.
While the cats are out
two hours with a can in hand
I squeak with delight
.
by Scooj
- On to letter D tonight.
Tag: Spray can
2206. Allen Gardens, London (3)
Sometimes it is just too difficult to talk about how good a piece really is, because the words used are clumsy and don’t really do the artist justice. This is a case in point. It is a zombie piece (not to everyone’s taste) by JXC, an artist I have come across a couple of times at Upfest.
Everything about this is good – an arresting subject, incredible precision and artwork, great colour selection and a level of detail rarely seen on the street. As an observer, sometimes it is just so hard to comprehend how these guys do this with spray cans, I am left in awe. As you can see, I rather like this piece which I photographed in London back in November last year.
2075. Dean Lane skate park (199)
When Cheo and 3Dom get together for a collaboration it is guaranteed to be interesting and of the highest quality, and so it is with this recent piece in Dean Lane.
The whole piece is a clever section of a Cheo character, the inside workings of which are by 3Dom. The character is a graffiti artist, complete with baseball cap, backpack and spray-paint can, primed to do his best. The innards of the character and his backpack are altogether a little weird.
There is a good chance that the piece may be around for a little while, as both artists are highly respected and the paintwork itself is flawless. Having said that, there are no rules. The final photograph just provides a little context for the wall and its surroundings in the skate park. A treat of a piece.
1703. Moon Street (53)
This is a really interesting piece by Laic217 in Moon Street for two reasons. Firstly, it is unfinished, which is quite unusual in itself and secondly it seems like it might have been a practise wall for a piece he sprayed in Dean Lane skate park a few days later (see next post).
I rather hope that the character isn’t anyone he knows, because it isn’t particularly flattering. The mouth is unfinished and in fact the first time I looked at it I thought it was graffitied by someone else and the spray can is also unfinished. I do find it a bit of a puzzle that it is incomplete, because he appears to have put in a lot of effort before giving up. Perhaps he was disturbed. Anyhow, incomplete or not, I love this piece and the idea behind it. more classy work from Laic217.
1335. M32 Spot (15)
Laic217 is, as regular readers will know, one of my absolute favourite Bristol artists, and his work has been going from strength to strength over the last few years. One of the things that has really improved is how he creates textures on the clothes of his characters.
In this piece the skeleton looks like he is wearing a fleece hoodie, with gentle folds and creases. The colour is outstanding, and lifts the whole thing…it’s in your face.
Skeletons clutching spray cans is a speciality of Laic217 and although he does a lot of them, they are all quite different and it is difficult to tire of them. I think it is the combinations of colours that sets this piece apart from others.
I first saw this piece piece in Instagram but couldn’t work out where it was. The cycle track that runs alongside the M32 has been closed off while construction work is going on, and this particular spot has become a bit of a cul-de-sac, which I only occasionally visit. I had to ask another photographer where it was…something I don’t like doing too much…it is a pride thing.
1178. Upfest 2016 (158)
What a lovely piece this is by Gage (Oliver Gillard), and actually what a hugely gifted artist he is. Gage is based in Bristol and runs his own business Gage Graphics, offering large mural commissions.
In this piece he has some floating 3D writing and a spray can (the tool of his trade) bursting with wildlife and colour. I can’t believe it has taken me so long to really appreciate this piece. I think it is because the images were stored in my archive upside down, and it is hard to appreciate and pick out upside down thumbnails. Lovely work.
1106. The Bearpit (104)
Here we have another Bearpit piece by the irrepressible NEVERGIVEUP, whose monsters just keep on giving. In this piece there is an inclusion of the Clifton suspension bridge, but I am not certain that he sprayed this or whether it was a part of an existing mural. Somehow the style doesn’t look like his.
As with all his monsters, NEVERGIVEUP creates a textured effect on the skin using concentric contours, in this case in red and yellow, dotted around the skin of the creature. I always like it when characters are themselves spraying. An archetypal piece from this artist.
993. Dean Lane skate park (76)
Going back a bit to before Upfest, Laic217 sprayed this unusual and compelling piece on the curved wall. The black and white piece almost looks like a sketch in a book and he has very cleverly and in an understated way added a little bit of pink and blue to the wall in the character’s glasses giving it that 3D out of focus effect, which he has also applied to his signature.
This is a classy piece and stayed a long while on a wall that gets sprayed over quite frequently. I haven’t seen much in the way of new work from Laic217 – maybe he has gone away for a while, or is taking a graffiti holiday…it happens sometimes.
This piece combines the usual elements we expect to find in a Laic piece. He really has carved out a distinctive and respected style over the last two years or so. More old pieces to come.
913. Bedminster
Another fine skeleton and flame piece from the inexhaustible Laic217. This time in cooler blues and less of the fiery furnace approach. This is a nice spot, and perfect for the kinds of works that Laic217 likes to do.
The tracksuit is rather special, and I guess representative of things that the artist is familiar and comfortable with. I wonder if setting fire to spray paint is something that people actually do for a bit of a laugh, but it looks rather dangerous to me.
Laic217 is certainly becoming more and more expert at producing an expressive skull, giving it a plasticity that allows expressions and maybe even emotions. The eyes here are rather good too. A nice piece.
824. Dean Lane skate park (56)
Well it has been a few days, hasn’t it? this is one of the best Laic217 pieces that I have seen. I think he is moving on to a new level, and he has worked this wall perfectly. As tribute to the quality of this piece, it has remained untagged and intact for at least a fortnight, which shows the respect from other artists.
Although I have seen this theme before (fire from a spray can) from other artists, I think he has excelled with this, in particular I like the way he has shaded the reflected light on the face and head of the skull, grading from white/yellow to purple/black.
I still have many more recent pieces by this most prolific artist in my archives, and I will unapologetically post them all. Really fabulous work.
Natural adventures 