Chalk Art / Street Painting
I originally got into chalk art when I was in high school. Our school district had a small, local festival to raise money for the visual and performing arts programs. Then I went to college and became the events coordinator for the student government, so I got back into chalking to promote events on the pavement around campus. Then I signed up for a local festival, and it rained half way through the day! That didn't stop me though, I came back the next year. Then again, and again, and again. I also branched out to other festivals. The rest is history!
I fell in love with chalk art and street painting festivals because it's a fun, inexpensive way to create at a large scale, brighten the day for the audience and spend time outdoors. I love the ephemeral nature of this medium. Because the work is not permanent, it allows me to experiment and work freely. It’s fun to get together with the friendly community of chalk artists, create colorful works of art for the community to enjoy, and spend the day with sunshine (mostly) and music! It's also great exercise. Imagine doing planks and burpees all day long, and that's pretty much what it's like to chalk a mural crawling around on the ground all day!
When you first start doing chalk art, it's a little sad to see it go. Some festivals leave the murals and the environment eventually wears them out over a couple weeks, so you get to see them age. Other events have to wash the streets immediately after the event, so you get to see the piece disappear in 5 seconds! It's a great reminder that nothing lasts forever, to be present and enjoy things in the moment.
Gallery
Chalk Tips
Some of my favorite tips for those who want to elevate their chalk art:
Use a light touch with the chalk. Lay down a very thin layer, then blend it into the pavement with a scrap piece of carpet, craft foam or your finger to get a solid color and fill in the crevices.
It’s all about layers. Slowly build up the chalk, colors and highlights, applying the chalk lightly each time. This will keep the dust down, and you will use way less less chalk.
In most cases, apply the darkest colors first, then layer the lighter colors on top. Why? Because dark chalk specks that get on top of light colors look like specks of dirt. However, specks of light color chalk on top of darker chalk look like sparkles, creating a glowing effect.
Work first on the focal point, on what you want the audience to see first. Usually, it’s the eyes. Then you can work out from there. That way, you’re not stepping over completed areas to get to other areas or painting yourself into a corner. And, if you run short on time, you can work looser in the outer areas.
Use knee pads, wear a hat, apply sunscreen, drink lots of water. And take plenty of stretch breaks!