Sarah Belle Lin
Google
I got my graff on, and I'm all the better for it. If you find yourself itching to throw some paint on a wall, and test your artistic grit, check out Graff Tours in Bushwick. I saw the experience on the Fever app, and have been letting creative juices flow from late last year into the new year, so I got my ticket after reading all the reviews raving about the experience. I think it's also special to learn the craft of the art in the OG home of graffiti (The Bronx and Brooklyn share equal fame, right?). It was a mini-adventure to find the Graff Tours spot, so it's best to arrive 10-15 minutes early to make yourself at home. Our instructor, Isabelle (@isabelle_ewing_), got there on time to welcome the three groups into the studio on the second floor. The stairs up are quite narrow and steep – just a heads up for those who might care! The studio has ample space to throw my coat and belongings on a chair, as well as walking space so I don't bump into other folks. Each group (mix of natives, tourists, transplants) naturally picked a side and stayed there for the remainder of the experience. Isabelle gave us a short intro to the graffiti paint, the different styles we would try it, and we jumped into the world of graffiti! The instruction was simple and straightforward – we could play around with bubble letters, rectangular letters, and give the famous Wild Style a go. We were asked to choose a tag, be it your name, slogan, or a phrase. I went with a nickname a recent work colleague bestowed on me, and away Isabelle went with giving me the outline to then fill in myself. Quickly one realizes how strenuous spraying graffiti with the same wrist can be! Here I just switched to my non-dominant hand and continued on my merry way. I lost myself in the intensity of the experience at many points! This was a playground for my inner child. Isabelle checked in often, and I also asked her questions about her graffiti art and life. She was patient with me as a I workshopped a tag and for that, I am grateful. I do wish the experience was 30 minutes longer. I miraculously managed to keep my entire outfit paint free, and there are gloves available, though I opted for a free manicure. We were given a small take-home canvas to spray our final designs on, but I preferred playing around with the large murals we made on the walls and found it more difficult to replicate the design on the canvas, with it being much smaller (at this point, speed would be your best friend since you'll probably be opting for much finer and thinner lines to fit within the canvas frame). I decided to leave the canvas there, and take home photos and memories instead. I think it'd be cool to take another class, maybe leveling up for those who've gone to the intro class? That way we could continue designing a tag, and finding our own styles, symbols, and motifs. Just an idea! I'd sign up. There's something so invigorating and zen about graffiti painting. Also – a huge shout-out to the Graff Tours customer service. I appreciate you working with me to iron out that kink!
