Tag up your own train, but don't tag up a real train.
Train graffiti began in New York City in the 1970s, and it did not resemble the graffiti we see today. Graffiti began on the trains and subways of New York and continues to be present. When drawing a graffiti train, you will need to focus on two elements of the drawing: the train and the graffiti letters. Drawing graffiti on trains has always been illegal, so although you can creatively practice your skills on paper, don't think too hard about putting your art into practice.
Instructions
1. Research graffiti and trains. Open your eyes to the streets and subways. Generally, graffiti exists in any urban area. Pay attention to what is around you and what you like. Look at different styles of trains and subways, different styles of graffiti and letter fonts. Search the Internet and familiarize yourself with exactly what you want to draw.
2. Pick up your sketch pad and begin by drawing a train. Start by drawing a simple modern train or subway shape. Draw a skinny rectangular box that covers the width of your paper. Make sure the rectangle is wide enough to insert windows and your graffiti letters. Making the train too small will make your drawing more difficult to create, so always draw with ample space.
3. Divide the long rectangle into five sections. At each end of the rectangle, draw the train doors from the top to the bottom of the train and make sure they are 3 centimeters wide. To sketch the wheels of the train, draw four small circles at the bottom of the carriage. Inside each circle draw a smaller circle. Add three rectangular box shapes between the doors of the train to create the windows.
4. Choose a name that you want to draw in graffiti letters on your train. On a separate piece of paper, draw your name in capital letters. Leave lots of space in between each letter. Experiment in pencil with the shape of your letters. Train graffiti is usually bubbly, so around each letter widen the letter to add a rounded bubble shape. Symmetry is important in graffiti, so practice with the shapes of the letters until you are happy with them.
5. Copy your graffiti sketch onto your train. Use a pencil so you don't have to worry about making mistakes. Draw your graffiti from the bottom of the train to the bottom of the windows. Do not draw your graffiti to cover the whole train; ensure you can still see the the windows and doors of the train.
6. Color in your sketch. Color the train with plain colors to ensure a contrast with the graffiti colors. Color the wheels in dark grey and the windows in light grey. Use vibrant colors to paint your graffiti. Use two colors and blend them together inside of the letters to create a fade effect. Add details such as stars, hearts and lightning bolts to your graffiti to add style.
7. Outline your train graffiti with a black marker and add a one centimeter shadow effect to each letter. Draw around the doors, windows and wheels of the train with the black marker to highlight the drawing.
