Graffiti in the apartment: drawing materials and design options

Not everyone likes “rock painting” of our time, “decorating” (or beautifying?) urban space! But it exists and, therefore, someone likes it. Graffiti in the interior is a solution that allows a person who loves this type of “art” (or art!), without annoying others, to embody an understanding of beauty on the walls of his home. As for the dispute between fans and haters of graffiti, a little more than a hundred years have passed since the Paris Autumn Salon of 1905, at which Matisse and his comrades called themselves “rabid” - Fauvists. Paintings by “mad” authors have been decorating the walls of not only museums in France, but also the Hermitage for decades.

This is not graffiti. This is “Murnau – Landscape with a Green House” by Wassily Kandinsky, written in 1909.

Advantages of graffiti in the interior

Intellectual arguments are given to justify the graffiti in the interior of the apartment:

freedom and rebellious spirit of the dweller;
the breadth of views of the owner of the apartment;
the uniqueness of each drawing.

The mundane, but also worthy of consideration, points are also important:

the drawing expands the space of the room, increasing visual volume;
graffiti does not require careful finishing of the surface on which it is applied;
drawings zone the room;
moisture-resistant paints do not interfere with wet cleaning of the wall with the painting, are endowed with antiseptic properties and do not lose brightness over time.

Furniture and interior items

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“Do you want to change the world, but don’t know where to start? Start with the interior!” - call for popular slogans that do not leave indifferent those who want to add zest to their lives and those who are disappointed in classic wallpaper. The desire of property owners to transform their homes is quite understandable: a unique interior that turns an apartment into a comfortable corner where you can relax not only with your body but also with your soul is the cherished dream of a modern person living in the age of urbanization. But how to achieve such attractive uniqueness? Cover the walls with bright wallpaper? – a factory template, repeated in one order or another on the walls, again does not promise anything unique. Photo wallpaper? It is not a fact that you will choose a picture to your liking, and the price does not allow you to turn around. Graffiti on the walls is the most striking and eccentric solution to this problem! But before we tell you how to use graffiti in the interior of an apartment, we will understand what graffiti is and take you into the history of the emergence of street art.

Content

Graffiti: originality and eccentricity of street art
Graffiti in a modern interior
Goals achieved using graffiti in the interior
Advantages of graffiti in the interior
Interior decoration using graffiti: basic methods
Drawing graffiti yourself: working method
Drawing graffiti on the wall: implementation of the idea and technological nuances
And finally...

Graffiti: originality and eccentricity of street art

A brash and eccentric creation of the streets, graffiti began as a distinctly anti-elitist art form, characterized by a close relationship with hip-hop culture and an immense number of styles inspired by the graffiti on the walls of the New York subway. It is no longer possible to imagine modern megacities without bizarre inscriptions and drawings, the authors of which were fearless street artists who, in a matter of moments, “bombed” the walls of houses and ran away before they were overtaken by a law enforcement representative. But, as today, not everyone was able to appreciate the creations of street writers, considering their work an act of vandalism, but there are those who appreciated their work, and for them it was and remains a work of art. Graffiti drawings, which for some time adorned city blocks, gradually “migrated” to modern interiors, and if at first they were regarded as an informal choice of young people who decided to demonstrate their individuality in such an unconventional way, today they are an iconic modern way of decorating modern interiors.

Graffiti in a modern interior

Today, among modern youth who are arranging the interior of their own homes, graffiti drawings on the walls are at the peak of their popularity. Having decided on the color scheme of the future pattern on the walls, you can bring bright, flashy, expressive shades into your interior, or, on the contrary, calm and peaceful colors. If you prefer the latter option, you can use graffiti as a background on which a holistic composition of the interior will be formed. However, it is necessary to remember that the living space softens the hard lines and bold character of street art, and therefore, designers advise abandoning black and other dark tones and giving preference to light shades and colors that create bright accents.

By decorating a room with graffiti drawings on the walls, you have the opportunity to radically change the stylistic concept of the interior of your apartment in a matter of moments. Unique designs not only make the interior exclusive and unique, but also give it a spiritual touch, creating an atmosphere of comfort and inner balance.

Graffiti on the walls photo

A unique feature of drawings applied to the wall is the ability to visually expand the space and take it beyond the limited boundaries of the walls. An unusually daring and eccentric design, the ideal means of creating which is applying graffiti drawings to the walls, becomes an ideal means for realizing the most daring, youthful fantasy. Being not only a current novelty, but also a calling card of the owners, graffiti on the walls becomes a vivid reflection of the inner world of the owners of the apartment.

The subject matter of the drawings on the walls, their basic colors and sizes can be very diverse and depend only on the individual preferences of the owner. If you are decorating a nursery, experts advise giving preference to the brightest and most memorable scenes from cartoons and children's fairy tales. This will not only please the little owner of the room, but will also emphasize the interests of its owner. Images of still lifes, juicy fruits and vegetables will fit most favorably into the kitchen interior. And by decorating your bedroom with house graffiti on the wall and giving it a special palace chic, you can fulfill your old dreams and become the owner of a royal bedchamber. In addition, with the help of graffiti, you can recreate various cozy places and chic attractions that you dream of visiting or have already visited. It could be mountain rivers and lakes, a sunny beach, a mysterious desert, or even the noisy streets of big cities.

Goals achieved using graffiti in the interior

By using formatted graffiti-style painting in the interior of your home, you simultaneously achieve several goals:

You get the opportunity to most spectacularly highlight the modern interior of your home;
You create a visual as well as color accent in the room, which is necessary to create a holistic interior with an individual stylistic concept;
You get the opportunity to get rid of such wall decor items as posters, paintings, photographs, without disturbing the comfort of home, in the creation of which memorable decorative elements participate;
Do not clutter the room with unnecessary details and at the same time compensate for the lack of furniture, while diverting attention from unimpressive objects;
You get a unique opportunity to correct obvious shortcomings in the layout of the room, for example, by decorating the narrow end wall of a narrow and long room, you make the room less elongated, or by placing a wide, expressive image on adjacent walls, you visually smooth out sharp corners;
To emphasize insufficiently expressive zoning of a room, or even to carry out zoning with the help of graffiti, as well as to emphasize the arrangement of furniture;
By decorating furniture in a graffiti style, you will create a unique room decor in which the walls are decorated in the simplest way. At the same time, you get the opportunity to visually reduce an overly large room, creating an emphasis on the furnishings and furniture, rather than on the walls.

From all of the above, it follows that graffiti in the interior can be used both to decorate walls and pieces of furniture, and each decorative option is characterized by its own characteristics and is attractive in its own way.

Video of graffiti on walls

Advantages of graffiti in the interior

You get an extravagant and stylish image, the advantage of which is absolute environmental safety, due to the fact that the aerosol paints necessary for applying the design contain only safe components. Considering this feature of the components of aerosol paint, you can even decorate a children’s room with graffiti, in which bright drawings are extremely relevant;
By applying a pattern to walls that are not particularly ideal, you can successfully disguise all existing imperfections, since a bright pattern will attract all attention to itself, and no one will pay attention to the unevenness of the plaster
Graffiti is a current way of zoning space;

Graffiti is a unique opportunity to get rid of old, boring paintings and posters, without which the walls become gloomy and monochromatic. And since tapestries are a very outdated element of decor, graffiti drawings are the best way to replace them;
Despite the fact that graffiti uses aerosol paints applied in a very thin layer, it is one of the most durable coatings. This ensures a long service life of the design, which will not lose its original appearance for decades;
Compared to painting walls, graffiti is one of the fastest ways to decorate an interior, which allows you to get high-quality results in a short period of time. The maximum period for decorating walls with graffiti is one or two days, after which you will be able to enjoy the beauty of the image on your walls;
Graffiti is a universal way of interior decoration. As a plot, you can use classic scenes from Greek mythology, and avant-garde with rebellious notes, and something endowed with a deep philosophical meaning that will become a topic for reflection on cold winter evenings.

Interior decoration using graffiti: basic methods

When creating graffiti on a wall at home, you can use one of the following methods:

Use a spray can and aerosol paints to apply a design that imitates street signs;
Draw according to the sketch using rollers and brushes;
To apply composite elements, use ready-made stencils, and apply the background yourself;
Buy ready-made adhesive-based graffiti and add what you think are missing elements.

The most effective method used by professionals is the use of aerosol cans, and if you are determined to decorate your wall with graffiti, you have two options at your disposal: contact a specialist writer or draw graffiti yourself, implementing your own ideas. If you prefer the first option, you need to find an artist who has a portfolio, work experience and a reputation as a professional who works specifically with interiors, and not with street gates. The easiest way to find such professionals is by contacting an art workshop. If you are planning to order graffiti from a professional studio, then you should first stock up on a tidy sum, but at the same time you will get the opportunity to observe the process of applying the drawing, as well as an individual approach to each individual interior.

Drawing graffiti yourself: working method

Before answering the question: “How to paint graffiti on a wall with your own hands?”, we will tell you about the main features of the interior that must be observed so that the end result does not cause your disappointment. So what are they?

The distance from the wall on which the drawing will be applied to the opposite wall. If the distance is relatively small, the size of the picture should be reduced so that later, when viewing the image, there is no desire to move further away in order to avoid discomfort when viewing the picture;
The color scheme of the interior, since the drawing on the wall should become an organic addition to its holistic picture;

Selection of the most suitable topic. If you are planning to decorate a wall with graffiti in the kitchen, experts advise giving preference to a fruit and vegetable or plant theme, while cartoon scenes are suitable for a preschool and primary school age child’s room, and sports and music themes are suitable for a teenager’s apartment;
Functional purpose of the room. For example, before applying graffiti to the walls in a bathroom or swimming pool, it is necessary to carry out preliminary preparation so that the walls in rooms with high humidity acquire additional moisture resistance;
General stylistic concept of the interior. It also needs to be taken into account, since there are situations when the use of graffiti in the interior will be simply inappropriate, for example, it is unlikely that you will decide to decorate a wall in a room made in a classical style with graffiti, although if you frequently play with contrasts , you can once again experiment with the interior of your own home.

Drawing graffiti on the wall: implementation of the idea and technological nuances

If you are not deprived of at least minimal drawing skills, accuracy and the ability to follow a prepared sketch, you can handle graffiti on your own. You just need to follow the sequence of actions described below.

Surface preparation. Despite the fact that, from a technical point of view, almost any surface, be it metal or plastic, is suitable for applying graffiti, and the paint will fit perfectly on it, it is preferable to apply aerosol paints to a primed and plastered wall that is painted in one of the neutral tones . If for interior graffiti you plan to choose a base that matches the overall stylistic concept of the interior, then in this case you can choose a base that imitates brickwork or a concrete wall. Such textures can be easily created using modern finishing materials, for example, decorative plaster. All this depends on the chosen style, which must be decided on in advance, before directly applying the drawing;
The next stage is choosing a pattern. A non-standard and original idea, as well as a competent and clear sketch, is a duet that determines more than 60% of the success of all subsequent technical events. Having decided on the design, its basic color scheme and scale, analyze how well it matches the size and color scheme of your room. If you are new to graffiti, give preference to simple graphics without color or soft tonal transitions.

Having drawn up a sketch, take care of ways to transfer it to the wall. Consider yourself lucky if you are armed with a projector, in the absence of which you can divide the entire space into squares, and using a pencil, ruler, or better yet a level, carefully transfer the sketch to the wall;
Stock up on the necessary materials: in our case, this is a palette of cans of aerosol paint, gloves and a respirator, the absence of which will significantly worsen the paint application process due to its pronounced odor. When choosing paint cans, pay attention not only to the color of the paint, but also to the compressed air pressure, giving preference to cans with low or medium pressure, which will allow you to work at a pace that is comfortable for you;
To apply the outline and other small details, you will need nozzles for spray cans, and for elements less than 1 cm, you will need markers and specialized brushes;
To get a feel for the differences between different pressure cans, as well as paint spraying techniques, start by doing a practice drawing on a rough surface.
Remembering that graffiti is one of the most individual and original methods of applying a picture to a wall, slowly start working, and then you are 100% likely to get a unique result or even discover a new talent in yourself.

And finally...

As you have already seen, decorating a room with graffiti will be relevant in the interior of any room, regardless of its purpose and age of the owner.

By looking at the examples below, you can see this:

The character, style and color scheme of the design are so variable that they can adapt to the taste preferences of the owner, as well as to his age and hobbies. In the interiors of youth rooms, a drawing can occupy absolutely all the free surfaces of the walls, while adults and accomplished individuals often prefer painting just one wall, which becomes a bright accent of the entire room.

Like all known methods of artistic decoration of premises, graffiti can be done either in a single color scheme, that is, be monochrome, or using a rich palette of shades. It is important to remember that experts recommend coating the finished painting with varnishes, which can be matte, glossy or semi-gloss. They are necessary to protect the aerosol coating and to extend the service life of the finished pattern while maintaining its original characteristics.

Graffiti interior design methods

Graffiti in the interior of a room is definitely a unique work. It can be placed on part of the wall, the entire wall, go to the ceiling and cover the floor. Even repeating the subjects of paintings by masters of painting, the author of the wall drawing expresses a personal perception of the world around him. In this case, the material basis - the wall on which the image is applied - turns into a co-author. Dictates content and style. The brick wall of the loft implies a picture that brings the space of the room to the street, emphasizing the unity of these spaces. A cramped kitchen becomes more spacious if a picturesque landscape is visible through the painted window. A children's room, whose walls are painted with cartoon characters, is perceived as an anticipation of a fairy tale.

Where is graffiti used?

The decision to paint graffiti on the wall is most often made for teenagers' rooms. They, like no one else, prefer bright pictures and a riot of colors. The graphic style is the best way to transfer your child’s desires and experiences onto the wall. Popular themes nowadays are extreme sports and hip-hop, as in the following photos. A street graffiti font will be an organic and optimal solution for the interior of a teenager’s room.

USEFUL INFORMATION: Basics of leveling walls with plasterboard with a frame with your own hands (video)

You can also order graffiti to decorate the walls of the bathroom. Don’t worry, durable acrylic paints will last at least five years without changes.

Applying graffiti in different rooms

The choice of graffiti subjects depends on the purpose of the room, its size, and the tastes of the owner. The ideas for the created decor are borrowed from painting, comics, animated films and from life, transformed by the author’s imagination. This approach turns “wall” painting into an art form.

In the living room , for example, on the wall a view of the city would be appropriate

In a child's room, stories involving fairy-tale and cartoon characters are suitable.

This is what a room for a 7-10 year old child might look like. A teenager will like a different design. Let's say this:

or this:

By the way, why shouldn’t a teenager take part in creating graffiti in his room? What if he does better than his parents...

In the bedroom they try to keep the decor in pastel romantic colors:

A theme related to the aquatic environment is suitable for the bathroom:

When working on the interior design of apartment rooms, you should remember that the main rule of creating artistic graffiti is the absence of rules in the freedom of expression of the artist!

Abstraction on the wall

Pinterest is simply filled with such works, and all because they are beautiful, they are not difficult to draw and they fit into any interior. All kinds of abstract fills, different shapes, dots, circles and your apartment will turn into an interesting interior.

The cost of abstraction on the wall starts from 2,000 rubles per m2

Here is an example of geometric abstraction in an apartment. Its peculiarity is that everything is drawn using masking tape; it is only important to be able to use it and know how to prevent the paint from flowing under it.

We have a whole article on how to make a painting in the bedroom yourself using geometry as an example, read here.

How to create graffiti with your own hands

The technology for creating graffiti consists of several stages. First of all, they decide on the pattern chosen as the basis of the image. The sketch is made in a format proportional to the image applied to the wall, that is, the picture on the wall should be the same number of times larger in width and height than the sketch. Otherwise, the proportions will be distorted, and the result on the wall will not correspond to the author’s idea. The wall surface requires a hard surface. Suitable:

unplastered brick;
plaster;
concrete;
drywall covered with a layer of putty.

Important! No peeling, shedding of wall material, or cracks are allowed on the surface. It is necessary that the applied paint does not blur or peel after drying.

Trees on the wall

For lovers of nature and natural beauty, I suggest painting a picture of trees on the wall. It will be very cute and beautiful in the bedroom. Especially if you don't have indoor plants. Suddenly oxygen will appear from the painting)

Necessary materials

For work, they stock up on materials: paints in aerosol packaging, i.e. in cans, paints in their usual form and solvents. You will need brushes, a small spatula, and personal protective equipment. The latter are necessary because some solvents used to dilute paints applied to large surfaces create a deadly atmosphere in enclosed spaces. In this situation, a hose gas mask will not be superfluous. It is worth considering in advance the organization of ventilation of the room in which the wall painting will be created. In the creative process, felt-tip pens are used, which are either purchased ready-made or made independently. Thin lines are applied with special nozzles for aerosol cans, or with brushes and felt-tip pens. The same tools are used to depict objects 1 cm in size. Pencils will be required to transfer the contours of the drawing to the wall. The presence of plastic film will protect the furniture in the room from spray paint. You will need thick cardboard, scissors and a sharp carpenter's knife. Using the mentioned tools, the stencils necessary for the work will be cut out of cardboard.

Colorful modern reinterpretation

Graffiti embodies a dynamic art form that has evolved over several centuries. Precisely, centuries, because it first appeared during the times of Ancient Egypt and the Roman Empire. And if someone says that this art originates in New York or Philadelphia, then he simply means the newfangled style of hip-hop.

Of course, many of the visitors to the online magazine of the Design Museum came across traces of this trend in subway passages or on the huge walls of buildings. Designers, taking this into account, embodied these ideas in a modern interior. Thanks to this, special tiles with graffiti elements have appeared, with which you can decorate the walls in the kitchen or bathroom.

Preparation and application

The sketch chosen for implementation must be transferred to the wall. This is done using a soft drawing pencil, which is used to mark the contours of the drawing. Depending on the skill level of the performer, “options are possible.” Aerobatics - free drawing. Only a professional artist can do this! Those who do not have such qualifications use craft techniques by transferring the sketch, having previously drawn it into squares. It is possible to use a technique that transfers the reflection of the sketch to the wall. The simplest option is a slide projector. True, for this you first need to make a sketch slide. There is no shame in using self-made or purchased ready-made stencils in your work. This simplifies and speeds up the work.

When the outlines of the image are transferred to the wall, begin painting. First, apply the main color over the area and allow the painting to dry. Then, in a similar way, other colors are applied, occupying smaller areas. At the end, thin boundary lines and small details are drawn. The finished painting is given time to dry and the room is ventilated.

Important! When working with caustic paints, we must not forget about safety precautions! Neglecting a gas mask and ventilation, the creator, carried away by the process, risks serious poisoning!

Creating graphic drawings with your own hands

You can draw graffiti on the wall of your apartment yourself, without resorting to the services of professional graffiti artists. The drawing should resemble an image that you might see on the street. The technique is simple, but it requires knowledge of some features. It is important to remember that graffiti is about drawing contours, filling contour images with color, a bright palette, catchy scenes reminiscent of collages. This is also volume, dynamism, and the use of contrasts (white and black, red and yellow).

Necessary materials

On the street, graffiti is painted using aerosol paints of various colors. In the apartment you can use not only sprays, but also other materials. Paints and tools:

aerosol paint for graffiti in cans;
acrylic liquid paint in jars and tubes;
acrylic primer;
solvent or water to remove erroneous strokes;
permanent markers (wide tip) in different colors;
paint sprayer, rollers, brushes, foam sponges;
ready-made templates, stencils for inscriptions and image silhouettes;
respirator, rubber gloves;
masking tape (to protect certain areas);
scratching objects (scissors, breadboard cutter).

Surface preparation

It is advisable to apply graffiti on an apartment wall that is flat and prepared for painting. When painting with acrylic paints, the surface must first be plastered, primed, and made perfectly white. You can paint an image over terracotta brickwork. The main thing is that the surface is clean, smooth, without protrusions and pre-treated with a primer. The primer will help the paint last longer and will also prevent mold from growing on the wall.

Applying an image

Before drawing graffiti, it is recommended to make a sketch on paper and draw the outlines of the future image with a simple pencil. True, professionals who have a full hand immediately paint the surface, intertwining letters with images in a free order. For beginners, it is advisable to prepare stencils or templates for the future composition.

If aerosol paints are used for painting, shake the can well before spraying. When working with the spray, your respiratory organs must be protected with a respirator. The paint is sprayed from a distance of 25-30 cm. They begin to paint from top to bottom on one side (right or left).

First, the contours are drawn, then the silhouettes are filled with paint. The aerosol is lightly sprayed on the front surface of the image, and where there is a shadow, the color is made more saturated. Light areas are combined with dark ones, bright shades are combined with muted ones, spots are covered with lines and inscriptions. All elements of the collage are connected to each other, and at the point of connection the color or theme changes dramatically.

Tips for creating and maintaining graffiti

Having decided to use graffiti in the design of a room, which in itself is bold, you should put aside doubts and not be afraid of shocking visuals. Experiments can result in truly stylish results. If success is not so obvious or doubtful, there is no need to become discouraged. Believe: next time it will be better!

In order for the paintings that decorate the walls of your home to live a long life, they should be protected from direct bright sunlight. It is also recommended to maintain temperature and humidity conditions. In case of excessive contamination, graffiti made with moisture-resistant paints is washed.

Graffiti is good because it is democratic and budget-friendly. The costs here are incomparably lower than when decorating interiors with frescoes. The latter, as you know, are another way to decorate walls. But not many people can do a fresco with their own hands.

Fashionable bedrooms

While some of us dare to use large patterns of this street style in our living rooms or kitchens, others prefer to add them as an addition to unique bedroom designs. And this choice is quite understandable, since we tend to express ourselves in places that are our refuge.

Notice how the walls in modern rooms seem to come to life when graffiti is applied. If you use them in creative nurseries, you can make the space of this room even more playful.

This article presents works using this direction, which are so realistic and voluminous that it seems that they are about to transform into your apartment.

The cost of creating a graffiti drawing on the wall in a children's room

The average price for graffiti in a nursery is 3,000 rubles per square meter, for a drawing made with aerosol cans. The price of a drawing is calculated based on the overall dimensions of the drawing, which is often smaller than the dimensions of the wall. This means that the average drawing in an apartment, in a children's room with overall dimensions of 2 by 2.4 meters will cost 15,000. You can focus on this price in most cases. Of course, any additional painting techniques that allow you to achieve photorealistic picture quality, or luminous paints, can make the work more expensive. Ceiling price for graffiti decoration in our studio is 6000 rubles per square meter.

In any case, the emotions, the magnificent new look of the interior and the feeling of pride in the unique, author’s design of the children’s room, in our opinion, are worth the investment and effort.