Paint-stained hands, countless sweatshirts ruined from the rogue exploding markers, sneaking around in the dead of night and belonging to an entire separate way of life that is underground from what most people may be aware of.

Art is an expressive form of entertainment. It is the kind of entity that really cannot be placed into one solid category by anyone person, there is no "right" or "wrong"; there is just the perspective the person wishes to see. Art is an expressive form of emotions, and that is exactly the same deal with the world of graffiti art.

I was never really that into graffiti art. I knew just about as much as most people do - not much. When I would see it around me, I really wouldn't think much of it - it was just something I never cared about. Graffiti art is a form of art that is highly misunderstood, which I have recently gained respect for.

I recently became close friends with someone that was very into graffiti art. He opened my eyes to this whole new form of art that had been around and taking over places like Philadelphia, and even the suburbs of West Chester. When I told my friends, most of them just saw it as something dumb, my friends saying it was just "writing shapes that no one else gets everywhere." I figured it was time to find out more for myself and get in on this.

Graffiti art is anything but old. Modern graffiti art as we know it today came to being around the late 1960's, in none other than New York City and Philadelphia. It started as a form of recognition in subway cars, where one would write their name followed by their street. Quickly it took hold as a way to become known around a city, and each person would fight for their spot as the king or queen, trying desperately to get to hard to reach places and find the spots where their artwork would be seen by as many people as possible. It then grew to go even past markers, to spray painting, stickers, and any other form of getting art onto walls, street signs, poles, sidewalks, and every inch of cities around the world.

I was lucky enough to even get firsthand experience.

My friend took me to the location of a mill that is now a haven for graffiti artwork, and there I was able to see first hand the true beauty of it, and I must say that I have a new found respect for it. The time and dedication that is put into each piece is just as much time that would be put into any other canvas, sketch, or mural painting. It is a shame to me now, when I hear people speak ignorantly of graffiti art, because I now understand it differently than I did previously. The excitement and passion that each artist has about their own work is really something to look at it, and it's a great feeling to see other people so happy and so into what they are doing.

While many others may think that graffiti art is just a pointless hobby or nothing more than just breaking rules, that is also where things change.

Many young people are familiar with the brand, "Obey," a clothing brand that markets to youth and has the stance of propaganda inspired street wear. Many young people are probably not familiar with how Obey was created. Obey was started by a man named Shepard Fairey, based off of a sticker he created while at the Rhode Island School of Design in 1989. It grew and grew, and what started as a sticker, has now become a very successful brand. Obey clothing has roots with the counter culture and punk skateboarding, as well as political and satirical pieces as well.

Graffiti Art is a widely misunderstood form of artwork and one that comes under much scrutiny whenever it is brought up. Some may see it as writing basic shapes on everything and anything, but to others, it is a calling. It is an ever changing, competitive and sometimes dangerous game to play. Graffiti art will still be misinterpreted and misunderstood, but maybe one day it can find its place.