Letter Structure for dummies

A guide to style basics with Mr. Jitsue

In the words of Mike Giant:

“..If it ain’t got letters- It’s not Graffiti!”

Letters are the backbone of every piece.

Not only are you writing your name as much as you can but it needs to follow basic principles of flow, composition, balance etc.

I like letters to look like they all come from the same alphabet. I think in layers, starting with the “bones” of each letter and building them up with armor and weapons to defend and attack. They move and flow like bboy’s in a cypher or fish in a stream.

Here’s a quick look at some basics and vocabulary:

1. Balance
Keep visual weight even across your piece. Symmetry isn’t required (heavily encouraged), but each letter should feel stable and intentional. I like my eye to flow evenly across the piece and not get stuck in any particular place. This goes for connections/extensions etc.

2. Composition
Plan the overall layout before drawing. Use thumbnail sketches to find a solid arrangement that guides the eye. Eventually your sketch should be present enough you can see it in your mind when you go to the spot. Ensure there isn't any awkward negative spacing or unintentional elements.

3. Structure & Proportion
Letters live within invisible guidelines.. You should see the flow both in your head and be able to visualize it on the wall while painting. Letters, just like us- are made of ‘bones’ Manipulating these ‘bones’ allows for you to experiment with different letter forms until you find your own. Once you have something solid, repetition is what matters. Once you have this you can start to add fancy seasonings and garnishes and experiment with your “style”.

Start with perfecting your hand, go out and write it over and over and get to know the paint. Work up to throw-ups and get confident here because this is the basis that all the other fancy stuff is built on. You can’t do pretty shit and not be able to write your name. 

Style is subjective- structure is not. Pieces revolve around your name, written as stylish as possible.

At their core lies a basic structure that needs to be understood and built on.

“I’d rather see a clean straight letter simple piece on a train than some wack attempt at wildstyle..”-Mr. J

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