Includes bibliographical references and index.

Long before graffiti was adopted as the visual expression of hip-hop culture in the 1980s, Chicano gang members in East Los Angeles had been developing stylized calligraphy and writing on walls. Cholo (gangster) scripts became the first distinctive letter forms to evolve in the modern vernacular tradition of graffiti writing. Today Los Angeles writers of diverse backgrounds draw from a unique confluence of cultures that has led to regionally distinctive styles. This book provides a comprehensive and visual history of graffiti in Los Angeles, dating back to the 1930s, as well as an in-depth examination of the myriad styles and techniques used by writers today. Complementing the main text, interviews with L.A.'s most prolific and infamous writers provide insight into the lives of these fugitive artists.--From publisher description.

System requirements for accompanying CD-ROM (recommended): 256 MB RAM; up to 300 MB hard disk space; Windows 2000; Pentium processor; or Mac 64 MB RAM; Mac OS X v 10.2.8; Adobe Acrobat Reader 7.0 (9ncluded); Quicktime Player.

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