Tag: Elvs

2264. M32 roundabout J3 (146)

I don’t know what I expected Elvs to look like before I met him but somehow it wasn’t what I saw. Maybe it was that he was much younger than I thought, but then isn’t everyone these days? I have been an admirer of Elvs’ work for a few years now, so it was great to catch him midway through doing a piece.

Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2019
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2019

His work is so distinctive and intricate and appears to follow a general formula, the repetition of which, by his own admission, becomes recognisable as his work. I guess if you have done enough of these things you begin to master every curve and shadow and he seems to turn out perfect pieces every time. He didn’t seem to mind me chatting for a little while… it must be quite irritating having people asking inane questions, but if he was irritated he didn’t show it. Another great piece of graffiti writing from Elvs.

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2249. Dean Lane skate park (215)

Elvs is a fine wildstyle writer from Wales, although I don’t know if he lives in Bristol or in Wales, but he tends to do several pieces every year in the popular Bristol graffiti spots. This is one of at least two pieces he did during May this year (more on his other one soon) and it really shows mastery of his elaborate ‘tag’, which remains broadly similar in shape from wall to wall.

Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2019
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2019

This piece is characteristically clean and sharp, with three lovely horizontal layers of pink acting as a backdrop to the detailing in black that makes this so obviously an Elvs piece. I’m not certain what the Japanese writing says, but I do know that it is in the Katakana form. It might say HiSoKu. I’ve noticed that Elvs quite often has this Japanese influence in his pieces. I’ll have to ask him to elaborate next time I see him.

2038. M32 roundabout J3 (127)

On sitting down to write a post about this Elvs piece from the M32 roundabout I have come to realise that I know virtually nothing about the artist. I know about his work and love the intricate lettering which usually has a vanishing point somewhere behind the piece, but I have never met him nor do I even know where he comes from. This secrecy is quite common amongst some street artists and is completely understandable… however it does lead to an awful lot of waffle filling the column inches.

Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2019
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2019

This particular piece includes some pixels which might be a little nod of recognition to Aspire, but then again it might not. It also looks a little bit like there is a tide line on it, where the bottom third looks a little washed out. This effect is heightened with the wet pathway below the piece. Great work from this DBK artist.

1980. Dean Lane skate park (186)

Another overlooked piece from my archives, this time from Elvs in Dean Lane. It is very possible that this remained on file for so long because at the time of seeing it, I didn’t know the artist and so left the picture in a folder. Because the turnover of pieces in Bristol is so high, many that I photograph never see the light of day, but on my occasional trawls through the archives I like to dig some oldies out.

Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2016
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2016

Elvs’ skills are obvious for all to see, and the crisp lines on his distinctive writing style are a pleasure to observe, and in this one, the shading within the letters is masterful. A great piece on the bit of wall that is very difficult to photograph…as you can see.

1545. Dean Lane skate park (133)

A week or two back it seems Elvs hit the town with at least three pieces of which this was the second. This one was on the long wall at Dean Lane. The subtle and toned-down writing is in marked contrast with the scarlet backwash which brings the whole piece to life. I’m not sure the impact would be the same on a dull background.

Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2018
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2018

Elvs offers another reworking of a successful style and two things stand out for me. First is the vertical graded shading of the piece which is graduated from bottom to top, and second is the central vanishing point which is central to the work of Elvs. A fine piece.

1520. Dean Lane skate park (129)

As so often happens in this game, I go in search of one thing and find something else. I had seen a post on Instagram of a beautiful new collaboration by Face 1st and Tasha Bee in Dean Lane, quite unusual, because it is not a spot that Face 1st regularly paints and their collaborations seem to be a bit of a new thing at the moment. When I got there, it had already been overpainted.

Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2018
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2018

The good news is that the piece covering it is by Elvs, whose work is always of a brilliant standard. In this work he has chosen some dark and subtle colours to create his unique writing. You should be able to read the word ‘ELVS’ as well as some additional characters, in what looks like Japanese to me. I’m not sure what it says.

Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2018
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2018

The tragedy of Dean Lane (but also the thing that makes it so special) is the transient nature of the work there – blink and you miss it. I was sorry not to see the PWA collaboration, but at least I was rewarded with this superb Elvs burner.

1357. Dean Lane skate park (112)

I always like finding Elvs pieces, there is something about how intricate and so very clean about them. Fantastic detailing and sharpness that so many pieces I see every day just don’t have. One of the features that helps his work stand out, is that his vanishing point for the shaded edges of the letters is somewhere in the middle of the piece, whereas much of the writing you see has a vanishing point to one side or the other. Small thing I know, but these things help give artists their uniqueness.

Elvs, Dean Lane skate park, Bristol, March 2018
Elvs, Dean Lane skate park, Bristol, March 2018

As ever his lettering is outstanding and the colours really stand out on the blue background. I get the impression that his work probabkly takes quite some time to do, no sign of a quick throw up mentality here. I have not yet med Elvs, but would sure like to se him at work.