Since prehistoric times, man has had the urge to express his creativity through painting or scratching out pictures on cave walls. As kids we love scrawling and painting on walls. The ultimate flowering of this primordial urge of painting walls is 'Graffiti' (word originates from the Greek word graphein which means - to write), an urban art form in its own right. There are hundreds of cave paintings, rock paintings and ancient wall paintings all around the world, which qualify to be known as the world's first graffiti works. Learning to Draw Graffiti Today, megalopolises are the nerve center of graffiti, as a modern art. Though it's the subject of much criticism, being used as a vandalism tool, there are many commissioned artists who work around the world to create some of the most beautiful graffiti paintings. Graffiti has been used by many artists in expressing rebellion against all kinds of authoritarian regimes and conformism. If you are planning to create your very own, first graffito, this Buzzle article will definitely be an interesting read. Observation The question of how to do graffiti can be well answered by following the first basic step of any art form that is observation. Learning to appreciate great pieces of graffiti art is the first step as an initiate. If you only keep your eyes open, while driving around town, you will find scores of graffiti art pieces, painted on city walls. Get familiar with the various styles of graffiti, ranging from stencils, 3D, bubble, BBoy, billboard, cartoons and other new emerging trends. To know a style is not just about appreciating its aesthetics. It's also about learning technique. Know what kind of colors and painting tools have been used. Analyze a composition aesthetically and technically. Learn how to use spray cans and other tools, to compose your first graffito. Start with your own home wall! Make Your Own Impression Once you have acquired the basic skills of how to make graffiti, you can begin applying what you have learned. Try to make a graffiti that can be your logo. Most artists have a signature logo, which they use. Your creativity comes into the picture now. You have to decide what you have to draw; the concept should be generated within your mind. You can also take graffiti tips from graffiti masters and schools. You can learn some of the styles through imitation. However, the only way to grow as a graffiti artist or as any kind of artist is to be original. There is no set pattern for a graffiti. It could be letters, a landscape, abstract art or anything that comes out of your fertile imagination. It is extending the painting canvas to walls, that's all. There are no boundaries and set structures. Graffiti Tips There are few graffiti tips that can be followed during your course of drawing graffiti. First among the graffiti tips is the use of paint cans. Graffiti is best made with the help of color spray cans, that help you draw on any texture and surface, with minimum amount of effort and also within very short time. So make yourself familiar with how to use color spray cans. Another one of the most important graffiti tips is the order in which the graffiti making should go. First make a background for your graffiti to stand out. Make the background such that it gives a smooth finish to the graffiti. Make use of light colors such as white or gray to make the background. Once the background is ready, make use of small cap spray cans, to draw the outline. The outline should be of light color and should merge well with the background. The outline is just for your convenience and not to stand out. Once the outline is over, go ahead with real painting and make the graffiti as per your plan. You may make use of 3D effects. With the use of thin, dull color strokes, you can create a three dimensional effect. To make a thin line, hold the can near the wall and make a fast stroke. This will limit the spreading of the paint and give you a sharp thin line. Get to know as much as you can about graffiti culture and its unique terminology. The colors of the graffiti are also very important and hence basic color wheel should be kept in mind while deciding the color combination. To make your graffiti look tidy and neat, fill in all the space that is available. Do not leave gaps within your graffiti. Fill all the gaps with proper color strokes. Find a local graffiti artist and apprentice him for a while, to know about the nuances of the art, until you are ready to go on your own. It is a good idea to ask for permission to make your graffito on a wall, before going ahead, if you don't want to be arrested for vandalism! Create a detailed sketch before you actually start painting. The only way to get better at anything is practicing, experimenting, learning and staying hungry to learn more. Happy painting!