CLONE
What got you started in graffiti and who were your influences?
I always loved to draw monsters and other stuff when I was little. In middleschool when I was around 14 years (2007) old, one day, I decided to draw letters. I wrote „stress“ in with purple and pink. That was my first sketch. Even though I didn’t know that I was doing „Graffiti“, I kept sketching letters. Only around 2009 I realised what I was doing. That’s the moment when I realised Graffiti when looking out of the train and found out that you can spraypaint. Then I also discovered pictures of famous writers through google. Until that point I had pretty much no influences at all, I learned everything by myself, which probably was a really important thing for my style in the beginning. When I did my first research on the web, I discovered writers like Atom and Cantwo, who were my first influences. Then came the videos of the Stompdownkillaz and Above from Canada. I think I watched these videos up and down like crazy haha. And that’s pretty much when I really got hooked, sketched everyday for 2 hours and painted my first pieces. A special moment for me was also when I saw the trainline in Basel, Switzerland, for the first time with the legendary pieces of Smash, Dare (RIP), Swet, Does and so on.
Nowadays I just try out different stuff and styles to improve my skills and test new things. I think it’s always important to never stand still. That’s probably why I’m almost never fully satisfied with my pieces. If I would mention writers I dig now, Storm (HA), Dashe (Bullshitters) and from my own country Mower and Kkade (both Schwarzmaler). They all have unique styles that push the boundaries in their own way.
Interesting that you started out practicing letters before you even knew about graff (and kind of awesome!)… Is there any reason you picked the name “Clone”?… was it purely about the letters or some other meaning behind it?…and why “duplex” clone?
Yeah I think it was really good that I didn’t knew what is was doing, because I didn’t know whats right or wrong and had no chance to compare my works. That helps a lot with motivation in the early stages.
The name Klone came because I got kinda busted with my actual first name “SOW3” for tagging my school. So I searched for a new name and come up with Klone. There is no reason behind it, just a cool sounding name. A few years after I changed the K to C because it’s a better letter for a beginning of a piece. The Duplex comes from my crew “DuplexBrothers” that my man Rotom/Geks and I formed.
What does graffiti mean to you and where do you want to take it?
The good and bad times, the adventures, choosing your holiday destination just on the fact where you can paint the best walls. Being the only one on the train that looks outside at the walls instead of staring on the phone. The random people that you meet, who you instantly connect to just because of graffiti. Constantly thinking about it. That’s what graffiti is to me. It’s the way to live life, that makes my life different to others.
To where it will take me, first I have to finish studies, until then money’s tight so more sketches than walls haha. After that just paint as many walls as possible, push myself further. Travel all around the world to paint and also paint at jams is always something that I look forward too. Getting an own studio is a dream that I would like to fulfill in the next few years. That’s pretty much it.
Sounds like you are passionate and only good things can come from that. When you get that studio would you also focus on different art forms? Do what sells? or strictly letters/graff?
I will pretty much just do more canvas and chilling there, more planning of concept walls maybe. I’m not going to chance my style for selling purpose, I’ll stay with what I like doing and at the moment it’s def letters. I’m studying so I can get a normal job and don’t have to live from art. If someone likes my art and buys it I’m happy, it’s much more enjoyable to do art if you don’t rely on selling it. I will never paint some Disney characters in a childrens room just to live as an artist. Fuck that haha
Sounds like you are passionate and only good things can come from that. When you get that studio would you also focus on different art forms? Do what sells? or strictly letters/graff?
The good and bad times, the adventures, choosing your holiday destination just on the fact where you can paint the best walls. Being the only one on the train that looks outside at the walls instead of staring on the phone. The random people that you meet, who you instantly connect to just because of graffiti. Constantly thinking about it. That’s what graffiti is to me. It’s the way to live life, that makes my life different to others.
To where it will take me, first I have to finish studies, until then money’s tight so more sketches than walls haha. After that just paint as many walls as possible, push myself further. Travel all around the world to paint and also paint at jams is always something that I look forward too. Getting an own studio is a dream that I would like to fulfill in the next few years. That’s pretty much it.
Lets look at some of your work, from beginner to current:
Advice for newbies?
Graffiti is like a sport, the more time you put in the better you get. Instead of checking your facebook and instagram every hour, draw a sketch. Instead of playing video games, draw a sketch. On the train, draw a sketch. In school, draw a sketch while listening (learn to multitask haha). Never be satisfied, don’t let the overflow of pictures on the web be your inspiration, let your ideas and thoughts be your inspiration.
Shout outs?
Shoutouts to my boys Geks, Mora, Siek! …Big shout to BBB and Jack for the great work they are doing every day.
Thanks for taking the time! see you around in the battles!
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