They’re at it again. Although it took Dibz and Fade a little time to warm uop this year, once they got going they have been fairly relentless all summer long. This is just a nice study in wildstyle graffiti writing on one of their favourite walls.
Fade and Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2026
The pair have gone for a pink theme, although when I first saw the collaboration, my first thought was Liquorice Allsorts and I can’t unthink it. This is a great example of technical graffiti writing executed to the highest standard. Exactly as I’d expect from these two.
After a slow start in the spring, Dibz and Fade have run off an impressive catalogue of collaborations this summer of which this one on the side of the newish skate ramp at Dave Side is a great example.
Fade, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2026
The hot colours used in the writing are perhaps designed to conjour up the warm Mexican environment to link up with the Speedy Gonzales character Slowpoke Rodriguez. I imagine both artists had a hand in painting the character which is a brilliantly faithful representation. Some great flat lettering from Fade on the left, which is mirrored on the right by Dibz.
Dibz, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2026
I have exhausted superlatives desribing Dibz’ and Fade’s work this year, and perhaps it is just better for me to let their wildstyle writing do the talking for me. And still they keep turning out more and more pieces – I struggle to keep up.
Shade One, Fade, Dibz and Sikoh, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, June 2026
This is a fabulous production collaboration painted back in June this year by Shade One, Fade, Dibz and Sikoh. It is a difficult wall to photograph in its entirety at the best of times, because of the light incursion creating reflections at different times of the day. These four really are the crème de la crème of their field.
Shade One, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, June 2026
Starting at the left, Shade One has painted an incredible cartoon realism portrait of a futuristic woman wearing pink-tinted glasses with gold rims. I’m not quite sure what the apparatus on her head is all about, but it is imaginative and creative. The pink surround creates a grerat hard defined edge to the portrait.
Fade, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, June 2026
Next up is some graffiti writing from Fade which I think reads SMOOTER and is likely dedicated to a friend. There is little more I can write about Fade and his work that I haven’t already written many times before. Precise and perfectly presented like the adjacent piece by Dibz.
Dibz, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, June 2026
The third piece in this production is by Dibz and mirrors the writing by Fade in terms of colours and to a point style. I cannot for the life of me decypher the letters, but that is wildstyle writing for you, it is intended to be disguised.
Sikoh, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, June 2026
Moving on finally to Sikoh, one of the most talented artists around, in my view. He has overlaid his piece on top of Dibz’ writing, bringing it forward and lifting it from the wall. The colours match Shade One’s bringing about a symmetry to the whole collaboration. Here a tortured skull, part human part machine appears to be yelling out, whether in pain or rage it is difficult to know. So full of movement expression and perfectlky painted. What a collaboration!
This is a fine combination collaboration from Fade and Dibz, featuring the cartoon character Marvin the Martian. The character is sandwiched between two fabulous pieces of wildstyle graffiti writing from the pair. It is surprising how many times I have seen this character used in a graffiti piece… note to self, do a Marvin the Martian special when I have time.
Fade and Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2026
Unusually, Fade is to the left, and Dibz to the right. Looking at the two writing styles together, you can see that Fade’s work is much ‘flatter’ and 2 dimensional, whereas Dibz has gone for more depth with great use of a drop shadow around his letters. I suspect that the character was a joint effort, which is often the case with these two. Great work.
Dibz, Fade and Rusk, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2026
The Wacky Races cartoon series is deeply embedded in some of my happiest memories. As children, my two best friends and I would watch it every week together, adopting our favourite characters – being the youngest, I got third choice and was Professor Patent Pending, which I was actually quite happy with. Our own fortunes were dictated by those of our chosen characters, and winning the race was joyful and bestowed bragging rights until the next episode.
Dibz, Fade and Rusk, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2026
This is a wonderful combination of writing from Fade and Dibz and the character piece by Rusk. The wildstyle writing is top class, with each piece hanging perfectly in the blue sky. The writing is accompanied by the words “Dibz Dastardly & Fadely”, a direct reference to the characters in Rusk’s character piece.
Rusk, Dean Lane, Bristol, July 2026
Rusk has done a great job with Dastardly and Mutley in their flying machine, and has conflated Wacky Races with Stop the Pigeon, which was a spin-off series from Wacky Races. I love this collaboration, a real trip down memory lane – probably 55 years or more ago. Thank you.
Fade and Dibz, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, April 2026
When Fade and Dibz get together, magic happens. It is so easy to get blasé about their work, because we see it so frequently in Bristol and forget that these two writers are at the very top of their game. The precision of their work is extraordinary and at the very highest level.
Fade, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, April 2026
This collaboration shows off their talents as wildstyle graffiti writers. To the left, in ‘fruit salad’ yellow and pink colours Fade has written his letters with three horizontal stripes, with complete confidence and competence. Great writing.
Dibz, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, April 2026
On the right, Dibz has also adopted slightly different ‘fruit salad’ colours nicely blended in horizontal strips and with a deep 3D drop shadow in black and nicely finished with some purple bubbles at the top. As a pair of pieces, it all feels so effortless, but that comes with the unconscious competence of years of graffiti experience.
Turoe, Jody and Fade, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, June 2026
I’m not sure what the occasion was, but it doesn’t really matter when three such accomplished artists come together. The triptych combination collaboration is by Turoe on the left, Jody in the middle and Fade on the right.
Turoe, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, June 2026
Turoe has been a little more active of late which is great to see, and it might signal an improvement in his health which I understand has been a challenge for him in recent years. This is a gorgeous piece of graffiti writing, which with its white and grey fill, gives the impression of being reflective chrome or other metal. A decent red drop shadow lifts the letters above the dark velvety purple background.
Jody, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, June 2026
Any reference to Star Wars is always welcome on these pages and this outstanding portrait of Darth Maul by Jody is top drawer stuff. (note to self – prepare a Star Wars gallery). Jody has captured the character perfectly and manages to convey his attitude and menace. The background of the planet Mustafar works well with Darth Maul’s lightsabre
Fade, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, June 2026
Fade had a quiet winter, but now that the weather is fine (almost too fine) he has been out and about more frequently. This classy bit of wildstyle graffiti writing is vibrant and full of movement augmented by the squiggly border. Some nice transitions in the fills with reversed bubbles appears to have been applied with such ease. None of this is easy, and these three artists are at the top of their game.
This collaboration in Dean Lane from Dibz and Fade is as near to graffiti writing perfection as you are likely to see anywhere (in my view). The wildstyle lettering spells out DIBZ on the left and FADE on the right.
Dibz and Fade, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2026
There is a superb metallic effect going on here, a little like the one I was explaining a few days ago by Hire, a stone’s throw away from this wall. The letters look like they are made of shiny chrome metal and reflecting the ground and sky – clever work. The writing is set on a purple splash with magnificent shadows, and the deep 3D drop shadow on the letters adds tons of perspective. Great collaboration perfectly executed.
Here we have another classic combination collaboration from Dibz and Fade. Both artists will have been involved in the whole piece, but Dibz leading on the writing and Fade on the alligator characters.
Dibz and Fade, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2026
The alligators are called Brutus and Nero and are taken from the Disney cartoon film, The Rescuers. This piece reflects the technical skill of the two artists in every aspect of its presentation, and it all feels so easy when these two get together, but it takes years of practice and abundant raw talent to be this good.
Dibz and fade have been knocking out collaborations with unstoppable pace recently, and I must confess it is stretching me just to be able to keep up with their activity.
Dibz and Fade, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2026
This is an outstanding collaboration where both artists have contributed to the final offering. The letters spell addict, and I am guessing reflects their obsession with graffiti writing. A stunning fill and cosmic background show off their talent perfectly.
Natural adventures 