I can’t think how many times Dibz and Fade have teamed up in the last couple of years, but it must be into dozens, and this piece shows the true nature of total collaboration, where both artists created this incredible work together, and it isn’t possible to know who painted what. Lots of crew shout-outs are scattered around the outside of the piece in pink. Wildstyle writing at its best.
The piece spells out, rather appropriately, ‘Wild Style Addicts’ which probably sums up these two rather well. The gold and purple colours complement one another well, and it all looks very neat and tidy on the black wall.
I will have mentioned that Zinso has been rather busy of late, and also that he appears to be relatively new to Bristol. How wrong am I? I was looking through archives and noticed that I have posted pieces by the artist way back in 2019 and 2020, but those were character pieces and not writing. I can’t believe that in the intervening years I haven’t noticed his work, so have to assume that he has found a new burst of energy and time recently
Zinso, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2025
This is a rather neat piece of bubble writing with a really deep 3D drop shadow, lifting the piece nicely off the wall. The piece is really nicely finished and greatly superior to most bubble writing that I see, that is usually associated with quick throw ups. Loads more to come soon, and below are a couple of his pieces from a few years ago.
Zinso, Brunel Way bridge, Bristol, January 2020Zinso, M32 Spot, Bristol, November 2019
This piece from Hire had me raising my eyebrows, in a good way, because it is quite unlike anything I have seen from him before. I would normally associate his work with quite intricate, spiky, angular letters, but here he has gone for something altogether softer and more fluid – to be honest I hind it a little disorientating. (Update – I am being particularly dense, the writing is, of course, by Sait Bare, which is why it is so different in style. I couldn’t see the wood for the trees.
Hire, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2025
The combination of letters and two characters works well, with a face on the left and one of his trademark rabbits (see, it is spiky) to the right. The letters have a traditional 3D drop shadow with black and red stripes. This whole thing looks like Hire is experimenting a bit, departing from his customary style, and that has to be applauded.
If ever you wanted an example of contemporary wildstyle writing at its best, you wouldn’t need to go any further than this exquisite piece by Dibz. The subtle tones and dark background are in harmony with this piece being a tribute to the late Tickz, hence the ‘rest in peace’ writing to the top left.
Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2025
Everything about this piece is near-perfect. All the lines are sharp and clean, the fills tidy and unfussy, the white highlights consistent and bringing about a uniform 3D effect across the whole piece, and of course the halo in contrasting yellow. As tribute pieces go, this is about as good as it gets.
I think I was about five or six years old when I was given my first Asterix book. My mother was having her hair done and bought me ‘Asterix the Gaul’, to keep me occupied for the very boring two hour hair appointment. Not only did the distraction technique work, but it began a love affair I have had with these cartoon adventure books ever since. I still buy (in hardback) every new edition that is published, even though both the original author and illustrator (Goscinny and Uderzo) have now died. Imagine my excitement when I came across Dibz and Fade while they were painting this epic piece in Dean Lane.
Fade and Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2025
I can’t really add much commentary about the artists that is new, and I have run out of superlatives to describe their work. The writing on the left, by Dibz is about as tight and sharp as you can get with wildstyle graffiti writing. The orange letters with a deep 3D drop shadow, which has a metallic sheen to it, spell DIBZ.
Fade and Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2025
To the right hand side of the collaboration, Fade has adopted the colour selection for his piece, but, although subtle, his letters and style are a tad softer than Dibz’. A notable change in this collaboration is that the artists have swapped sides from their usual preference, which must feel a little bit like sleeping on the wrong side of bed. Maybe?
Fade and Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2025
The centrepiece of this production is a near-perfect rendition of the druid Getafix, who makes the secret magic potion that gives our protagonists, Asterix and Obelix, their strength. The artists have been so true to the original artwork, Uderzo himself would have been impressed. This really is a remarkable collaboration and shows off Dibz and Fade at their very best. I’ll forgive them for the ‘Geta-graf-fix pun.
I was rather lucky to be in the right place at the right time as Two Face was drafting up this piece on the wall. I haven’t come across the artist before, and he tells me that he has only recently moved to Bristol, so I will be on the lookout for his work, for sure.
Two Face, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2025
The combination piece is really rather good, incorporating a hand and fired gun on the left and some rather nicely presented writing on the right, with very fine fill work indeed. Lots of textures, techniques and perspectives in this debut (to Natural Adventures) piece. Bravo!
One of the fastest entries into the Bristol street art scene has to be that of Tera. I met him earlier this summer, painting his first ever piece (!) under Brunel Way, alongside Kid Crayon. The two have set up a symbiotic relationship. Tera is a Tattoo artist and runs a parlour in Bristol, which Kid Crayon has joined as a newbie, there is employment and some money to be made in body art. In return, Kid Crayon has been teaching Tera the finer points of street art. Both are learning really fast.
Tera, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2025
I met the larger-than-life Tera while he was well advanced with this piece and only had the writing and finishing touches to do. It is extraordinary to think that Tera has only painted a handful of times in his life, and can produce pieces like this that many artists take a lifetime to achieve.
Tera, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2025
Tera clearly has a great understanding of form, colour, light and shade, and seems to have mastered can-control really quickly. The detail on the character’s mask and the pipes attached to the mask is awesome. A tidy bit of urban landscape and some great letters (TERA) round the piece off nicely. Naturally, there are one or two rough edges to the piece, but I believe Tera will be turning out some outstanding work in the future, and I am very much looking forward to seeing it.
It is difficult to know how he does it, but Stivs keeps on turning out masterful pieces, whether it is his calligraffiti, portraits or robots, they just keep on coming and with such high quality. This is a stunning portrait o the swimming pool wall at Dean Lane.
Stivs, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2025
Stivs uses the technique of painting patterns on the wall, taking a picture of the patterns, overlaying his sketch onto the picture and then using the patterns as a kind of template reference. The result is utterly beguiling and beautiful. If it is at all possible, Stivs is just getting better and better.
This mustard pot is a little bit of creative genius from Nina Raines and absolutely made my day when I first saw it. This litter bin is such a familiar sight in Dean Lane, and although it has been ‘decorated’ a few times before, this is by far the best makeover I can think of.
Nina Raines, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2025
The Coleman’s mustard brand is one of the most iconic food brands in our store cupboards, and although Coleman’s isn’t even mentioned in this piece, it is instantly recognisable. As well as recreating the cow’s head, Nina Raines has adapted the ‘Original English’ to read ‘Original Bristol’. A clever piece that could so easily be scaled-up across the city, although I suspect it is something the council would never sanction.
I love finding pieces by artists that I haven’t registered before, and this piece from Zinso is one of a few that I have photographed recently. Although Zinso is new to Bristol, I would suggest that they are not new to painting walls, as this is a tidy and accomplished piece of graffiti writing
Zinso, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2025
The slightly cartoonish letters are bordered with a confident black outline and filled with a vibrant green with orange marginal decorations. A couple of pink symbols thrown in rounds off this tight, unfussy piece of writing set on a splash of blue. Bravo.
Natural adventures 