Seven Quick Takes- Train Graffiti!

I'm sorry this is a day late. I don't really have an excuse except for "life happened."

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Right across our street, about an acre or so from our front door, there's a busy railway used to haul freight cars. We've lived here for almost three years now, and my kids still run to the windows to watch when one passes by-- the relationship between big machines and small children is truly magical.

You get used to the noise after awhile (thankfully we don't live too near a crossing, so they only occasionally blow the horn as they pass the house). I'm still not used to the entire house vibrating when an especially heavy train passes by, but even that isn't too bad. 

And I enjoy looking at the graffiti. Most of it is just your run of the mill tagging or over simplified portraits of the gentile male anatomy, but every now and again you run across a mural that's intricate, original, or just plain cool.

(Disclaimer: I do not encourage or recommend that anyone reading this engage in vandalism, trespassing, or other related misdemeanors. While I enjoy and appreciate the artists' skill, I do not condone defacing private property. Though I may wonder how in the heck they managed to do it so skillfully while evading the law. Yowza). 

1.) Spaceman

This one raises so many questions.

 Why is he floating in a night sky with the word "heat" repeated over and over? Is it the heat of the moment? The heat of passion? Maybe the heat was out in his residence and it was snowing? Or was it really hot outside when this was painted? Why include an astronaut? How is that astronaut connected with the concept of 'heat'?

The world may never know.

2.) Sci-fi Skull/ Helmet

 This one blows me away just with how detailed and intricate it is. The longer you look at it, the more details you notice (see the little smiley faces?).

I don't know a ton about spray painting (my experience is with acrylics), but I'm pretty sure to paint this, the artist had to carefully layer multiple colors (meaning using multiple cans of different colors of paint), and probably use stencils as well. Those train cars are pretty huge, so he (or she) would have needed a ladder to access the areas that he did. And, since vandalism is illegal, possibly in the dark, or at least in a hurry, to avoid detection.

The sheer skill involved in pulling something like that off is insane.


3.) Baby Birthday

This artist decided the best way to celebrate their daughter's 5th birthday (based on the '5' on her outfit and the word 'vida' ('life)) was by painting a mural that took up the entire side of a train car. Misplaced though that effort may have been, you gotta admire the dedication to family.


4.) Flower Detail

Sharing this one just for how intricate the flower designs are. I didn't get it in the picture, but this is one of the few signed train murals that I've seen (signed off to the side as 'Marisa'), so I know the artist was female. 

5.) Battle Duck

Why a rubber duck with a bazooka on its back and tank treads shooting a blue laser out of a plunger?

Why not?

6.) Bat Bus

This one reminds me of that episode of the Magic School bus where the Bus turns into this bat thing and all the kids think Ms. Frizzle is a vampire.


7.) Creepy Shark (doo do doo do do doo doooo...)

He might want to go have that tongue looked at. 

That's all folks! Be sure to head over to This Ain't The Lycium for the rest of this week's quick takes. :)