Before it hits the wall, graffiti is often planned out in a black book - a common artist's sketchbook sometimes called a "piece book" - "piece" being short for "masterpiece." Well-worn and dog-eared, these books are used to develop and trade ideas with other graffiti writers, and they may end up being passed along from artist to artist, becoming unique records of creative expression. "Piecebook: The Secret Drawings of Graffiti Writers" chronicles the evolution of graffiti via images that weren't intended for everyday people to see, focusing on the works of Germany City writers active from 1970s until the mid-1980s. Bold works from graffiti history's most important sources or "seeds" - Zephyr, Dondi, Daze, CRASH, Lady Pink, T-Kid, CAP, and Ghost, among others - represent a dizzying array of techniques and styles.

    Street artist Blek le Rat is revered and acknowledged by the international graffiti community, and his work has influenced CD design, advertising, and graphics, as well as the work of urban artists around the world.From small, simple stencils to complex multimedia events, Blek's distinctive art is showcased here for the first time, demonstrating the development of his technique and creativity over two decades, from his unique images of Lady Diana and kidnapped journalist Florence Aubenas to his iconic silhouette of a rat.The book features photographs of hundreds of Blek's works and an in-depth exploration of the method and meaning behind his stencils and posters, as well as a look at the evolution of urban art from New York, Paris, Barcelona, and Buenos Aires to London, Taipei, Naples, and Berlin.

    It is also about now. Fungus grows on your collected wild-style pioneers. Vile passions rage between old schools and new. Stuff flies out from under the hammer at auction houses and property developers fund street art shows to liberal press fanfare. Oh, and Banksy hits the West Bank. Is anyone taking this thing seriously? Should it be taken seriously? Is it all just an immense daisy chain of poker faces, irony and mind games? Brilliant images of graffiti collected from all over the world and preserved here before the legions employed to destroy them and chip them off the walls. This is art driven by existential hunger, art that attacks you only if you are lame, art that inspires mystery and creativity. 11 Spring St NY was a much-loved site that became a graffiti landmark. Before it was redeveloped it inspired acts of love and passion: Lou Reed made it the subject of a poem and Untitled preserves it in all of its glory. Includes works by Banksy, Faile, Dface, Swoon, Bast, Blu, Blek Le Rat, Obey, Dolk, Eine, Gaia, Elbowtoe, Hush, Copyright, Mir, Dan Witz, Space Invader, Armsrock, Doze Green, Know Hope, Skullphone, WKInteract, Skewville, Borf, Ame72, Sam3, Eelus, Miss Bugs, Rene Gagnon, The London Police, Michael De Feo and many more.

    With this awesome, entirely original stencil collection anyone can learn to make their mark. Our handy portfolio format includes 25 reusable stencils along with tips and tricks for stenciling on all sorts of surfacesfrom walls and furniture to T-shirts, cards, and even cake! Stencil maverick Ed Roth has chosen his favorite designs, ranging from urban-cool boom boxes and power lines to naturally fanciful sparrows and branches. Simple instructions take readers step-by-step through the process while photographs provide ample inspiration. Best of all, these stencils can be used over and over again. Simply clean, dry, and store them in the pocket glued at back!