1 THE ART OF CHALK: AN OVERVIEW
Mini Zoo by Tracy Lee Stum. Even when given only a small area in which to work, a 3D chalk image can be very convincing when designed and shaded effectively.
Youâve probably seen various types of chalk or pastel artwork in your journey through everyday life, either on a street, in a restaurant, on a sidewalk, or in a museum or gallery. Artists have been âplayingâ with chalk for centuries. And yes, I say âplaying,â as this medium most certainly allows for some very free expressions of creativity.
No longer thought of as just a schoolroom tool, chalk has come into its own with the advent of new and fascinating applications. These days one may see chalk art in a home, on the exterior of a building, or spanning a sidewalk as big as a football field.
While pastelists continue to exhibit their works in galleries and museums, some chalk artists have moved their delicate art form outdoors, with street painters creating works on pavement that are subject to the conditions of an external and often unforgiving environment, and chalkboard artists creating works in public environments such as retail shops, restaurants, interior spaces, and even on the sides of buildings. Whatâs really fascinating about these artworks is that the ephemeral quality of the medium is not only embraced but also celebrated. Some may not last very long at all, but they do inspire, illuminate, and demonstrate the nature of creativity in all its temporal glory.
âFINDING STREET PAINTING WAS LIKE FINDING MYSELF. IT IS THE MOST FREEING CREATIVE EXPRESSION THAT I HAVE EVER ENGAGED IN. NEVER MIND THAT ITâS CREATED ON PAVEMENT!
IF SOMEONE HAD TOLD ME TWENTYYEARS AGO THAT IâD BE DRAWING ON SIDEWALKS FOR A LIVING I WOULD HAVE LAUGHED AT THEM. WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT CHALK ON PAVEMENT WOULD HELP ME REALIZE MY POTENTIAL AS A VISUAL ARTIST?â
âTRACY LEE STUM
CHALKBOARD ARTISTS: THE DESIGNERS
Who hasnât written on a blackboard at some time in his or her lifeâto solve an equation, demonstrate a scientific formula, elaborate on a historical discussion, or repetitiously copy an âI will notâ punishment statement over and over? We think of a blackboard as a teaching tool, which it most certainly has been, but today we see the evolution of a new art form that treats the chalkboard as a contemporary canvas.
Once the domain of professional sign painters who created unique commercial displays with ornamental fonts, chalkboard art can now be seen in all sorts of locations, from restaurants and retail shops to corporate offices and marketing events. Chalkboard artists are also embellishing well-dressed home interiors and, in the case of Dana Tanamachi, a well-known graphic designer widely recognized for pioneering the current chalkboard art trend, creating their own home decorating product lines for retailers such as Target and West Elm. The popularity and appeal of chalkboard art have been rising worldwide, as is evident on various social media sites such as Pinterest and Instagram. New designs, new font interpretations, and new approaches are growing exponentially.
Todayâs chalkboard artists are, in many cases, designers first. They share a fascination with and an appreciation for typography and historic graphic styles. They turn to the chalkboard to create pleasing compositions that are also often pragmatic and functional. One may think their creative process is restricted, constrained by content and structure, yet the level of detail and inventiveness within these works make it clear that such limitations can actually be quite liberating. These stylistically adept designer-artists offer up delightful and pleasing ephemera to enhance our everyday lives.
Catherine Owens used botanical motifs to transform an ordinary wall into this roomâs focal point.
Perfect for this retail location, Chris Yoonâs chalkboard logo design works well with the shopâs creative and inviting environment.
Maggie Choateâs words to live by in chalk.
Bryce Widomâs imaginative portrait hints at otherworldly places by referencing Japanese stylistic elements.
PASTEL ARTISTS: THE OBSERVERS
Otto StĂŒrckeâs tonal drawing beautifully translates the tranquility of a fish gliding through mysterious waters.
Portraits, landscapes, still lifes, and figurative works: these realistic subjects are associated with the classic working motifs of gallery and museum artists around the world. Pastel artists straddle painting and drawing, yielding works that appear to be paintings yet are created through drawing directly on a surface with pieces of highly pigmented dry color.
The term chalk technically refers to a soft, white, porous, sedimentary carbonate rock that is a form of limestone. In art circles of antiquity, chalk was available in three mineral colors: white (calcium carbonate), red or sanguine (a mixture of iron oxide and clay), and black (a mixture of carbon and clay). These chalks could be used in their natural state to make marks on canvas, paper, or a chalkboard. Todayâs commercially made chalk contains high quantities of calcium sulfate mixed with a binder, which makes for a harder and more brittle product.
Although pastels are handled similarly to chalks, and are often used alongside them by both chalkboard artists and street painters, their makeup is slightly different. Pastels are a combination of organic and inorganic ground pigments that are mixed with a binder to create a stick of pure, concentrated color. Due to their high volume of pigment and small amounts of binder, they tend to deliver much richer and more vibrant color as compared to traditional chalk. Tints, tones, and shades may be created throughout the color spectrum, often marked by...