Tips and Rules for
Sidewalk Artists

Sidewalk spaces are approx. 7 x 7 ft. You may use any or all of the space.


CHALK

Chalk will be provided. You will receive one box of chalk per square, which includes 48 vibrant colors. If you need additional colors, a “CHALK SWAP” will be available near the artist check-in and/or you may “swap” with other chalk artists as well. You may also purchase or use your own chalk but it MUST be water-based.


If you are creating an image originally created by another artist (living or deceased), it is important to credit the artist and the title at the base of your painting.


Other Important Stuff

  1. Please try to keep your supplies to a minimum and well contained by your space.
  2. Please respect the other artists who are working near you. Do not walk on their paintings or have open beverage containers which could spill and destroy someone’s artwork.
  3. NO fixatives may be used on the chalk drawings.
  4. NO boom boxes allowed. You may wear portable headsets, but there will be music groups playing throughout the day.
  5. NO pets, please!
  6. The Rotarian “Roamers” will be there to assist you. DO NOT hesitate to ask for chalk, water, etc.

AWARDS

Awards may include:

Best of Show

Most Colorful

Most Whimsical

Most Inspiring

Best Technique

Wildest

Best Rendition of a Master

Best Reproduction of a Photograph

Most Humorous

Group awards may include:

Most School Spirit

Best Girl Scout Theme

Best Boy Scout Theme

The following tips are merely suggestions compiled from numerous sidewalk art festivals and can help make your project more successful.

Selecting Your Image

  1. Select the image or photograph you’ll be re-creating with chalk.
  2. If you are reproducing an image originally created by another artist (living or deceased), it is important to credit the original artist and the title at the base of your painting.
  3. Please use no words or symbols intended as commercial advertising. The art must be appropriate for “family” viewing.
  4. Make color photocopy of the painting or bring the photo. Make several copies if more than one artist will be working on the piece.
  5. If you want your proportions to be correct, you might consider drawing a grid over the photocopies using a ruler and thin marker. Half-inch squares are ideal. Measure carefully so that all photocopies are gridded identically. Label the graphed columns on your photocopies horizontally with alphabetical letters and vertically with numbers. (Mount photocopies on cardboard to make them easier to work with).

Grid design example of sidewalk chalking
An example of using a grid to recreate a design


Suggested Supplies:

  • Wisk broom or brush for cleaning the drawing surface.
  • A 2’ x 2’ piece of heavy fabric, carpet square or cardboard to sit or stand on to avoid smearing your work.
  • A soft towel, gardener’s pad, or knee pads to kneel on.
  • A low beach chair to occasionally rest your back.
  • A chalkboard eraser, foam, terry cloth or short-cut brushes for blending larger areas of color.
  • Brushes to sweep away the loose dust—do not blow the dust particles.
  • Water and a cloth or sponge to erase unwanted parts of your design.
  • Old towels or rags to clean up as necessary.
  • Masking tape for creating sharp borders, geometry, or to tape down your pounced design.
  • Baby powder (if using the pounce method).
  • Additional chalk, if you need a lot of a certain color.
  • Note: The sidewalks inside the pavilion are black in color.
  • Lightweight cotton gloves to protect your hands; disposable latex gloves to protect your fingertips and assist in blending colors.
  • The pavilion is an open-air, covered space, however, you may want to bring sunscreen, sunglasses, or a hat for morning or afternoon sun exposure into bldg.
  • Refreshments (or they will be available for purchase). Keep open beverage containers away from paintings. No glass allowed.
  • Camera to take photos of your creation!

Preparing the Work Area

  1. The space should be clean, however, you may want to sweep the area you’ll be working on with a whisk broom.
  2. Affix masking tape to the sidewalk to create sharp borders.
  3. If you want your proportions to be exact. Use a tape measure and marker, measure out points on the masking tape that will be used to create a grid on the sidewalk. The graph will need to correspond to the grid on your photocopied picture. Measurements will differ, but a good ratio of sidewalk-square size to photocopy would be one 6” square on the sidewalk per half-inch square on the photocopy. Line up the chalk line first to the horizontal and then to the vertical points marked on the masking tape. Snap the chalk line to mark out the grid on the sidewalk. Label the masking tape border with the letters and numbers that correspond to those noted on the photocopy of the image. These will serve as location guides. Tips: To use the chalk line correctly, it’s best to have three people helping—one on each end of the chalk line holding the line tight and one snapping the line in the middle of the painting area.

Chalking Your Masterpiece

  1. Use your photocopy (and grids if you choose to use them) to guide you as you chalk out a rough outline of the complete image you are painting on the sidewalk—just enough to map out the image and get the proportions correct.
  2. Start from the top of the painting area and begin painting the image with the colored chalk.
  3. Lay a foundation of color using your fingers in small areas and a chalkboard eraser for larger areas.
  4. Fill in the details of the image using various shades of colored chalk. Continue to blend colors to gain the right effect. Leave some chalk color unblended on the surface of the concrete to bring out colors, highlights and details.
  5. Work your way down the area of your painting.
  6. Remove the masking tape to reveal clean, crisp outlines.
  7. Sign your work. If you’ve reproduced an image originally created by another artist (living or deceased), give the art credit by noting his or her name and the title of the piece at the bottom of the street painting using an index card.
  8. Do not blow or fan excess chalk into the air. It will dull your colors, and chalk dust is not good to breathe.
  9. To get intense color, apply the chalk more than once (the first time fills in cracks and crevices) and bear down hard. The second time is to let the chalk powder rest on the top of the bumps. Then don’t touch it anymore!
  10. Please sign your art when finished.

Groups
If you are an adult working with students, have them plan their chalk art beforehand, by illustrating a drawing or by reproducing an image they choose. This will enable students to make better use of their sidewalk space once outdoors. The older the artist, the more you will want to encourage shading and dramatic color in the piece.


Before you head outdoors, take one last moment to divide students’ art on a grid. Mark off blocks of space on the sidewalk before anyone begins drawing, that way you’re sure to have enough space to go around. Use a yard stick inside the designated block to copy the grid used on the original image. A simple conversion is 2 inches = 2 feet outside. Once the grids are completed, students can draw in one block at a time, copying from the drawing one block at a time until they’re finished.