The History of Graffiti

When you think of graffiti what comes to mind? Drawings on the side of a building? Scribbles on the side of a train?

When I think of graffiti, I don’t think about Ancient Egypt or Greece, but that is exactly where/when graffti or “graffito” originates from. Graffiti means writing or drawings that are scribbled, scratched, or sprayed illicitly on a wall or other surface in a public place.

Dating back centuries, people would scratch figure drawings or scripts on walls to tell a story or leave a message.

(Poetry graffito from the stairwell of the House of Maius Castricius, Pompeii. (Credit: Wikimedia Commons)
Read more at http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1113411831/why-ancient-roman-graffiti-is-so-important-to-archaeologists-010516/#hwlMXZwiiFOsYGth.99)

During the Enlightenment and Renaissance eras, the interest in graffiti declined as sculptures and the use of canvases became popular.  

Unfortunately, it’s not until World War I and World War II that graffiti resurged and took a new form.

(1918? “Never again”)

Rather than being scratched onto the wall the use of aerosol paint, also referred to as spray paint, became popular. Soldiers would spray paint their planes with messages or symbols.  

This form of graffiti is still popular today as popular artists such as BANKSY integrate spray paint with stencil techniques.

Banksy – Follow Your Dreams – Cancelled

While the history of graffiti wasn’t always a pretty one, we embrace its past and welcome the future. As you see, graffiti was always meant to tell a story/message. Each piece of work tells a different story and it’s up to us to leave a positive message behind.

We’ve incorporated graffiti into our new Color + Build kits to highlight words of positivity because that’s the message and mark we want to leave.

Take a stroll this weekend and show us some of the cool graffiti you see by tagging us @PaperPunk. And if you’re feeling up to the challenge, #MakeSomething.

 

Paper Punk’s Color + Build Kits Are Here!

They’re here!!!!!! Paper Punk’s new COLOR+BUILD My Life as a Fashion Designer and COLOR+BUILD Graffiti Happy Blocks Kits are now available for purchase at Target and here online! 

 

We are so psyched to share these two new products with you, your friends, and family. The Paper Punk play pattern just added a few new dimensions of coloring, story telling, and dream making with these COLOR+BUILD kits. We just know you will love making your mood and planning your fashion empire with us! In our tech driven lives, it’s too easy to get caught up in too much screen time. That’s why our kits are designed to feed your imagination and build your brain through hands-on play —all while spending quality time with loved ones. So… put down that iPad, turn off the TV, and allow your inner artist and dream of being a fashionista become reality.

In light of the launch, we’ve started a fun campaign around the Graffiti Block’s kit specifically and would encourage you to #PaperPunkItForward! All of the details are below! Enjoy :)

March 15, 2017 by Grace Hawthorne