Graffiti: what you should know
Graffiti is the letter-based foundation of street art. It grew out of writers painting their names on walls and trains, and it still lives in sketches, blackbooks, canvases and the tools writers use every day. This street art graffiti category brings together graffiti art for your walls, spray paint and markers for your own projects, blackbooks, graffiti books and vintage graffiti material.
What this category includes
- Graffiti art: canvases, panels and works on paper by writers, from simple tags to complex lettering and characters.
- Spray paint: cans from specialized brands such as Montana and Molotow, plus caps for different line widths. Spray paint is the main tool of graffiti.
- Graffiti markers: paint markers, ink markers and refills used for tags, sketches and detail work.
- Blackbooks: blank sketchbooks for drafts as well as filled books. A used blackbook by a known writer can be of interest to collectors.
- Graffiti books: photo books, histories and monographs about writers, crews and cities.
- Vintage graffiti: older photos, magazines, flyers and other material from earlier decades.
Graffiti art: what drives value
When you buy graffiti art rather than supplies, the writer's reputation, the quality of the letters and composition, the size and the condition of the work matter most. Works that show a recognizable style, such as a carefully built wildstyle piece, usually stand out. Because tags and styles are easy to imitate, documentation such as photos of the writer with the work, a gallery receipt or a known exhibition history helps buyers judge what they are getting.
Tips for supplies and books
- For spray paint, check the color names, can size and shipping rules, since aerosols often have shipping restrictions.
- For markers, look at tip size and whether the ink is water- or solvent-based.
- For graffiti books, check the edition, cover condition and whether pages are missing or loose.
Care and display
Keep graffiti on paper and canvas away from direct sunlight and moisture, and frame paper works with UV-filtering glass. Store blackbooks closed and flat in a dry place.
Listings on this page come from independent eBay sellers and are not checked by us.
Own a graffiti piece or blackbook and wonder what it might be worth? Upload a photo for a free estimate on StreetArtValue.com.