Urban taggin' -3 MUST HAVE BOOKS

Piecebook: The Secret Drawings of Graffiti Writers by Sacha Jenkins, David (Chino) Villorente

Publisher: Prestel USA (April 30, 2008)

Original in concept and design, this living history of the graffiti movement mimics the actual sketchbooks graffiti artists use to perfect their work before it goes public. Before it hits the wall, graffiti is often painstakingly planned out in a sketchbook or piece book. Well-worn and dog-eared, these books are passed along from artist to artist as a way of sharing ideas and offering instruction. Here hundreds of drawings, most of them never before published, are reproduced on uncoated paper to resemble the pages of an authentic piecebook. Bold and beautiful works from graffiti history s most important sources or seeds Zephyr, Dondi, Daze, CRASH, Lady Pink, T-Kid, CAP and Ghost, among others represent a dizzying array of techniques. The authors, former graffiti practitioners themselves, offer biographies of the artists and an introductory essay on why piecebooks have become such valuable historical records. Fans of graffiti will find this an irresistible inside look at how their favorite artists perfected their talents.

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Street World: Urban Art and Culture from Five Continents Around the Globe

by Roger Gastman, Caleb Neelon, and Anthony Smyrski

The authors of Street World have put together this rich collection showcasing over 1,000 images and authoritative text, highlighting street art and life in cultural hot spots around the globe. Street World: Urban Art and Culture from Five Continents Around the Globe follows skateboarders in Japan, hunts down graffiti artists in San Paolo, Brazil, and exposes the newest Pakistani truck artwork in the world.
At almost 500 pages, this book, with its rare images and in-depth commentary, is sure to become a staple in libraries of any true street art fan.
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SOON TO GET PUBLISHED-PRE-ORDER IT NOW!

Written On The City: Graffiti Messages Worldwide
Axel Albin, Josh Kamler
Publisher: How (September 2, 2008)

Newsweek, Aug. 18-25, 2008
"Poignant ... funny ... thought-provoking ..."

Written on the City is a glimpse into a vast conversation happening illegally and in public. All over the world, people are writing messages on the walls and sidewalks of the cities in which we live. They are staying up late, breaking the law, and taking risks to say something to you. Some of it is funny. Some of it is beautiful. Lots of it is upsetting, crazy, and brilliant at the same time. And all of it is important. This book continues that conversation through the eyes of photographers who recognized the importance of those words on the walls and shared them with us.