A recent paint jam in a spot I have struggled to get to until recently included this magnificent beast from Smak. The piece, in gentle pastel shades, is yet another example in an extensive portfolio of the outstanding talent of the artist.
What is really clever about Smak’s writing is that his letters are nearly always legible and yet the sophistication and complexity of his designs and fills is mind-blowing. To achieve such a balance is surely the work of a master at the top of his game.
I told you that Soge has been busy, and this is yet another one of a fine collection painted in the last three weeks or so. You might notice that this one was painted as part of the Poland v Spain paint jam at the end of May, and once again incorporates his little beaver character which looks like it has become an established thing for the artist.
It was a privilege to be able to watch all the artists at work during the paint jam, and I managed to catch up with several of them and introduce myself to some for the first time, including Soge, who was painting next to Hire.
The piece of writing is really classy, and I particularly like the blue line that is coiled around the whole thing. What is also nice is that the beaver isn’t a throw-away gesture at a character, but a very nicely worked little thing that complements the writing without dominating is. A great, nicely balanced piece.
Poland 4 Spain 3
At last, with the help of Paul H, I have been able to access a spot where great treasures are painted. I guess that it is fitting that the first piece (of many, many I hope) from this spot is by Ryder, who has been tireless in keeping our walls fresh for as long as I have been writing about street/graffiti art, and indeed quite a while longer than that.
This is a very nice piece indeed from the RAW man with his customary tidy writing and faces lurking within the letters being reflected in a ‘watery’ medium beneath a thin layer of mist. Great colours and great execution and an all round winning piece.
It feels like the lock down has energised and inspired Soge in a significant way. Firstly, the sheer number of pieces he has sprayed over the last three weeks or so is mind-boggling and secondly he seems to have raised his game in terms of creativity and quality. He has a new lease of life.
This is a magnificent piece, which is lucky because it is a brave artist who would paint over the Epok and Piro collaboration masterpiece that occupied this wall and half of which sits above Soge’s work. The writing is first class and he has again used the crosshatch inside the O of SOGE which is a lovely touch. It looks like the beaver is becoming a thing, which I am really pleased about. I am a big fan of writing/character combinations. I love this piece.
From time to time you get to see a quite breath-taking piece and have absolutely no idea who painted it. That was how I felt when I found this extraordinary feat of graffiti writing in the underpass on New Stadium Road. I have since found out it is by Todoaciem, one of the several Spanish artists currently working in Bristol.
I am not yet accustomed to his Gothic influenced style and have struggled to read what the lettering says. I think the green bits form the core letters and everything else is extraordinary decoration and 3D shading. It looks like this piece might have taken a long time to paint, but these guys seem to be able to work at incredible speed. A nice introduction to his work.
A fabulous gallery of fivers from Bristol-based artist Fiva (Fiver). Some truly wonderful pieces here.
All photographs by Scooj
L Dub (Lawrence Weston) is a funny old spot. Only a few of the Bristol artists venture out to paint there and some of the artists that paint there such as Dun Sum rarely paint in central Bristol. It is secluded and out of the way and so is favoured by artists practising in the gloom of the tunnels.
This is a wonderful piece of writing from RAW’s Ryder and really demonstrates why he is such a hightly regarded writer on the Bristol scene. The letters are beautifully proportioned and consistent and the pink and red fill almost magical, but it is the yellow 3D shading that really makes the piece stand out. Very nice work indeed.
Whilst trying to report back on the big Poland v Spain paint jam on the M32 at the end of May, I am desperately trying to play catch up, because this entire wall has since been re-painted. I am now itching to post the new pieces, but must be patient and diligent. This piece is by Cort (Pad) and was painted next to friend and compatriot Laic217.
Cort is one of the more unusual writers in Bristol, with a very distinctive style. I would say that the closest in style is probably Corupt in that their letter shapes are unconventional. I rather like the spray cap on the right squirting out the letters, this is a common theme used in graffiti writing, often with a little character doing the spraying.
Poland 3 Spain 3
This is one of those few occasions where a photograph actually does do justice to the artwork. I was in St Werburghs tunnel yesterday and revisited this piece (it is still there), but was struck by how the colours were dulled by the lack of good lighting. Somehow the photographs I took have auto-compensated for the poor light conditions and the piece looks amazing. It is of course by Elvs.
The letter shapes and style are familiar, as are the exquisitely masterful graded fills, but what I really like about this piece is something rarely seen. Elvs has added a 3D shadow that fades from purple on the lower edges to pink on the upper ones. Another highly accomplished piece.
There have been an awful lot of artists making their debuts on Natural Adventures over the past few weeks, which speaks volumes about just how many street/graffiti artists there are out there at the moment. This is a lovely piece of graffiti writing from Dit Oner, and was painted as part of the Poland v Spain paint jam at the end of May.
The piece was painted next to Spanish compatriot Wiflywin and adopted a similar colour scheme. I think, but cannot be certain that the writing says Dit On, but this is a real problem with reading graffiti writing, if you have something i your head, you can nearly always find it in the writing even it it isn’t there. Does that make sense? I think it is called suggestion. The piece is accomplished and very nicely done and I look forward to more from the artist.
Poland 2 Spain 3
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