Piece (graffiti)

They are one of the main forms of modern graffiti, along with tags and throw ups, and are the least controversial of the three[1] and least likely to be seen as vandalism.

[3] Because of their complexity and large size, pieces usually take a significant amount of time to plan and paint[4] and therefore are often found on legal walls.

[7] Many people unfamiliar with graffiti forms can find it difficult to distinguish the letters in more elaborate pieces.

[7] Pieces were first observed in the 1980s on trains in the New York Subway, until the metro began refusing to put out painted trains in an attempt to discourage writers, which had the unintended effect of writers instead painting pieces on city walls.

[13] Pieces seen in public areas like streets have been shown to have a stronger emotional value for viewers than when seen in a museum.