Four years ago, I signed up for something I never imagined I would participate in – a chalk art festival.
While I have always loved to draw and create art, I never realized that there is a whole world dedicated to creating 2D and 3D large-scale chalk and street art.
What is chalk art?
Chalk art, simply put, is drawing visual images with chalk – which is made from naturally occurring minerals from the earth. Chalk is a very soft medium – by far my favorite part about chalk is that it is easy to blend and control!
Nowadays, chalk art is a recognized form of art, and professional chalk artists use a wide variety of techniques to create their masterpieces.
Getting Started – Materials
1. Chalk
To start, you need to buy some chalk! There are many brands that offer vibrant shades like Crayola, Koss, Artist’s Loft, and Prang Freart. I prefer to use multicolored chalk pastels from Sargent Art.
2. Surface
Next, you need to determine which surface you will be creating your chalk art. Chalk can be used on a variety of surfaces from chalkboards to paper to wood to concrete. Chalk street art is predominantly created on sidewalk cement or asphalt.
3. Reference Pictures
What image are you planning to create? Draw out your own design or find reference images to spark inspiration online!
4. Blending Materials
While I prefer to use my fingers to blend chalk, there are numerous helpful tools! Many artists use foam brushes, chalkboard erasers, Q-tips, and even toothbrushes! Any tool that can help you blend your chalk should be utilized.
5. Cleaning Supplies
Chalk, as you can imagine, is super messy! So, make sure you have lots of cleaning supplies on hand. Baby wipes can be very helpful to clean up your art and hands (and arms, legs, face if you are super messy like me). Bring trash bags to clean up after yourself too!
6. Other Tools
I always bring a measuring tape to help me map out my design. I also use painter's tape to border off my chalk art design. I also recommend bringing bowls or containers to help organize your chalk!
Chalk Art Tips
1. Body Protection
If you are drawing chalk art on pavement or asphalt, make sure to protect your knees, ankles, and skin. Wear knee pads or bring a carpet swatch to work on. Additionally, to protect your hands, many artists suggest wearing gloves. I like to use athletic tape on my fingers as it allows me to blend the chalk without scraping up my skin.
2. Plan Ahead
Think beforehand about what imagery you would like to create for your chalk art. I suggest creating a reference picture ahead of time. Additionally, use the grid method to proportionally scale up your image.
3. Start in the Middle
Many chalk artists recommend starting in the middle of your image and working outwards so you don’t smudge your art in progress. In my experience, I prefer to start from the top and work my way down.
So, going back to four years ago, I stepped out of my comfort zone and signed up for the Atlantis Casino Chalk Art & Music Festival in Reno, NV. And let me tell you, it was a great experience! Chalk may now be my favorite medium to work with, and I plan on continuing to participate in chalk art festivals in the future. Check out some of my past chalk art!
Would you participate in a chalk art festival? Let us know in the comments.
Thank you for reading!