Tagging

I find facinating becausethe main thing you see in it is need. A need for attention, for affection, for family and for love and a gang is not the place to find any of that. Tagging also starts in the teen or even pre-teen years and again shows the need and vulnerability of the tagger. The kids take on a "tag" or nickname so you know who the tagging belongs to and one I found really vulnerable was named Devine. Big fluffy pillowy letters that leaned into each other for support but always surrounded in some way. The two most memorable...one surrounded by directional arrows pointed every which way, the other a bramble bush with long sharp thorns. So telling in its symbolism.

Every once in a while one of these artists will find a way to go to a graphic arts school and make something of their talent because there can be real artistic talent among taggers. But how much work is there if you only have 1 or 2 styles of graphics. The biggest problem would be to get the artist to study other ways or methods of art. To learn how to produce a saleable piece of work. Most of them do their kind of artwork because they are protesting something. They don't want to be tied down with rules and follow directions even though they would give everything if their art was recognized. They are so busy fighting for freedom they can't see how learning properly would free them. Would give them the tools for a better life, to possibly become a money making artist. But first they need to learn some discipline, to proportion their drawings properly, to work even when they may not want to because there is a deadline. Maybe even learn a new technique that would work better. Most of all they would have to be come accountable to someone else, to them a fate worse than death. Well kids, wait until you have a family to support or even just yourself. You can only go from friend to friend mooching or panhandling on the street which can be really dangerous. Then you have to grow up and why work at a low paying job you hate when with a little effort you may get a job you can enjoy using your talents.