Been a good while since my first zine scene post (I'd hoped to do one every few months, now 3 years later) but in that time my zine collection has grown exponentially. Zine's are a great way to find out about artists and their work but also provide a cheaper option if you want to support a creative. Many of the zines I've bought were under £5 and often come with extras or commemorate a show or event. Zine's have also played a big part in the sharing of ideas and painting styles amongst the graff community. Zine's were a way to share work pre internet with only those in the know having access to em, often sharing for free and coveting anything new that comes their way. It helped build connections and provided access and insight into other cities and countries, each with their own unique styles and take on the movement.
Now with the proliferation of everything thanks to social media and the world wide web there's few subcultures left untouched by the mainstream hand. But if you know where to look then you can still find artists pushing their thing and doing it without any insta fame. Admittedly I stumbled upon 50 Shades of Spray via instagram so its not all bad and I've found a great community of graff heads and artists via the platform. Fifty Shades aims to bring together photos, essays and interviews with graffiti writers from across the globe and presents them in a slick A5 zine. Each issue has a specific colour, so only pieces done in Blue, Yellow, Orange etc. Pages upon pages are jammed full of graffiti from top international artists like 123 Klan to local guys, a truly level playing field but the quality of each piece is high. Each issue also comes with a fold out A3 poster, badges and stickers. I'm a real sucker for the extras.
Each issue feels like a treasure and you can tell that a lot of effort has gone into it, the design and layout alone must have taken a good few hours. If you're looking for an insight into the graff world then Fifty Shades is a good starting point and as everything is independently produced you know your money is helping to keep the project going. For more info and to purchase some zines hit up the Fifty Shades of Spray webstore here and obviously give em a follow on Instagram!
Now with the proliferation of everything thanks to social media and the world wide web there's few subcultures left untouched by the mainstream hand. But if you know where to look then you can still find artists pushing their thing and doing it without any insta fame. Admittedly I stumbled upon 50 Shades of Spray via instagram so its not all bad and I've found a great community of graff heads and artists via the platform. Fifty Shades aims to bring together photos, essays and interviews with graffiti writers from across the globe and presents them in a slick A5 zine. Each issue has a specific colour, so only pieces done in Blue, Yellow, Orange etc. Pages upon pages are jammed full of graffiti from top international artists like 123 Klan to local guys, a truly level playing field but the quality of each piece is high. Each issue also comes with a fold out A3 poster, badges and stickers. I'm a real sucker for the extras.
Each issue feels like a treasure and you can tell that a lot of effort has gone into it, the design and layout alone must have taken a good few hours. If you're looking for an insight into the graff world then Fifty Shades is a good starting point and as everything is independently produced you know your money is helping to keep the project going. For more info and to purchase some zines hit up the Fifty Shades of Spray webstore here and obviously give em a follow on Instagram!
