Graffiti Blackbook: How to Start and Fill One
Quick answer: A blackbook is a graffiti writer's sketchbook. Get a hardcover book with thick paper, a pencil, a fine liner and a few markers, then fill it with alphabets, repeated name sketches and color tests. Date your pages so you can see progress.
Every writer has a blackbook. It is where styles are invented, tested and fixed long before anything goes on a wall. It is also the safest and cheapest way to get better.
What to buy
- A hardcover sketchbook with thick paper (at least 120 gsm) so markers do not bleed through.
- A pencil and eraser for skeletons.
- A black fine liner or paint pen for outlines.
- Three to five alcohol markers for fills and fades. See markers for graffiti sketching.
Exercises for the first pages
- Draw a full alphabet in simple block letters.
- Draw your name ten times on one page, changing one thing each time.
- Copy letter shapes from the graffiti letters A–Z pages, then redraw them your own way.
- Make a color test page with your markers before you use them on a piece.
How writers use blackbooks
Writers often ask each other to draw a page in their book. It is a way to trade styles and keep a record of who you have met. If someone draws in your book, do not erase or draw over it.
Track your progress
Write the date on every page. After a couple of months, flip back to the start. Seeing how far your letters have come is the best motivation there is.