Tag Graffiti Alphabet Some groups of graffiti writers could not be accurately classified as gangs, and are more accurately referred to as tagging crews. These groups have different motivations for creating graffiti. To most citizens, their work is vandalism. However, to taggers, their work is graffiti art.
In many areas, taggers are individuals from middle and upper income homes, whose source of entertainment comes from vandalizing public and private property with their art. Serious taggers are primarily between the ages of 18 and 22. Some taggers also belong to subcultures, and wear alternative labels such as skaters (skateboarders), punks, Straight Edge (anti-drug, alcohol & tobacco), and anarchists. Taggers tend to have risk-taking personalities, and may be attracted to extreme sports like skateboarding, in-line skating, and snowboarding, as well.
Tag Graffiti Alphabet
Tagger graffiti can often be easily recognized because it is more stylized and artistic, with fat, wild-style, or geometric letters. It usually contains brighter colors and more detail than gang graffiti, and may include pictures, as well. Taggers will also use the following tools in addition to spray paint: wide-tipped markers (44 Magnum size), nametag stickers/printed stickers (these are easily and quickly affixed to almost any surface, resulting in an instantaneous tag), paint sticks, and sharp objects (with which to etch glass).
When taggers join together, the group is called a crew. A crew can have as many as 50 members, but the average size is from 3 to 10 members. Crews are frequently co-ed, with males and females tagging side by side. Females will often carry the spray paint because they are considered to be less likely to be searched by law enforcement. When crews put up pieces of graffiti together, sometimes one member will outline the design, and the other crew members will fill in the colors. After the design is finished, all the crew members will sign their names or monikers around the piece (short for masterpiece).
The individual tagger typically uses a nickname or tag name, generally a short word which contains 4 to 6 letters, like Choke, Brisk, Sledge, Dime, Factor, or Avoid. The crews generally use a 3 to 4 word crew name, such as Controlling All Boundaries, Only the Chosen, and Superior and Destructive Kings. The names reflect their rebellious attitude, and the fact that taggers are often highly intelligent with a somewhat ironic sense of humor. When tagging, the crew members will abbreviate the crew name to initials such as CAB, OTC, or SADK. The initials are often more important than the name, and may stand for more than one name, such as CAB for Crowned At Birth or Choke and Brisk. Taggers will generally write their own nickname and their crew initials. They may also write the names of other crew members, but this is usually done only when the group is working together.
