Do graffiti 'artists' buy the paint they use?

Shoplifting spraypaint seems like an unnecessary additional risk, so I would assume they buy it.

Spray paint in a lot of stores, like Home Depot, is behind lock and key so I am guessing it’s difficult to steal it.

Why steal it? Of course they just buy it.

I’m 100% sure, it depends on the “vandal.”
A lot of graffiti that is hard to understand by most of us, is “gang” related. Wannabe members, or younger kids keep claimed territories “marked.” Which includes painting over other graffiti, or adding insult to them (like a bathroom wall.)
I believe that that portion of vandals, use whatever they can get. Spray paint, is a fairly common garage find in many houses, or businesses.
For “tagging,” they don’t need anything special. Some may buy it, but most are probably given it, by older people.

Then. Ee have the people who paint amazing works of art, on buildings and bridges, etc.
Those people, I’m certain, buy their own paint. And honestly, I think most giant “graffiti murals,” are great.

Of course buying it creates a paper trail…

@filmfann Right, for that investigative task force to track down the nefarious spray paint vandal, and to really make the charges stick in court? But oh no! The arch criminal mastermind, paid in cash! Yeah, totally what happens.

^In my law enforcement experience, we never once thought about graffiti, as a crime that warranted much investigation.
Being able to see what territories certain gangs are vying over, is free intelligence.

To many law enforcement, gang members, and plenty of civilians, graffiti is like gang-street signs.

The elder members will usually tell the younger ones, to claim areas with paint, before or directly after a shuffle of territory. Or. If some areas, are contested.

In some neighborhoods, knowing how to read the signs is important to everyday life.

There are LOTS of things we could figure out, with modern technology. The list of things that receive that type of attention, are typically reserved for violent crimes.

That’s why all of these doorbell cameras, are so popular. You don’t have to rely on an assigned officer, or in bigger cases a detective, for evidence.

Police departments, are stretched far beyond the limits of being able to put equal resources into every crime.
They won’t turn down reliable reports about existing cases, like maybe an anonymous person coming forward to report that they witnessed something relevant to a crime. But. Many crimes, get little more than officially being recorded as having happened. With some details.

Graffiti artists often obtain their supplies through a combination of buying and stealing. Some artists may purchase their paint and materials from art supply stores or online retailers, while others may resort to stealing or “racking” paint from hardware stores or other sources. It’s a complex issue, with some artists seeing it as a necessary part of the process, while others may view it as a way to thumb their noses at authority.

Some graffiti artists do buy their own paint, while others might steal or scavenge for it. It really depends on the individual and their circumstances.