How to Draw Graffiti Names

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Write down the name in pencil or chalk.

   Write in print, rather than cursive, and use an erasable writing tool, since you'll need to manipulate the letters.
   
   Make it big, bold and clear.
   
   This will be the skeleton of the finished name .
   
   Here are some style elements to keep in mind:
   Think symmetry.
   
   You want your graffiti to be balanced and eye-catching.Play around with the letters so they fit together well; they don't have to be the same size.
   
   Mix up capital and lowercase letters to make them fit together nicely.
   
   The first and last letter should balance each other out.
   
   For example, if you're writing the name "JOSEPH," play with the "J" and the "H" to create a frame for the rest of the letters.
   
   You can add a hook to the second leg on the "h" so it matches the hook on the "J." A lot of graffiti artists write words in an arch, rather than a straight line, to give the design some extra punch.
2. 2

   Step 2: Turn the letters into blocks or bubbles.

   Draw around the original letters to create a larger 2-D sketch of the name.
   
   Block letters have straight lines and sharp corners, while bubble letters are more rounded; choose one or the other, but don't use both.
   
   Start thinking of the name as a work of art, rather than a written word.
   
   Make some bends in the straight lines.
   
   If you've got an "L," for example, you can make it look more artistic by bending both lines instead of keeping them boringly straight.
   
   Make the letters fit together like puzzle pieces.
   
   For example, in the name "KARLOS," you could tuck the "A" into the crook of the "K" and tuck the "O" into the corner of the "L."
   
   Extend the block or bubble where one letter ends to the point where another begins, and erase the lines in between to connect them.
   
   This adds motion to the design and creates the illusion that the letters are flowing together.
   
   Don't necessarily connect letters that are right next to each other.
   
   In the word "SKYLAR," you might create a rectangular block that extends from the second leg of the "K" under the "Y" to connect with the "L." Take a look at your name and figure out which letters you could connect to make it more interesting.
   
   Make the original words you wrote your guide, not your prison.
   
   Don't be afraid to alter the letters beyond all recognition.
3. 3

   Step 3: Connect some of the letters.

Detailed Guide

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