Graffiti Concepts for Type People with Kel Troughton

Typographics Conference (in-person) ticket holders can have a 10% discount on this workshop. Write to type@cooper.edu for the promo-code to take advantage of this offer before you pay.

Learn drawing techniques and understand letter structure through the lens of graffiti writing to strengthen your type and lettering work. This workshop centers on graffiti pieces and the rich subculture of graffiti writers, a tradition of letterforms that originated on New York City subways in the 1970s.

Through drawing exercises, historical context, and live demonstrations, participants learn how to draw on ideas from the graffiti world while respecting the art form and its practitioners. You will work through a series of drawings, developing one concept into a lettering piece, drawn alphabet, or foundation for a new display typeface.

This workshop is designed for lettering artists and type designers looking to expand their practice and approach letters from a different viewpoint. Many concepts from graffiti writing open up entirely new ways to see and draw letterforms, making it a perfect way to break out of the routine of drawing the same forms over and over. Kel will help you see the graffiti around you differently, and you will leave with fresh ideas and a deeper appreciation for the work.

No prior experience with graffiti writing is required. A background in type or lettering and a curiosity for other forms of letter making is all you need. Students will be drawing with markers and making letter work by hand, no computers necessary.

Required Materials

• Canson Marker Paper pad (9" x 12")
• #2 Pencil, ruler, eraser, sharpener
• Various sized black markers from fine to wide, including a chisel tip, such as Sharpie brand
• Tablets with drawing software are permitted but most of the initial sketches will be on paper