Some artists take the mainstream approach and paint on canvas or carve from stone. Others take vast strides off the beaten path to create unusually creative art and graffiti that appeals to our subversive selves or our inner geek. From 3D, light and reverse graffiti to steampunk art, fashion and design here are some ways in which non-standard artists create works that challenge conventional thinking.

20 Extremely Geeky Works of Art and Graffiti (and 7 More Unusually Geeky Works of Street Graffiti and Even More Geek Graffiti): So what exactly does ‘geek graffiti’ even mean? The label can reflect the approach of the graffiti artist, the types of materials they use or the meaning of the symbols employed – or even all of the above. As the nature of mass communication has changed and as information technology has evolved so too have the means, modes and subject matter of what used to be a much simpler subversive form of urban artistic expression.

10 Steampunk Designs and Mods (and 15 More Steampunk Art and Fashion): Steampunk is arguably one of the most geeky approaches to art out there. Retrofuturism takes present objects and by some strange twist makes them appear as if they were once futuristic wonders of a bygone age. The genre has moved from literature to ecompass many forms of art, design and fashion.

10 Light Graffiti Artists and Photographers (and Creative Urban Light Graffiti and More Light Art): Not all graffiti requires paint – or the defacement of buildings for that matter. Architectural light graffiti uses projectors that range from technically sophisticated to amazingly simple to make. Tagging, in turn, ranges from comedic talk-bubbles to complex and moving amorphous patterns on the walls of buildings.

10 Amazing 3D Graffiti Artists (and the Top 3 3D Sidewalk Chalk Artists) Most people complain about graffiti but these artists tend to draw a crowd and a great deal of public approval. Perhaps it is their skill or the fact that their 3D street art and sidewalk art appeal to a broader audience including children and families. Whatever the reason their 3D graffiti and painting has a popular appeal often missing in more overtly subversive art.

3D Painting and Murals: Of course 3D painting illusions aren’t limited to sidewalks and streets – these also can be drawn in small and extremely large scale on vertical urban surfaces. 3D murals can create the appearance of depth and illustrate amazing scenes that enliven streets and dull buildings as well as tricking passers by with incredibly lifelike depictions of strange scenes.

Unusually Legal Street Art (and More Legal Urban Art): Guerrilla or subversive art doesn’t necessarily have to be illegal. Colorfully decorated urban objects from manhole covers to light posts and utility boxes all manage to add life and energy to an urban setting without breaking the law, and traditionally high-art figures like the Mona Lisa can be reappropriated by graffiti artists. Flash mobs can also fall within legal limits if their organizers are clever and reverse graffiti is an amazing way to decorate urban surfaces without getting into trouble.