These are the terms that come up constantly in writing about letterforms. Where a word has a specific meaning in lettering, that is the definition given.
Letter construction
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Bar | An individual stroke of a letter. The three horizontals of an E are bars. |
| Bowl | A curved stroke that closes back on itself, as in B, D, P, R. |
| Counter | The enclosed space inside a letter — the hole in an O, the triangle in an A. |
| Skeleton | The thin, plain version of a word that gets thickened. Also called the framework. |
| Weight | How thick the strokes are. Consistent weight is what makes a piece look deliberate. |
| Stem | The main vertical stroke of a letter. |
| Spine | The continuous S-curve in a letter like S or the middle stroke of a Z. |
| Terminal | The end of a stroke that is not closed — the two ends of a C. |
Forms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Tag | A name written quickly, usually in one continuous line with a marker. The basic unit of graffiti writing. |
| Throw-up | A fast piece in two colours: one outline plus one flat fill. Also "throwie". |
| Blockbuster | A throw-up using squared-off block letters, sized for distance legibility. |
| Piece | Short for masterpiece. A larger, more developed work, usually with multiple colours and a background. |
| Burner | A piece considered especially well executed. A compliment. |
| Wildstyle | Lettering that interlocks and extends to the point of being hard to decode. |
| Handstyle | The specific way a writer draws their tag — their handwriting, essentially. |
Paint and process
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Fill | The colour inside the outline. |
| Outline | The line that defines the letter against the background. |
| Overspray | Paint dust that lands around the path of the can. Softens edges and reads as aerosol. |
| Fat cap | A wide spray nozzle, for filling large areas quickly. |
| Skinny cap | A narrow nozzle, for outlines and detail. |
| Drip | Paint that runs downward. Either an accident or a deliberate style element. |
| Blackbook | A writer’s sketchbook. Traditionally where pieces are worked out before they go up. |
Notice how few of these words describe how a piece looks, and how many describe how it is made. The vocabulary is a vocabulary of process — which is a useful hint about where the skill in the form actually lives.
Words that are commonly misused
- "Piece" and "mural" are not interchangeable. A piece is a graffiti work built around a name; a mural is usually a commissioned image and often has nothing to do with writing.
- "Tag" is not a synonym for "graffiti". A tag is one specific form — the handwritten name — not the whole practice.
- "Designer graffiti" is not a term anyone inside the culture uses. Lettering used commercially is just lettering.
- "Bubble letters" describes a construction method, not a shape. A bubble alphabet can be tall, squat, narrow or wide.
Reading the terms on the page
The fastest way to make this vocabulary concrete is to change one thing at a time and watch what happens. Turn the letter weight up and watch the counters close. Increase the overspray until the edges stop reading as vector. Set the depth to zero and watch the piece go flat.
Every one of those controls maps directly onto a word above. The glossary is describing the same set of decisions, made with a marker instead of a slider.
Questions
What does "piece" mean in graffiti?
It is short for "masterpiece" — a larger, more developed work with multiple colours, usually including a background. Every piece is graffiti, but not every graffiti work is a piece.
What is the difference between a throw-up and a piece?
A throw-up is one outline and one fill, made for speed. A piece has more colours, more detail and takes far longer. The distinction is about how much time and paint went in.
What is a bar in graffiti lettering?
An individual stroke of a letter. It is the basic unit of letter construction, and in wildstyle it is also the thing that gets stretched into extensions and arrows.