What settings are used in light graffiti?

I want to try out 'light graffiti', or 'light painting', on my camera. I have the Nikon D5100, and I'm wondering which settings work best for this. If anyone has tried it, what settings have you used? What do most people typically use? Anything is appreciated

It's variable.

That is, you factor the amount of time it takes to write the graffiti to set the shutterspeed, and you adjust all other parameters according to the light values in the scene. Some general rules for best quality in light writing scenarios:

1. Shoot in manual mode
2. Use a tripod
3. Use the lowest ISO possible
4. For any shots where you'll need longer than 30 seconds, you'll need to shoot in BULB mode with cabled release that has a lock feature.

That's it, experiment with your settings and have fun

First, make sure you're taking the photos in a dark area. The darker, the better. Put your camera on a tripod and switch it to manual mode. Add a long shutter speed. How long depends on how long time you will need to do your painting, but usually, 20 seconds is a good starting point. Have your ISO at 100, and an aperture that simply lets in the right amount of light. Just take some test shots. If they are too dark, use a bigger aperture and vice versa.