3080. Brunel Way bridge (50)

Ments has been taking an experimental new direction over the last six months or so with a new kind of organic wildstyle writing.  A blending of curved shapes and shades loosely coming together to form cryptic letters.

Ments, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2020
Ments, Brunel Way, Bristol, July 2020

I would have to say that this piece has utterly won me over and I think it is one of the best pieces I have seen from Ments in a while. If these shapes and shades were worked in chromes, greys and whites, there would be a liquid metal feel to it, but no, he has gone for a full colour version of molten metal and it is fantastic. It has been worth the wait to see this new direction for Ments, and I have another new one to share with you soon.

3033. Dean Lane skate park (329)

So many artists have has a creative rush since the easing of lock down and one of them is Dibz. Ordinarily you’d be lucky to see a new Dibz piece once every two months or so, but I have seen three in the last month of which this is one.

Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2020
Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2020

Dibz is a precision graffiti writer. I have never seen anything by him that isn’t really tight, clean and crisp and I have never to my knowledge seen a throw up from him. This is a very classy piece of writing with a beautifully graded fill from dark red through to orange and yellow. The slim yellow edging on the upper sides of the letters creates a lifting effect. This is a piece for connoisseurs.

2885. Raleigh Road vector (29)

What I am rather shocked by is the sheer number of outstanding pieces I have in my archive, and I guess it just goes to show that the high productivity of great street art in Bristol is pretty much relentless, and people like me struggle to keep on top of it. At least this pause caused by the coronavirus lock down provides me with an opportunity to share pieces like this amazing Deamze one that I had left on the shelf.

Deamze, Raleigh Road, Bristol, November 2016
Deamze, Raleigh Road, Bristol, November 2016

Although he is now in Hobard, Tasmania, Deamze will be forever a legend in Bristol and is sorely missed. His combination pieces incorpoorating wildstyle writing and a character are out of the top drawer and these technical masterpieces are something we can only reflect on these days.

Deamze, Raleigh Road, Bristol, November 2016
Deamze, Raleigh Road, Bristol, November 2016

One of the great things about Bristol is that the reputation for street art draws artists to come and stay or live in the city, so that for every great artist that leaves, at least two arrive, so the future is bright. The king is dead… long live the king.

2884. M32 roundabout J3 (205)

Back to more familiar territory with this absolute stunner from Hemper at the M32 from March 2016. Although it is obvious now to see the letters HEMS, at the time I took these pictures I was less familiar with Bristol artists and in particular the wildstyle writers, so I probably didn’t post this beauty because I didn’t know the artist,

Hemper, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2016
Hemper, M32 roundabout, Bristol, March 2016

I cannot begin to articulate just how good this piece is. The letter style is outstanding, but it is the horizontally graded fills with drips and dots that makes this piece special for me. A very classy piece from a top Bristol artist.

2853. Dean Lane skate park (300)

Another nice piece of graffiti writing from a resurgent Turoe One, nice and heavy on the chrome. Turoe One is a highly versatile writer who explores different styles and scripts and colours so that if he were writing something other than his name, it could be a challenge to identify his work. Does that make sense?

Turoe One, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2020
Turoe One, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2020

This photograph was taken during March and was probably my penultimate trip down there before lock down happened. I can walk to the North Bristol spots from home and have been able to check them out, but Bedminster is a bit of a hike, so I’ve not seen whether there is much new there, but I doubt it. I’ll continue to trawl through my archives.

Elvs

A gallery of incredible graffiti writing from DBK artist Elvs

Instagram: @elvs92

All pictures by Scooj

Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2023
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2023
Elvs and Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2023
Elvs and Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2023
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, June 2022
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, June 2022
Elvs, Cheltenham Paint Festival 22, Cheltenham, July 2022
Elvs, Cheltenham Paint Festival 22, Cheltenham, July 2022
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2022
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2022
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2020
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2020
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2022
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2022
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2022
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, January 2022
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2021
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2021
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, June 2021
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, June 2021
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2021
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, April 2021
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2021
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2021
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2020
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2020
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2020
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2020
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, July 2020
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, June 2020
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, June 2020
Elvs, M32 cycle path, Bristol, May 2020
Elvs, M32 cycle path, Bristol, May 2020
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2017
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2017
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2017
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2017
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2020
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, March 2020
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2020
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2020
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2019
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2019
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, November 2019
Elvs, St Werburghs, Bristol, November 2019
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, June 2019
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, June 2019
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2019
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, May 2019
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2019
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2019
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2019
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2019
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2016
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2016
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2018
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, June 2018
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2018
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2018
Elvs, Dean Lane skate park, Bristol, March 2018
Elvs, Dean Lane skate park, Bristol, March 2018
Elvs, Raleigh Road, Bristol, January 2018
Elvs, Raleigh Road, Bristol, January 2018
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2017
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, January 2017
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2016
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2016
Elvs, St Werburghs tunnel, Bristol, May 2016
Elvs, St Werburghs tunnel, Bristol, May 2016
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2017
Elvs, M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2017

2485. Dean Lane skate park (252)

Tight is probably the best word to use when describing the work of Dibz. Always meticulously thought out, clean lines, perfect 3D shading, crisp fills and more often than not, fabulous colour choices. Dibz really pays attention to his pieces and each one is carefully constructed to produce a complete and stylish work.

Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2019
Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2019

This one in Dean Lane is simply another example of just how accomplished the artist is, and what he lacks in quantity, he more than makes up for in quality. There is beauty in this, and I challenge even the most ardent critics of graffiti writing not to concede that this is a high quality piece. Nice one.

2479. St Marks Avenue (3)

Deamze left for Hobart about six months ago, and it would be fair to say that his familiar style and frequent high-class pieces have been missed. What a pleasure it was for me then to come across several of his older pieces, all in excellent condition in St Mark’s Avenue, a new discovery of street art gold for me.

Deamze, St Mark's Avenue, Bristol, September 2019
Deamze, St Mark’s Avenue, Bristol, September 2019

This is a bright and joyful piece of wild style writing that spells out DEAM with a little deam inside just for good measure. I’ve no idea how old this piece is, but it is great to be reacquainted with this Bristol master.

2140. Dean Lane skate park (204)

Not very often, but often enough to satisfy the appetite, Dibz creates one of his extremely precise and complex pieces of wild style writing. I have seen a few where he uses this black and red combination which he seems to favour.

Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2019
Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, March 2019

Somewhere in there it probably says DIBZ, but I’ll be darned if I can find it. The whole thing is just so sharp and crisp, and technically pretty close to perfection. This is what the highest quality writing looks like. Bravo Dibz.

2018. Lower Ashley Road (2)

Sled One has absolutely smashed it with this extraordinarily brilliant piece of graffiti writing on the new hoardings at the bottom end of Lower Ashley Road. Sadly, the developers have already placed batten squares all over the hoardings in preparation for advertising posters (I guess). How sad that our world is dominated by consumerism and money. These boards were a creative outlet for Bristol street artists to share their art with fellow citizens. Instead, drivers will have to endure seedy adverts desperately thrusting lifestyle aspirations at us in an attempt to sell their grubby products to swell their shareholders wallets. Capitalism is driving everything towards the lowest common denominator of money. No wonder the world is in a mess.

Sled One, Lower Ashley Road, Bristol, January 2019
Sled One, Lower Ashley Road, Bristol, January 2019

Back to the art and the joy it can bring to our hearts. Sled One is one of the artists I rate most highly in Bristol and this piece (which spells out SLED) is a fine example of his work. He had to paint this in two sessions as he was ‘moved on’ I think when he was sketching it out. Thank goodness he had the perseverance to come back and finish it off. I hope the artists find a way of keeping these hoardings alive, but I fear it could be difficult.