The man generally credited with starting NYC’s graffiti scene was a Brooklynite named Demetrius, more commonly known by his simple tag “Taki 183,” which was a combination of his nickname and street address. Within a few years, graffiti artists developed a bolder style and began “bombing” entire subway cars with magnificent splashes of color that delighted some New Yorkers and horrified others. The days of painted subway cars are long past, but graffiti is here to stay and both small tags and huge, enthusiastic, indecipherable murals abound in the city. A few legal venues, such as the walls of the Phun Phactory (off the ‘7’ train in Long Island City), now offer spraycan artists a chance to show their skills without breaking the law.