Comics

      Comics have sometimes been considered more a type of entertainment than true art. However, the history of comics and the process for creating comics is admirably intricate. There are several phases to go through when creating a comic, such as illustration, writing, lettering, storyline, and others. In the later years of the 19^th century, comics came around as a type of artistry. Around the start of the 20^th century, Comics were introduced to the United States through newspapers. Soon after, they were made into small pamphlets and paperbacks. Available in various forms and accessible to most any person, comics have become exceedingly popular. One of the most famous comic artists of the past is Will Eisner, who produced “The Spirit”. It is said he invented the graphic novel by writing “A Contract with God, and Other Tenement Stories”, and he also coined the term sequential art, which means art in a timeline and ordered. As comics are chronological and of both pictures and words, it can be a complex art form. There are numerous styles of comics, including stylized, cartooned, and realistic. One of the newest kinds of comics is manga, which is Japanese styled and English-written. Manga has had some controversy over its adult issues, as they can be both violent and sexual. Comics, in general, have preciously had problems with controversy over their contents. One problem was the adult scenes in some of the horror strips released in the 1950s, as they were sometimes extremely scary and graphic. Still, they have somehow continued on through out these difficulties and still remain an art.

http://www.members.shaw.ca/creatingcomics/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comics

Graffiti

Graffiti, the “street art”, is one of the more nonconventional, rebellious forms of art in history, as many have called it vandalism. It has recently evolved into a pop culture. The beginning of graffiti began with an image for solicitation of a prostitute in Ephesus, a city in Greece. The word graffiti is from a Greek word meaning “to write”. Many of the earliest civilizations, such as the Greeks, Mayans, and Romans, practiced different types of graffiti. Graffiti is now more associated with hip-hop culture and was cultivated in New York. Originating in the 1920s and became more established in the 1970s, numerous graffiti designs appeared on trains and building walls. However illegal it may be, graffiti’s impact on art and design has been imperative. Graffiti has always been, as in any art form, a means of self-expression. It has also been used for memorials, political references, and advertising. Leaving behind a signature lets graffiti artists leave memorials. Politics have often been portrayed through graffitist murals. The Berlin Wall was a clear example of this, and became a perfect location for a much needed outlet to expand. Advertising through graffiti, a more modern aspect of this art, allows the ad to be seen by many and still have a creative and authentic feel. Hummer had a mural done of one of its vehicles with a headline that said “street art”; it was a clever play on words. Throughout history, graffiti has survived, thrived, progressed into a reputable art, and has had a direct impact on many artists.

http://www.graffiti.org/faq/ftg/freighttraingraffiti.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graffiti

http://www.graffiti.org/faq/werwath/werwath.html

http://feedgrids.com/originals/post/graffiti_legends_artists_that_sparked_pop_culture_phenomenon/