly pastel colors. It's not bad, but only 13 colors are offered.
Krylon H2O Latex	This stuff sucks.  "Water-based latex."  The name says it all.  20 crappy colors.
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 very 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.  On the other hand, when MTN does drip, it drips badly. 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.  The ring prevents this problem. There are two major 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 ("peas" is the industry term) in the can instead of one like Rusto and Krylon, making shaking/mixing faster and easier.
German Montana	Overall, this paint is very similar to 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 primary product lines, the "Black" and "Gold" lines.   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.  We got to try a can of the gold though.
German Montana: Gold	At first, it seemed the Gold line performed great.  It has great variable-pressure control, it can make really skinny lines, and it didn't drip easily.  The Gold line has 174 colors available at this writing.  German Montana Gold has a matte finish. Once the paint dried, though, it didn't cover very well at all.  We could see everything beneath the coat.  This was tested with Shock Orange Dark 2020. Maybe other colors cover better, but this one didn't.
German Montana: Black	75 colors available.  The Black line has a constant high-pressure valve like MTN Montana Hardcore.
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 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.

Rustoleum	Rust-Oleum receives anti-graffiti award Home Channel News,  July 17, 2000  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. Wooh!  The company promoted an anti-theft campaign.  How self-servingly philanthropic.  And if the "anti-graffiti" efforts had any real effect, it would have hurt their sales, and they wouldn't have done it.  So they have to know that the anti-graffiti efforts are nothing but Public Relations BS.
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." Krylon's website is the cheesiest shit you can imagine.  Innovation Inspired.TM  It sets a new industry standard for "insipid." And they have to put a crappy cap on it so you need to buy better ones elsewhere.
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 evident in 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 perhaps 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, such as 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 rebellion. 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 evident in 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.

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 hidden costs in cheap 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.  Other off-brands are just terrible mass-produced cans.  Either way, all super-cheap brands we've tried have produced terrible results. Drips and bad coverage cost time and paint.  Every drip you have to back over with at least one color, maybe more.  And if the the line you just made can be seen through, you're probably want to go back over it again. And then, if you don't get it just right, you may have to cut back with the adjacent color so you get a clean line.  But you'll have to go back over that line again, too, because that other color won't be fully filled-in either!  By that fourth line, probably there'll be a drip somewhere, and then you'll have to cover that back up, too.  After it dries.  (see Fig. x) Is it really saving any money when you have to use three times as much paint to get the same result?  Is time not a factor with your work, or would you rather get the job done quickly and efficiently? 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. For all of these reasons, we strongly recommend against using the off-brands.  About the only thing they're good for is if you have to cover a gigantic area with a fill and you can find 99-cent cans of the cheap crap.  And even then it's tedious and aggravating to need to give it two or three coats to look right.  1.2.3.4     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.  People have really different opinions.  You'll have to decide for yourself.  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 generally 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 you want.

Fig. x With premium brands: you spray a line...   then spray another one next to it and you're done. With cheap-o brands: you spray a line... Then go back over it so it shows up better... Then add your adjacent line... Then go back over that so it shows up better... Then cut back with the background color to eliminate the blended part... Wait until it redries and re-do the whole thing.

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.

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 decision 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 decision we decided to go against this in an orderly manner, based on facts, delivered by objective parties and institutions. The fact is that the courts have difficulty looking 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 well, especially with the red, yellow and orange colors, which by their 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. Tuolene, Xylene, petrol gases, strontium, arsenic and mercury are some of the chemicals, vapors and heavy metals contained in spray paint and in paint containing such substances their levels 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 officialdom 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.  Raediger 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.]

1.3     CAPS





1.3.1     Disclaimer: Everyone prefers different caps



1.3.2    Terminology

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 faster than fat caps.  MTN paint seems to clog caps a little more frequently than other brands.

1.3.3     The caps

                         = favorites

Outliners
Fats
Special Effects

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.

Bonus: A reader sent us the compatability notes for a Taiwanese brand of spray paint! Writes the author, Beezari:  Not every Taiwanese spray brand is compatible with any of these caps. In fact only one is - called P.P. Spray (or other, more expensive versions from the same vendor, huang-pin). All the others have "male" connector; therefore you can't get them to work, even if you tune it. 我們這邊有研究過外國賣的噴頭. 想要了解那種噴頭適合/不適合台灣作特噴漆. 所有的噴頭都是用P.P.噴漆試過的. 其他牌子的噴漆根本不適用. [original article] P.P. Spray.  What a name eh?!

[fix stars add column reminders]

Outliners	MTN Alien	MTN	Molotow	Krylon	Rustoleum	P.P. Spray (comments by Beezari)
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.						Not compatible. 不適合!!
Universal cap This cap seems identical to the German Outline, except that it works with Belton Molotow and German Montana paint.						"Very good. very good fit." (outline噴頭, 很好用. 線條很乾淨)
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.						"Not compatible"  德國標準. 不適合用.
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.						Nice. Very thin line. Good for details.  線條很系. 喜歡
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).						(untested)
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.						(untested)
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.	incompatible		incompatible			untested but probably incompatible
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.						(untested)
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.  They might also be useful if for some reason you want a really drippy, wide, jagged line.  If that, certainly nothing else.						(untested)
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.						(untested)
FATS
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.						"Sweet cap. I like it. Nice feet too." (款的.. 很適合) [Feet?]
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, including Krylon and Montana MTN.  IT DOES NOT WORK WITH BELTON MOLOTOW, GERMAN MONTANA, OR ALIEN ART CONCEPT.  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.						"Not very compatible" 不適合用的..
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.						"Suitable. I saw some NY thins which would not be compatible. This one is." 適合用. [The reviewer mixed this up with a NY thin--ed.]
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.						(untested)
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 brands like Montana and Molotow.  The coverage is uneven with American brands.  It is an interesting cap being clear but the pink dot seems to have it beaten in most respects.						(untested)
Orange Dots   Orange dots are really versatile fat caps.  They are wider than New York and Rusto Fats, and about the same as Silver Super Fats.  Works well with all of the brands named above.  Compared with Silver Super Fats, the line is a little softer and lighter, and probably a better choice for American brands of spray paint.						Very good fat cap. 線條很款. 超喜歡.
Pink Dots    Pink dots are the fattest cap available.  You can make lines 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) in diameter. As you get closer, the weight can get very heavy.  Good for filling in large areas (or making giant paintings).  Works with all of the brands named here.  With cheap generic brands, you still get an even spray, though not as wide for some reason.						In my impression, very much like orange dot. maybe fatter. 線條也很款. 超喜歡.
SPECIAL EFFECTS
Blue Soft Caps (a.k.a. Smooth Softs)  Blue Dots are made for stenciling. They produce a medium size line, of a regular circular shape, but the weight is not constant-- it tends to fill out the circumference and leave a light center.  This makes them really good for stencils, since you can get edges good without getting overspray.  Strangely, the width is narrow when used with Rustoleum paint.  With other brands, the spray is medium-wide.  Great for stencils, blends, and fills; poor for outlining.  Works with most brands.						Medium line. average quality.  適合. 線條普通. 沒有很喜歡
White Calligraphy.  These caps have a special insert that creates a "linear" spray instead of the circular spray that the other caps have.  That is, the spray will be wide in one direction, narrow in the other.  The coolest part is that you can rotate that little insert so the line can be any direction you like--vertical, horizontal, or any diagonal.  Great for signing your name, or just creating cool effects.  This cap works with all of the brands named above, but the width of the line varies from one brand to the next.  It makes a very soft, thin line with Montana, a more medium line with Rusto, Molotow, and Krylon.						(untested but probably same as Black Calligraphy)
Black Calligraphy.  This cap seems to be exactly the same as the White Calligraphy cap, but maybe a hair wider.						Nice. Doesn't dip. very clean line. "書法" 噴頭. 很乾淨
Red Calligraphy.  This is the same as the Black and White Calligraphy caps, but the line is wider and heavier.  With Montana and Molotow you get a medium line; with Rusto or Krylon you get a very big line.  The two types of calligraphy caps are pretty similar with Molotow; with the others the difference is significant.						Nice. Strong fat squary line. Dips abit. 紅色的'書法"噴頭. 不錯.線條很特別.

1.3.4     Compatibility

There are a few different valve systems that affect which caps work with what. 

There are "male cans" which have a stem sticking out.  All the caps above are for "female cans" which have no stem.  We've never used any paint with male cans before, so this is all we carry.  Anybody want to expand the segment above to include reviews of "females caps" for "male cans" email me.

Assume that these caps above only work with "female cans."

Of the caps above, some have stems that are too wide to work with some European paint, like Belton Molotow and Montana's Alien Art Concept line.  These include the German Outline, Rusto Fat, and New York Thin caps.

1.3.5     The most popular caps

Not that it should matter, but as best we can tell, it's the New York Fat, Rusto Fat, German Outline, Orange Dot Cap, German Pro Cap, and Pink Dot Cap.

Dirk - Wars - Kure

There are lots of different types of markers for different purposes.  Here I'll go over them. 

1.4.1     Terminology

Base: Like paint, markers can use all sorts of substances to carry their color, including water, oil, alcohol, or even latex.  Some markers use dyed ink, some use wet paint, other are pre-solidified oil paint.

Reservoir: Where the ink is kept.

Nib: The tip of the marker that gets soaked with ink and rub it on the surface.

Flowpen: A flowpen uses a little spring-loaded valve so that the ink or paint only comes out of the reservoir when the nib is being pushed down.  This is good for flow control, and for preventing the marker from leaking and making a mess when not in use.

1.4.2     Markers

On The Run Markers

OTR makes several different types of paint markers that aren't much different.  Just about all of them have a flowpen system and a .6-inch nib, even the ones that aren't called "flowpens."  Oddly, the markers that are labeled "flowpens" are different not because they are flowpens, but because their ink is semi-transparent.  Weird, huh?

OTR's come in two sizes, regular and pocket-size.  The "paint markers" (which are flowpens) contain paint and have little ball bearings in them; the "flowpens" contain dye with no ball bearings.  Both types are alcohol-based, both write great, and both come with great nibs.

The OTR nibs have a wide edge in one direction and a narrow edge in the other, with the edges sloped off so you can create a wide variety of effects easily.  Also, the nibs are the same on both sides, so if one tip gets blown out, you can reverse the nib and use the other one.

OTR's are also refillable.  The nib/flowpen part unscrews to expose the reservoir.

Montana (MTN)  Paint Markers

These markers are loaded with Montana paint.  The tips range from 1.5 to 5 centimeters wide (.6 to 2 inches).  They also have a flowpen system.  They work really well; the ink goes on really thick, but they go through ink fast.  Still, they do amazing work and they are refillable.

Uni Paint Markers

Uni paint markers have small tips, even the "broads" (which are a quarter-inch).  Uni's are oil-based and opaque.  They write consistently on almost anything.  The line is really clean, solid, permanent, and even, which makes them very popular.

Pilot Jumbos

Pilot Jumbo markers are permanent markers with big tips.  The Pilot ink is very strong and one of the most difficult to cover up.  The nib is really tough and takes wear-and-tear well.  On the downside, however, the nib is a very clumsy slanted-square shape that is difficult to make good lines with, and the ink smells disgusting.  There is no flowpen valve system, you just write. 

Deco Paint Markers

Solid Paint Markers

There are three popular brands of solid paint markers: Sakura, Mainstreak, and Markal.  Solid paint means that there is no drying time for the paint.  It also means the coat is heavy, and hard to paint over.  They are instantly waterproof as well.  They show up best on rough surfaces.  Unlike paint markers, the "nib" is the paint itself; the marker disappears as you use it.

Sakuras and Meanstreaks are almost exactly the same.  They have a knob on the bottom for extending the marker, kind of like lipstick and chapstick. 

With Sakuras and Meanstreaks, check the color under the cap before you buy them; a few colors are not portrayed accurately by the cap. There was one color (I think it was red) that looked really wrong.

Markal paintsticks are just like giant crayons.  Compared with the other two brands, the paintsticks are harder.  There is no knob; the casing is just loose cardboard and you just keep pulling the cardboard back as the marker gets used up.  They aren't as clean as the Sakuras or Meanstreaks but they are much cheaper.

PART 2 The Techniques of Graffiti In this part, we will cover some advice about painting your best.

2.1     Basics
     2.1.1     Practicing
     2.1.2     Sketching
     2.1.3     Basic Can Techniques
2.2     On-site Techniques
     2.2.1     Setting Up
     2.2.2     Outlining
     2.2.3     Filling
     2.2.4     Shading
     2.2.5     3-D
     2.2.6     Touching up
     2.2.7     Characters
2.3      Can techniques
            Tricks



2.1.1     The Most Important Technique:  Practicing


2.1.2     Sketching

Sketching is great both for practice and preparation.  Pieces generally turn out much better if you work from a sketch.  In a sketch you can easily look at the whole piece at once (as opposed to with a wall, you gotta stand back to see it).  There is no paint cost and you can do it in many situations, like riding a bus, in a boring class, at home, wherever. 

Keep supplies around, espcially erasers and pencil sharpeners which I often find myself wishing I had.  Sketchbooks are better than regular paper for keeping your drawings organized.  Be very careful not to lose your sketchbook as you don't want it falling into the wrong hands. 

2.1.3     Basic Can Techniques

Before hitting a wall for the first time, it's good to fool around with a can for a bit and get accustomed to the different types of spray you can get.

Can angle:  There are many different ways you can hold a can and get different results.  Here are a few:

(almost) 90 degrees vertical.

45 degrees vertical

60 degrees horizontal

The angle you hold the can has a big effect on the result.  It's hard to describe, but if you try the different angles you'll see what I mean. 

Distance:  Distance has a huge impact on what appears on the wall.  From close up, you get thin, sharp lines; from far away, you get gradual shading over a large area.  Again, it just takes practice to master the art of hold the can at the right distance, but be aware of how far from the wall your can is at all times, and your feel for it will develop faster.

Outlining:  Outlines are done from very close up.  You must keep the can moving to avoid drips, and you must keep the can at about the same distance from the wall all the way through the line, or else the line will look uneven.  A well-known trick to make outlining easier is to make no outline segment longer than a foot or so; that way you only have to do a little bit at a time and if you screw up it won't ruin the whole thing.  That's partly why graffiti letters always have so many vertices.

Cutting:  "Cutting back" refers to painting back over part of something.  Usually, it's when something oversprays, and you have to go back over it with the color it messed up.  Cutting back over solids is easy:  Your white background overlapped your black outline, so you cut back with the black, no big deal.  With fading and multiple colors though, it gets really tricky. 

Cutting Back in two ways
The original: an intersection of three colors.
Then, you went and screwed it up completely.  How do you cover up this mess? Obviously you will have to go back over it with all three colors.  But which should you do first? You should always do the smaller, more delicate stuff first.  Heres why:
Here, the artist starts by cutting back with the black.	Here, the artist starts by cutting back with the blue.
The black is followed by the blue.	After re-doing the green, the green and blue are not even with each other against the black.
But, after re-doing the green, the green and blue are not even with each other against the black.	No matter; it will be corrected when cutting back with the black.
So, you have to go back over with the black again.	The moral of the story is: you can save time and paint by fixing corners before fixing the edges.  That may sound unimportant now, but in later examples you'll see why this is a good practice.

Cutting Back: Fades
The original: a fade on black.
The challenge: A stray paint streak ruined the thing; make it disappear. You should always do the smaller, more delicate stuff first.  Heres why:
Here, the artist starts by cutting back with the black.	Here, the artist starts by cutting back with the blue.
The black is followed by the blue.	After re-doing the green, the green and blue are not even with each other against the black.
But, after re-doing the green, the green and blue are not even with each other against the black.	No matter; it will be corrected when cutting back with the black.
So, you have to go back over with the black again.	The moral of the story is: you can save time and paint by fixing corners before fixing the edges.  That may sound unimportant now, but in later examples you'll see why this is a good practice.

2.3     Setting Up


How you set up depends a lot on the environment.  If your painting legally, you want a set up that makes everything easy; if you're painting illegally, depending on how hot the spot is, you may be more concerned with making an easy getaway than anything else.  Either way, there is setup to be done and you should take your time getting everything the way you want it.

For legal pieces and paid work, you can keep a little pile of empty cans for cleaning out caps (see 2.995), a trashbag, respirator, several bags for various caps, box of gloves, dropcloth, tape, and box fan if you're painting someone's house, tip jar if painting in a public place, boombox always helps the mood... all that shit.  Especially for paid work, acting like you're a professional with your set-up makes the custies confident.

You should also get some exterior latex paint (make sure it's exterior especially if you're painting outside--interior paint will crack over time) and a roller if the wall already has anthing other than one even color on it.  If you're painting indoors, a quick wipe with a dust rag can get a lot of dust off and make the paint stick better to the wall.  Dirt helps cause dripping and also makes little dots.  Get rid of the worst of it.  If you're painting outside it doesn't matter because the wind will just put particles right back on the wall.

If you're painting indoors, make sure all the building ventilation is shut off in your area.  If you're in an apartment, turn off the thermostat and set the fan to "auto/off."  Same thing if you're in an office or house.  You don't want your fumes being spread throughout the building long after youre done.  Open up all the windows and put fans blowing out the nearby windows.  If it's really cold outside and your paint is the type that freezes in low temperature, keep your cans in the warmest place you can find.


Painting in dangerous environments


If you're painting in a risky environment, concerns are very different.  You still definitely want to wear gloves and you should take your trash with you if you can.  You'll want to wear something with pockets, and a bicycle is recommended.

Your outfit matters too.  The best word for your outfit should be "ordinary."  This will help you avoid unwanted attention.

It sounds like I'm stating the obvious, but it's still worth pointing out, just to be sure everyone's aware of these precautions.

DO NOT PAINT UNDER THE INFLUENCE.   Alcohol is the leading cause of legal trouble.


2.4     Outlining

It's pretty common to do the outline first.
You could read a whole textbook about outlining techniques (if one existed) but here are the basics.  Everything else you'll figure out with practice.

It's best to outline first and last.  The first outline is where you set up the flow of your piece; you have to do it first so you know where your fills etc will go.  After you do the first outline, the fill, background, 3D, touch-ups, etc that you add are going to intrude on your original lines.  All of them will probably do that, so you might as well wait until all the other major parts are done before you re-trace your outline.  Otherwise, it'll be like, you outline, fill in, re-trace your outline, add shading and 3D and background, and then have to re-trace your outline again.  You might as well save time and paint by saving the re-outline for the end.

When outlining it's usually best to hold your can parallel to the wall and really close to it so the line comes out even and sharp.

The first outline is what really defines your piece more than anything else.  Take your time with it.  Work from a sketch for best results.  If anything looks wrong, just re-do it and then you can go back over the bad line with your fill or whatever. 

On the other hand, if you're painting illegally in a dangerous area, just outline with a fat cap and cut back to a thin outline with your fill.  This isn't the best way to do it but it's the fastest.

2.5     Filling

Filling is really easy if you know how.  The only thing to watch out for is not to mess up your outline by cutting in too badly. 

Use a skinnier cap to get right along the outline, with the cap turned 45 degrees away from it.  Calligraphy caps can also be useful for getting into sharp corners.  Once you get that done a fat cap will fill in the rest quick.


2.6     Fading

Fading is blending one color into another.  It's used commonly in fills and very rarely in outlines (fading an outline is really difficult, tedious, and wasteful. 

Basically you just spray from far off the wall, to get a light spray, going over the area more toward the "goal" color than the original color.  You want a smooth transition as possible, you can always dust back with the "original" color if needed.

(this diagram was obviously made digitally, but the idea is the same)

Start with fills basically meeting each other...	Blend in a bit with one color...
Oops, blended a little too much..	Cut back with the other color...
Blend back again...	Once the outline is retraced, it looks tight

As you get better at it, you won't need to keeping cutting back and forth like that. 

2.7     Shading and Highlighting.

Shading is a similar technique to fading.  The difference is that shading is all about 3D.  You can use a darker color or black.  On white you can use a light color to shade. 

Highlighting is the opposite, you use white or a lighter color to show highlight. 

Highlights jump off the wall while shadows fall behind it.  You don't need to use either, but it looks really good when done right.  It makes things look 3D. 

Use sharp contrast makes the letters look "glossy," while subtle contrast makes them look smooth.