BATES – Graffiti Blackbooks

Publikat is back–with a true banger! And who better to kick off the relaunch than BATES? TheScandinavian graffiti legend has been active since 1984 and is one of the few who never stopped. His last book came out in 1998–now a rare collector’s item found in graffiti libraries worldwide.

With GRAFFITI BLACKBOOKS–BATES (A4, 208 pages, softcover), Publikat launches a new series dedicated entirely to the usually hidden sketchbooks of graffiti writers. Building on the iconic Blackbook Sessions, this newline goes deeper than ever: each volume focuses on a single artist and reveals the full spectrum of their stylistic universe.

BATES stands at the very top of style writing. Known for his masterful letter styles, he now presents something truly special: his private sketches. Raw, authentic, and full of energy–marked with paint, covered in spray dust, annotated with quick notes, folded, worn, or weathered.

A rare look into his process and his relentless dedication to style.Some pages even show the sketch next to the finished wall piece, offering a unique chance to study how ideas transfer from paper to concrete, and how flow, structure, or details evolve.The book also includes personal reflections by BATES on his sketches, his letters, and his understanding of style writing.“Sketching remains the key to stylewriting,”BATES emphasizes.“Developing a style always begins on paper.”

Releasing December 2025, GRAFFITI BLACKBOOKS–BATES opens the vault on decades of unseen work. A must-have for graffiti enthusiasts, collectors, and fans of contemporary urban art.

Size: 21x30cm
Pages: 208
Cover: Softcover
Language: English
Publisher: Publikat