Graffiti and Hand-Written Signs Part 1

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Katrín Svana Eyþórsdóttir is a media artist and designer from Iceland. You can follow her on twitter. More about Katrín Eyþórsdóttir ↬

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The topic of this gallery is Graffiti and Hand-Written signs, i.e. signs that incorporates unique, individual artistic expression to communicate the meaning and the purpose of the sign. Please notice: each photo has a certain license, provided in the description of the photo. Before using the images for private or commercial projects, make sure that the license allows you to do so. Also, you can click on the photos for a larger preview.

This gallery presents the collection of photos submitted for the World Of Signage Photo Contest by the readers of Smashing Magazine. We received over 2,500+ photos from our readers across the globe, and present a selection of the most interesting photos in the overview below.

Please feel free to take a look at other submissions as well (links to other galleries are listed in the end of this gallery).

Graffiti and Hand-Written Signs

I dont know pink

I dont know pink [ large preview ]
“Graffiti on sign.” Photo taken by Dixon Hamby from USA.

Graffiti art

Graffiti art [ large preview ]
“Graffiti on parking lot wall.” Photo taken by Hjörvar Þór Sævarsson from Iceland.

Recycle that

Recycle that [ large preview ]
“Graffiti art promotes recycling on East 4th Street buidings in Austin, TX.” Photo taken by Cristal Garcia from USA.

Lisbon Cats

Lisbon Cats [ large preview ]
“Graffiti in Lisbon.” Photo taken by Tammi Floccare from USA.

Mount Maido’s direction

Mount Maido’s direction [ large preview ]
“Mount Maïdo’s handwriting direction on a rock.” Photo taken by Cédric Albrecht from France.

Escuella-Taller

Escuella-Taller [ large preview ]
“A handwritten sign in Havana, Cuba.” Photo taken by Harald Krefting from United Kingdom.

Fuck the police

Fuck the police [ large preview ]
“Grafitti tag.” Photo taken by Christian van Elten from Germany.

Bakery

Bakery [ large preview ]
“A hand-painted sign to a bakery in Kefalonia, Greece.” License: All Rights Reserved. Photo taken by Ted Winder from UK.

Authorised hand painted

Authorised hand painted [ large preview ]
“The dying art of hand painted signage.” Licensed: Copyright © All rights reserved. Photo taken by Alison Hogg from New Zealand.

Raspado Menu [ large preview ]
“Typical “rotulo,” or hand-painted sign, advertising different flavors of raspados (snow cones made with flavored syrups).” Photo taken by Shelby Karns from México.

Wayfinding and Typographic Signs - raspado-menu

Hand made

Hand made [ large preview ]
“Hand made signage in a building.” Photo taken by Ramy Sader from Lebanon.

My past, my dreams

My past, my dreams [ large preview ]
“Stencil on pavement.” Licensed: Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic. Photo taken by Justin D Goring from United Kingdom.

Vernacular Typography Polaroids 1

Vernacular Typography Polaroids 1 [ large preview ]
“Polaroids of vernacular and hand-painted signage.” Photo taken by Doug Wilson from United States of America.

Vernacular Typography Polaroids 2

Vernacular Typography Polaroids 2 [ large preview ]
“Polaroids of vernacular and hand-painted signage.” Photo taken by Doug Wilson from United States of America.

Vernacular Typography Polaroids 3

Vernacular Typography Polaroids 3 [ large preview ]
“Polaroids of vernacular and hand-painted signage.” Photo taken by Doug Wilson from United States of America.

Upside down five

Upside down five [ large preview ]
“5 painted on pavement.” Photo taken by Dixon Hamby from USA.

C on pink

C on pink [ large preview ]
“white C painted on pink wall.” Photo taken by Dixon Hamby from USA.

Q Mart Water Tower

Q Mart Water Tower [ large preview ]
“Repainting the Q on a water tower in Quakertown, Pennsylvania.” Licensed: License. Photo taken by Horatio Baltz from USA.

Watch your step

Watch your step [ large preview ]
“Old town scottsdale walking tour.” Photo taken by Karina Downer from USA.

Pacas Message

Pacas Message [ large preview ]
“The sign were both found in Belize, Central America at the Best Little Zoo in the World…” Photo taken by Christine Lobsinger from Canada.

What about the Kids

What about the Kids [ large preview ]
“My first thought, for the one that says ‘This Way to the Outhouse’ with the arrow for adults made me laugh and think, I guess the kids have to go in the bush.” Photo taken by Christine Lobsinger from Canada.

Thank you!

Thanks to all participants for taking their time for preparing and sending submissions for the contest and creating a unique and diversified gallery presented above. We truly appreciate and respect your efforts and your time, folks!

Further Galleries

You may want to take a look at other contest galleries, too: