The Buff Monster...

This is ridiculous, sad, and just an overall bummer. As quoted from the Ironlak post:

Saber's legendary LA River piece buffed.

This is a massive bummer. There is no denying the relevance of this piece in the history of graffiti and it's removal has caused mass debate (no pun intended).

READ MORE:

SABER's legendary LA River piece is now a true part of history: CLICK.

A one-year, $837,000 contract, funded by the Recovery Act: CLICK.

Via: KNOWNGALLERY.COM

As a former writer and a avid fan of graffiti art, this really hurts the heart. Saber's piece was a monument as to the drive of a man on a mission; what can one man do to make the biggest piece of artwork with so many obstacles in his way, and still come out on top? A 20-year-old Saber completed this incredible feat in one month, having survived the random encounters with cops, bums, gang bangers and security. This isn't just some big ass roll-over, the Saber L.A. river was a PIECE; A MASTERPIECE...

But the city needs a villain; one with many names and many faces, so that it can battle forever with limitless funds. Taking away the Saber piece, maybe they thought they slain a giant, when in reality they made it a martyr. There will be paint on the streets. I think once the word hits the streets, the writers will reply in turn.

Stay up,

Cyph

The Buff Monster...

New Additions

Somewhere in Los Angeles...

New Additions

DVD Review: Monaco Nights

Rappers have hood movies, Rockers have tour movies, Skaters have skate vids, Snowboarders have snowboard vids, and Graffiti Writers... have graff flicks.

When I watch a graff flick, I'm looking to see footage of live bombing (proliferation of one's moniker via marking or etching onto a well seen medium) specifically. I'm looking to see how they get to their spots, what kind of paint they use, their can control, their paint process (outline color first? fill-in color first?), how fast they paint, their handstyle... really, I'm looking to vicariously live through their actions, and watch and feel the raw sense of urgency, immediacy and accuracy.

With that said, Monaco Nights, a European Graffiti flick is... lacking. Very. What you can expect to see are videos of LOOKING AT (subway) trains with graffiti ON them already, via a shaky camera hand. Monaco Nights plays like this:

• 20 minutes of looking at bombed trains
• 5 minutes of painting on/in trains
• repeat.

So, if you're like me and all you really want to see is bombing footage, then don't get your hopes up, and pass on this DVD. Also, for my American writers, this DVD may not interest you since ALL GRAFF on this DVD are on/in euro-subway cars. There is NO footage of highways, freeways, streets, alleys, heaven spots, billboards, or extinguisher tags, which the American graff scene is known for. Also, unlike American graff flicks, don't expect to see any random footage of naked strippers/hookers, public pranks, or street fights either.

However, the plus side: Though Monaco Nights really is a glorified graffiti SLIDE SHOW, you can expect to see great quality masterpieces at all times. Displaying a variety of European piecing styles, accompanied with a constant soundtrack of euro-electronica-fusion music, this DVD is pretty good for background music/visuals while you chill with your friends. I'd probably play this on the PS3 during a bbq kickback or while playing cards/Connect4 with the homies...

When it's all said and done, Monaco Nights delivers good visuals, shaky camera work, interesting bombing vids (though they are few and far in between), good constant soundtrack, and is perfect for those that LOVE LOVE LOVE LOOKING at train graff. But really, you could probably go to a railroad crossing and listen to your ipod and get the same effect.

5/10

DVD Review: Monaco Nights

Off the top

Another Alibata hat for my friend, Gyn.

Her name, pronounced as "Jin", or "Gin" for you beverage fanatics/alcoholics, is phonetically represented as "Dien", as there is no "J" in the Tagalog language. So, if your "American name" is Johnny, then your Filipino name would probably have been along the lines of Dionny or Dionisio...

Dien is phonetically represented by the Di, E, and N glyphs as shown:


So, in my own handstyle, I wrote it out, and then emulated and proliferated (and emancipated, oh my!) it into full characters:

Click for full details. Notice the handstyled characters in bold black ink. Also notice the random characters I was sketching. ^_^

I thought the design would look fly if I put it on the side... and it would have been perfect had I been painting on a fitted hat. However, it was a stretch fit cap, and as I soon came to find out, primer solidifies fabric and thus preventing any stretchability of said stretch fabric. Oh well; it'll be a snug fit. However, it still came out nicely I think. Definitely more legible (well, that is if you read Alibata) than the Nas hat. A compromise between style and comfort I suppose...

Momma thought it looked nice, so she decided to model it for me.

More details

Primer on cotton stretch fit cap. Decco paint markers used for the design. Main fill in of characters is silver, accented by red, outlined in black. Yellow outlined the characters. The hat itself is black, with streaks of white resembling sun rays coming from the characters. It draws attention to the design, pointing it as the subject of the piece. The colors are as bright as can be; the shine of the silver and the imposing brightness of the accents made it really pop methinks...

She received the hat in the mail the other week; said it was fly, but said nothing of fit. I guess it'll be a conversational, decorative piece that would lay about her apartment. Heh...

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Off the top

Reincarnation can be a bitch...

Be nice; not an ass wipe.

This has been a Bathala Project Public Service Announcement for the advocation of tolerance and equality.

Reincarnation can be a bitch...