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Form of graffiti From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Throw ups,[lower-alpha 1] or throwies, are a form of graffiti that fall between tags and pieces in complexity.[1] The name comes from the way they are designed to be "thrown" onto a surface as quickly as possible. They are almost always done with aerosol paint.[2]
Throw ups are typically the writer's moniker in large "bubble-letters", with or without a fill. Throw ups without fills are called hollows.[3] Throw ups are sometimes done using only the first two or three letters of the moniker in a throw up to quicken the process, especially if the writer uses a longer name.[4][5] Throw ups are done with fast, pre-planned body movements to enhance speed.[citation needed] This speed means that writers can produce large amounts of throw ups in a short time, especially when compared with pieces.[6]
Defining characteristics of skilled throw up include letter height consistency,[7] letter shape conformity along the top and the bottom,[7] minimal negative space,[8][9] and clean lines. The line between pieces and throw ups is sometimes blurred, but throw ups tend to be faster to paint, have fewer colours, and prioritise speed over style.[10]
Throw ups originated in the New York City Subway in the 1970s[11][12] and started as larger versions of tags[13] before evolving into their own style.[4][10] Compared to tags and pieces, throw ups have not changed as much since their origins.[14]
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