Answering Questions ⑦

I would like to answer to question 13, 14 and 15 !!



13) Are there any rules between graffiti artists?


I have found some on the Internet, but they probably have spread through artists to artists so all of them are without evidence.

As I have explained in the earlier post, there are rules that you can only paint over other's work if you can overcome its quality. I searched a little more and there were more specific rules with in it. Even with the quality, it doesn't mean that you can paint over everything. There are several types of graffiti such as tagging, throw up and piece. Tagging is a sign of a name written in one color. Throw up is work painted quickly using two colors. Piece use more than three colors and often requires techniques. You can paint throw up over tagging, but you can't tag over throw up. Same goes for piece. You can draw them over throw up, but you can't paint throw up over piece. The original level required is different with in each style. So you had to keep that in mind when you paint over other's graffiti.

There were also some rules that you can only use the spray that you stole.

These rules are rules in Japan. Artists in America for example, think that they are the rules and make up their own. It seemed that American artists are more free in painting than Japanese. Maybe rules are something cultural.


14) Why do some places have more graffiti than other?


In some places graffiti is legalized. For example in Mexico, the police helps artists to find walls for them to paint on. Some place use graffiti to decorate the city and use it as a sightseeing. Mexico has even ordered artists to paint the whole city which surprisingly reduced the crime rate.

15) Does graffiti have copyright?


Graffiti is some times illegal and often taken as a vandalism so many people feels uncomfortable with graffiti copyrights. Although copyright rules are different in each countries, most of them don't require its lawfulness.  Every original and artistic works can have copyright. So even if it was illegal, as long as it has originality and is artistic, it can have copyrights. But I think many artist do not care much about it.


＜Bibliography＞



グラフィティ暗黙のルール【Jimule】ブログ. (n.d.). Retrieved July 23, 2016, from http://www.jimule.com/blog/60.htm

ETSU, J. (n.d.). グラフィティのルールに縛られる日本人ライター | graffiti art jimule. Retrieved July 23, 2016, from http://jimule.jugem.jp/?eid=151

Eisinger, D. (n.d.). Police in Mexico City are Helping Street Artists Find Walls to Paint. Retrieved July 24, 2016, from http://www.complex.com/style/2014/01/street-art-in-mexico-city-police-help-artists

Mexican Government Asked Street Artists To Paint 200 Houses To Unite Community. (n.d.). Retrieved July 24, 2016, from http://www.boredpanda.com/crew-germen-graffiti-town-mural-palmitas-mexico/

Illegal graffiti capable of copyright protection. (n.d.). Retrieved July 24, 2016, from http://www.lawyersweekly.ca/articles/2595