Scratchiti

scratchiti (skra.CHEE.tee) n. A form of graffiti in marks are etched into windows and other glass surfaces (scratch + graffiti). Also: scratchitti.



Earliest Citation: "It is costing the Transit Authority upwards of $ 20 million yearly to combat the "scratchiti" inflicted on us by a new generation of defacers. The money is spent replacing scratched glass and on cleaning crews who can wipe off the lighter scratches."
—Dennis Duggan, "A New War on 'Scratchiti'," Newsday, April 6, 1995

Gouged into a surface - glass or plexiglas windows, scratchiti is a fairly crude form of graffiti, which in Halifax is most commonly found defacing bus shelters. It's certainly my least favorite form of graffiti - unartistic, not particularly nice to look at, and decidedly a pain in the ass to photograph (Tip - High speed lens, dark background for contrast, shot wide open (fast shutter speed) to throw the background out of focus).