Graffiti is not art. It is a criminal offence when put on property without permission and, when left unchecked, creates many more problems. Research indicates that many graffiti artists have (or will have) connections to other criminal activity, as is evident in areas such as Vancouver and Los Angeles.

The information provided here was developed by The City of Abbotsford's Graffiti Task Force.

Vandal Watch shares this information  as a public education service.  If you spot graffiti vandals or have information about local incidents, please gather as much descriptive information as you can and contact the police.  Anonymous calls can be made to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Education is the Key!

It would appear that many of our active taggers display a lack of social conscience or understanding that writing their tag on someone else's property is a violation of, not only the criminal code, but the victims themselves. The small business owner who has to replace clean up his property every morning, a public transit systme that has to replace etched windowns, a school board that cannot buy new computer equipment or sports supplies, because they are spending a quarter of a million dollards each school year to clean up graffiti vandalism. Who is the real victim? The community is. We must make our active taggers understand that they are part of the community and, therefore, they are victimizing themselves!

Types of Graffiti
 
Hip Hop or Wild Style 
Sophisticated, often pre-planned cartooned murals, which incorporate a tag. Lettering is commonly done in a bubble or three-dimensional form. Uses many different colours.

Tag or Signature 
Currently the most common graffiti in the Lower Mainland. This is the individual assumed name of a graffiti writer (a "tagger"). The tagger will then practice their tag and develop a unique style to their written tag. The tag will be written on an object with a marker (there are many different types of marking tools). Taggers will also do a "throw-up", which is a tag written in bubble style letters which incorporate one or two colours. One colour is the outline of the bubble letters and the second colour is used to fill in the letters. Throw ups are a more elaborate way to tag, and can be done quickly by a developed and practiced tagger.

Gang 
Gang graffiti is used to establish recognition, create intimidation, and mark off turf or area. Gang graffiti is commonly written when a new gang is formed. When gang graffiti stops, it usually means that the gang no longer exists or that it has evolved into more high profile activity and no long wants to draw attention to itself through graffiti.

Non-descript 
Meaningless graffiti in terms of the writer, e.g. rock band name, or sports team

Bubble Gum 
The eternal proclamation of love, e.g. "Jim loves Laura".

Socio-political 
More adult-oriented; a commentary on social issues or the political environment.

Skateboard 
Skateboarders have evolved more into taggers, but may utilize skateboard lingo, groups, or names, e.g. "Team Dread".

Racist 
Discriminating comments directed toward certain racial groups, or directed to pronounce specific beliefs that propose superiority of a particular race.

Satanic 
e.g. "666", "NATAS" (satan written backwards).

Religious 
e.g. "Jesus Saves", "John 3:16"

Stencil 
Usually done by adults and tends to reflect socio-political statements. A pre-designed stencil is created and put on objects and spray painted over to create the stencil image on the object.

Eulogy 
Graffiti in memory of friends or other loved ones.

Tagging

What is a "Tag"?

Tagging, as we know it today, got its beginning in New York in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
A graffiti tag has become an individual identifier adopted by writers. They develop an individual style to differentiate their tag.
A tag is selected often because the writer "likes the sound" of the word. It can also be chosen from the dictionary, or it may be a nickname.
A tag primarily consists of three to seven letters.
Lower Mainland graffiti taggers have taken to writing "1", or "one" or "oner" after the tag, e.g. "westoner", "westone", or "west1". "ONER" is a graffiti term for a tagger who has no tagging crew affiliation.
To an active tagger, their name and tag are synonymous.

What is a Tagging Crew?
A group of active taggers
A crew will have anywhere from two to 12 members
Most common local crews have three to seven members
Occasionally, a tagger will for their own crew (only one person)
A tagging crew name is usually two to four worlds, i.e. the "MBK" = "Master Bomb Clan" or "TK" = "Twisted Kids"
For the Lower Mainland, most crew names are three words. The crew will write their crew name next to their individual tag on a wall.

Why Do Taggers Tag?
Recognition
Low self-esteem
Peer recognition
For recognition; a distorted view of "fame"
See it in the community and want to try it too

Anti-Authority
A way to rebel against authority
To "get out their aggression"

Artistic Ability
Some are very talented and this is their way of expressing themselves and developing and practicing their ability.
Addiction
Becomes an obsessive-compulsive disorder; they are addicted to "getting up", which is a term for tagging throughout the community, as well as to paints, markers, and tagging.

Tagger Profile
Sex
The large majority of taggers are male
Females are most often associated with "bubble gum" graffiti (Laurie loves Jim)
Females are more interested in having their name involved in the graffiti

Age
For tagging, the age generally ranges from 11 to 25 years
Most taggers get their beginning around grade 8, and those in their 20s are often "developed" taggers, preferring rail cars and walls that offer a canvas for their work.
Background

Taggers do not reflect any specific socio-economic or racial background

Evolution of a Graffiti Tagger

Beginner
select a tag name
practice writing tag over and over
writes on books and personal items
may begin to tag in the community, referred to by taggers as "getting up". Common tagging areas are schools, buses, mail and newspaper boxes, etc.
will tag if the opportunity presents itself
may see the term "toy" written next to new tags. "Toy" means inexperienced or incompetent tagger.
 
Developing
will have established a unique style to his/her tag
may start a "piece book", a graffiti practice book
associates with other taggers
may form or join a tagging crew
will tag more frequently and in more difficult places (rooftops, under bridges)
will try "throw ups", balloon or bubble style letter two coloured mural
will go out late at night (dusk to dawn) for the express purpose of tagging
strive to be "all city", which is a graffit term for having ones tag visible over a large area, such as the Lower Mainland

Practiced/Hardcore
will begin doing more "piecing", which is an elaborate mural with many colours
will have a very elaborate "piece book" with "pieces" outlined
has all the graffiti tools (spray paints, magazines, photographs of work, paint masks, etching items, etc.)
the pinnacle of expression for a tagger is acheived by "piecing", a painting or mural done with spray paint in graffiti style (short for masterpiece), or "bombing", which is a multi-coloured piece or a crew name in large bubble letters
will look for highly visible areas to "showcase" their work (murals), such as rail cars, buildings, along transit routes, rooftops, etc.
carries camera to photograph graffiti

How to Spot a Tagger

clothing is baggy; hoodies and baseball hats
pants with pockets for felt markers (cargo pants are ideal)
backpack full of spray paints and graffiti tools
out late at night and early morning; taggers work mostly under the cover of darkness from dusk to dawn
graffiti/doodling on personal items (school books, skateboards, under the brim of baseball hat, etc.)
graffiti and hip hop posters up in room and read graffiti magazines
have a wide variation or markers and spray paint for graffiti
multiple spray can heads: "caps", "fat", "skinny" refer to interchangeable spray can nozzles to allow for various spray width and coverage
has a sketch book ("piece" book) for practice
schoolbooks have repetitive scrawling (graffiti) and/or cartoon-like drawings on them
"racking" the graffiti term for stealing; shoplifting spray paint, markers, or graffiti supplies
carries camera to photograph graffiti

Graffiti Weaponry

Spray Paint (aerosol) "Krylon" Spray Paint is the paint of choice
Paint Sticks (refillable paint markers
Wax Marking Stick "Mean Streak"
White Out (liquid paper)

Glass Chalk
Shoe Polish
Bingo Blotter
Lipstick
Etching Tool

New Trends in Graffiti

Etching
Etching is a form of graffiti where an object is used to scratch graffiti into metal, plastic, and most commonly, glass. Unlike graffiti with paints and markers, etching also referred to as "scratchitti", cannot be cleaned off. It results in a permanent marking that can only be painted over where possible or, in the case of glass or plexiglass, the panel or pane must be replaced.
Commonly Used Items for Etching:

Lava rock (most common)
Sand paper
Pumice stone
Knives
Keys
Scissors
Box cutters
Exacto knife
Tools: screwdriver, drill bits, etc.
A "scribe" is a graffiti term for a metal etching tool

Acid Etching

Acid etching is a form of graffiti that has started to show up in the Lower Mainland. It is graffiti that is marked on glass or plexiglass with an acid containing craft etching product, found in craft stores. The graffiti is put on with the container. It will not show immediately, but will burn into the glass over a short period of time. The longer the acid etched graffiti remains, the more permanent it becomes
The acid graffiti effects can be stopped or slowed down if the substance is cleaned off soon after it is applied to the surface, or it can be neutralized with water or baking soda paste. It is also possible to buff the acid graffiti off of glass, but that must be done as soon as possible. Acid graffiti is a costly problem in the Greater Vancouver Region.