On one hand graffiti is seen as street art, on the other it is brought down as vandalism. Which side are you on? You might be dilly-dallying, so let me point you to the Wikipedia article on graffiti. A quick glance through Wikipedia tells us that graffiti has existed since the days of Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire (and probably earlier too).
Yes, it is seen as malicious mischief by some, but nobody is denying that it's also a part of mainstream pop-culture as an art form. Graffiti or street art's place in the sun as an art form may still be open to debate, but if done well, it is not only eye-catching but also a rousing social communication tool.
So, where does a wannabe graffiti artist go for inspiration? First take a look at this old Smashing Magazine article to see just why it deserves respect as an art form; then head on to these seven graffiti websites before you stock up with cans of spray paint.
Art Crimes - The Writing on The Wall
The site says it is the first and largest online aerosol art archive. It is definitely one of the oldest as it started in 1994. The site showcases graffiti art and style from around the world. The news link is something you might be interested in to know what's happening around the world with this art form. Another page that's a virtual shortcut into this world is the one which lists other interesting and useful sites in this genre.
Street Files
When you first land here, it will seem that this photo sharing site is the "Flickr" for graffiti artists. 33,445+ members and 462,369 photos makes up quite a huge collection. The site is an independent street art & graffiti photo community. The site traces the popularity of graffiti as a social art form through the photos that are contributed from across the world. The quickest way to reach the streets is via the little blue map on the right which pinpoints cities around the world. There's also a photo filter for a more precise search.
The Graffiti Creator
This site is for those who still haven't found a wall to "deface" or would like to practice without wasting paint. The online graffiti creator lets you experiment with varying preset styles. You can create customized text art work using the available styles & concepts. This online graffiti tool is useful because graffiti art can find expression on web banners, animation, and, logos too. One of our fellow authors has done a complete review on this online Flash application.
Learn Graffiti
If you want to learn the stylized lettering involved in graffiti art, then this is a nice place for some of the basics. The online tutorials on graffiti take you through alphabets, styles, block 3D, arrows, coloring etc. Some of the lessons are still incomplete, but you can still get a pretty good picture of what's needed to start of with graffiti. The URL and the website's name are different.
Graffiti Playdo
You have a palette, a can of spray paint, and a whole blank wall to work your magic. What else do you need as an aspiring graffiti artist? The advantage of doing graffiti online as this little Flash application shows is that you can undo it all with a press of a key and start again. Also, the Flash app lets you connect to Facebook and share your wild inspired ideas. Check out the little thumbnails at the foot, they should make you feel either inspired or inferior as a graffiti artist. As you can see, I feel the latter.
Also, you can deface a lot many more public properties at another cool street painting site - ZeWall Online Painting.
PureGraffiti
This is one of the more complete graffiti website and blog with a range of all round features that includes - graffiti news, graffiti pictures gallery, graffiti artists, interviews, street art, graffiti supplies, and a large forum. There doesn't seem to be any contests held now, but the site also features graffiti battles between participating graffiti artists.
FatCap
This is a very nicely designed site to come to if you are searching for a well rounded graffiti and street-art resource and a social graffiti community rolled into one. You have entire sections on featured artists, graffiti pictures, videos, interviews, and news. Check out the nicely laid out navigational cues on the right sidebar which let you browse graffiti according to their type.
I used to think that graffiti was an anonymous form of art, where you really didn't know the artist. But as these graffiti websites prove, graffiti and street art has moved into the mainstream and is getting its due. There is a lot of appeal in graffiti. Don't you think so?
Image Credit: Wikipedia