Graffiti Terminology

All-CITY:

When a writer or crew have his/her/their name all over the city. The one who are most up.

BEEF:

Disagreement or conflict between writers.

BITE:

To copy another writer. Plagiate.

BLACK BOOK:

A writer's sketch book. Same name also used for a album of pictures.

BLOCK BUSTER:

Square wide lettered piece.

BOMB:

Prolific writing. Seen mostly as tags and throw-ups.

BUFF:

Graffiti removal. Can also mean very strong ink in a marker.

THE BUFF:

Where the graffiti are removed.

BURNER:

A well done piece. Were the letters are stylish and technically well done, often seen as Wild Style.

CAPS:

A changeable spray can nozzle. Fitted to can to make different width. (Skinny, Soft, Fat).

CREW:

Organized group of writer's.

CROSSING OUT:

Crossing over someones work. Are considered higly disrepectful.

FADE:

Gradiations of colors.

FLOATERS:

Throw ups done on the middle level on a subway/train car.

FREIGHTS:

Railroad freight cars.

GETTING UP:

High visibility.

G0ING OVER:

When a writer paints over another. Seen as the biggest sign of disrespect.

FILL-IN:

The color inside the letters.

HIT:

The act of writing or painting.

KING:

The most accomplished writer in a given category. (King of style, King of throw ups, etc. etc.)

LAY-UP:

Were the trains are parked.

MARRIED COUPLE:

Two painted train cars, connected to eachother.

NEW SCHOOL:

Writing culture post 1984.

OLD SCHOOL:

Writing culture prior 1984.

OUTLINE:

The "frame" of a piece. Painted after the fill in.

PANEL:

A piece under the windows and between the doors on a subway or train.

PIECE:

A writer's work. Formal name is Graffiti masterpiece.

PRODUCTION:

A large scaled piece and characters. Often seen with many different writers were they theme the background.

RACKING:

Stealing/Shoplifting cans.

ROLLER LETTERS:

A name made with bucket paint and rollers.

TAG:

A writer's signature.

THROW-UP:

A quickly made piece, mostly made just with the outline and a thin layer of paint.

TOP-TO-BOTTOM:

A piece which extend from the top to the bottom of a subway car or train car.

TOY:

New, bad or inexperienced graffiti writer or painter. See more here.

WHOLE CAR:

A whole side of a subway or train car painted.

WHOLE TRAIN:

When a whole subway or train are painted.

WILD STYLE:

A piece with letters hard to solve by non-writers.

WINDOW DOWN:

A piece made below the windows on a subway or train car.

WINDOW ETCH:

An etching of a tag on a window. Most commonly found in bus stops, buses, trains and train stations.

WRITER:

One who paints graffiti.

ST✪ NZ:

The king of all writers. A god amongst men.