The Chalk Art Handbook: How to Create Masterpieces on Driveways and Sidewalks and in Playgrounds

by David Zinn

Overview

A comprehensive guide for chalk art creators!
With so many searching for ways to have fun at home in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, chalk art has become a great way to do so while enjoying some fresh air. The Chalk Art Handbook offers budding artists a review of the tools involved, as well as tips and tricks to creating an array of sidewalk creatures. Artist David Zinn, whose work has been used as inspiration for elementary and middle school art lessons, offers step-by-step guidance on how to make chalk art come to life and advice on specific techniques such as smudging, perspective, and 3-D illusions. He also encourages artists to work outside the box with details on how to best incorporate concrete specks and natural holes or cracks in the ground into their artwork. The Chalk Art Handbook even includes bonus activities to keep everyone drawing happily both indoors and outdoors. The perfect gift for those looking for hours of outdoor fun!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781510764415
Publisher:	Skyhorse
Publication date:	06/15/2021
Pages:	192
Sales rank:	178,524
Product dimensions:	8.10(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

David Zinn is a self-taught artist who, after working for more than twenty years as a commercial freelance illustrator, picked up a box of sidewalk chalk as an excuse to “work” outdoors on a nice day, and now he reaches hundreds of thousands of people all over the world with his temporary street art creatures. Zinn has drawn all over the United States and on the streets of Taiwan, Sweden, Germany, France, and Holland. He is the author of Temporary Preserves and Underfoot Menagerie, and he has been featured in The Guardian, Business Insider, and the Los Angeles Times, among other publications. Zinn resides in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Table of Contents

Introduction xi

Part 1 Chalk and Sidewalks 1

Why Draw with Chalk? 3

What You'll Need 7

Other Things That Can Be Useful 11

About Sidewalks 15

Smudging 27

4 Steps to a Happier Chalk Drawing 31

Part 2 Creative Creature Constructs 39

The Basic Blob 41

Blobs on Blobs 44

Blobs with Feeling 49

I've Got My Eye on You! 53

Mouths 61

Noses 63

Doing Things and Going Place 65

Telling Stories 69

Making Friends 71

Simple Lettering 74

Balloon Lettering 77

Part 3 Making Obstacles into Opportunities 81

The Magic of Pareidolia 83

Using Specks, Splotches, and Spots 89

Using Cracks 94

Using Plants 98

Using Rocks and Stories 102

Using Found Objects 107

Part 4 Jumping Oft the Sidewalk (and Falling Into It) 113

The Magic of Anamorphosis 115

How to See the Perfect Viewpoint 125

The Basic Box 128

Your Shadow Makes You Real 132

3-D Creatures: Think Inside the Box! 138

Drawing Holes 141

The Simple Hole 143

Not-So-Simple Holes 146

Cracks (and the Importance of Not-straight Lines) 149

Skyholes 153

Hole Creatures 157

The Missing Brick Trick 161

Part 5 Bonus Activities! 165

Round Robin Monster Laboratory! 167

Indoor Opportunities 170

The Doodle Battle 173

Conclusion 177

About the Artist 178

About Sluggo 179

Editorial Reviews

David’s imaginary friends, peeking out of the cracks between our world and his, are the most delightful company anyone could want. With enough chalk and imagination, we can absolutely change the world!”  - Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York

From the Publisher