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Graffiti is illegal, but you can emulate graffiti styles.Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
Get out your scratch paper and sketch letters. Start simply, with something familiar like your name. Experiment with different shapes, styles and fonts. See what feels comfortable and find out what suits your individual style. - 2). Test different media and see what works best for you. Try markers, charcoal pencils or pen and ink. Some people prefer color, whereas others may prefer black and white designs. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different tools for various applications and techniques.
- 3). Pick your favorite preliminary sketch and begin working from that. Draw an outline of the letters. Try to be creative and don’t be concerned with overlapped letters or uneven lines.
- 4). Choose a direction to accent your graffiti lettering with a 3D effect. A downward slant works great for beginners. Start in the bottom left corner if you are right-handed. Draw a line about a quarter of the length of your letter, descending from the corner. Draw similar lines, the same angle and length, from each main point or curve that faces in a downward direction on each letter.
- 5). Connect each of these 3D lines, following the curves or lines of each letter as if making a shadow of the letter.
- 6). Fill in the 3D blocked area using color, patterns or lines to get a shadow effect. Make sure to make the original lettering bold enough so it stands out, especially if you are using patterns and more lines. The trick here is to emphasize the inward corners of the shadowed areas with condensed lines or patterns to give a sense of depth.
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