Chalk Art Frequent Questions

What is Chalk Drawing?

A chalk drawing or chalk talk is a presentation where a picture is drawn using large format soft lecturers chalk on paper or cloth, accompanied by a message, narration, music, drama or special lighting effects. Many chalk art presentation conclude when  concealed pictures or animations are revealed by use of a black light or other media to make the picture seam to come to life.

large format drawing presented 'live' before a group of people as an instructional aid to illustrate a speech, message, lecture, drama, song, story or address. It is a large format art that is rendered on textured paper or cloth material using  soft media called, "Lecturer's Chalk".

What venues are appropriate for chalk drawing?

Chalk drawing has become is a relatively popular media being used effectively for many themes and purposes. It reaches some of the largest crowds and captivates the smallest groups. It been well received in many types and  sizes of events including: business meetings, motivational retreats, commercial advertising, national conferences, television ministries, international crusades, educational assemblies, outdoor activities, youth programs and instructional retreats. It has been adapted to reach all age levels.

Where can I find supplies and equipment?

For training material on everything about chalk including: books, videos, CD ROMS with ideas for pictures and easels go to: http://chalkartnews.com/supplies.htm

For the most extensive list of suppliers of chalk, paper and other needs go to: http://chalkartnews.com/order.htm

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How did chalk drawing get started?

Chalk Art is centuries old. It is rich with a wonderful heritage of pioneers who carried their easels on horse back to the town square, the meeting hall and the church house. They easily captured the imagination with the simplest of tools, illustrating their stories with live sketches and various media.

Itinerate artist narratives can be found in history as far back as the 1600s Germany. Hezekiah Smith taught his army Chaplin students quick sketch drawing to help them hold the attention of troops during the Civil War.

Invisible chalk drawings were popularized in the early 1900s by black light artists like Karl Steele and Nate Saint, Esther Frye and Ding Teuling. 

The Chalk Art News started in 1956 at a national chalk art workshop as artists saw the need to sharing ideas to encourage each other in the chalk talk ministry. It is a labor of love to be a blessing, help and encouragement to all who use their talents for the Lord. 

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What is a "Colorama?"

12 foot wide Colorama Chalk drawing presented in Tyler Texas by 8 artists on July 2000

The Colorama is a group of artists all drawing at once for a live presentation on the same theme. It is often presented using one easel per artist. The example pictures above was rendered by 8 artists on two cloth canvases placed side by side measuring 6 foot by 12 foot. 

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How do I care for, frame and preserve chalk drawings?

Fine art requires special care. Chalk will smear, smudge or flake if handled improperly. Paper can rip, warp or mildew.

Fixatives

Spray-can fixatives intended for the general public, not museum and conservation professionals, are highly dubious. They have unknown longevity, stability, and safety for both the artist and the artwork. Using hairspray instead of professional fixative may yellow the colors, warp the paper, or cause the chalk to flake off. Most fixatives were primarily designed for gum based pastel chalk. Lecturer's chalk is made from a Calcium carbonate base (sea shells). The following is an incomplete list of a few fixatives and their applications as recommended by their manufacturers. (To find suppliers enter the product name in any search engine)

• Latour Fixative For Soft Pastel is a clear, environmentally-safe fixative made from an alcohol and resin base. Spraying several light coats leaves a completely transparent and matt film.
• Lascaux Fixative is a transparent, thermoplastic, acrylic resin fixative. Suitable for drawings in pastel, pencil, charcoal and wax crayons, particularly on delicate paper, it may also be applied as a fixative for watercolors, India ink or tempera works. Sealing with this fixative makes scratch-proof. It contains no fluorocarbons.
• Sennilier Oil Pastel Fixative is made from a vinyl resin and alcohol base, this totally transparent fixative leaves a clear and glossy film to protect oil pastels against dust and smearing.
• Talens Spray Fixative is designed for pastels, charcoal and pencil.
• Grumbacher Tuffilm Spray is an acrylic varnish-fixative for charcoal, pastel, drawings, blueprints, and photographs. It protects from dirt, dust, and smudging. It will not stain paper and is transparent, colorless and rapid drying. It delivers an even coat with a fine mist. Available in matte or gloss.
• Marshall's Gloss Coat Spray protects surfaces, improves contrast on photographs, protects finished watercolors, pastels, charcoal, pencil, and colored ink renderings. It adds luster to ceramics, preserves models and is moisture proof. I also prevents dog-earing and color fading.
• Krylon Matte Finish Number 1311 - Permanent non-gloss finish that eliminates sheen and light reflection from any surface. Non-removable. For use in television and photo studios. This works well but can cause colors to appear lighter. Spray evenly from at least about a foot from the picture in several light coats. 
• KRYLON 1303 CRYSTAL CLEAR  is a permanent protective coating for drawings, artwork, prints and displays prevents smudging. It stays clear and won't yellow. 
• KRYLON 1306 WORKABLE FIXATIF is a clear spray that protects drawings from smudging, yet allows subsequent reworking in pencil, pen, tempra colors and so on. 
• BLAIR NO-ODOR SPRAY-FIX is a virtually odorless workable matte fixative. Clear, smudge-proof protection for pencil, pastel, charcoal and chalk. It prevents bleeding between layers of tempra, casein, and watercolors. It dries with a workable tooth as a clear, permanent, waterproof protection for pencil, charcoal, pastel, chalk, tempera, watercolor, casein, opaque ink and ceramic stain. 

Transportation - A border has been provided for clean handling. The picture should be carried and transported flat in a dry, enclosed vehicle out of any strong wind. Rolling the paper or touching the picture can smear or smudge the picture, even if fixative is used! It is best not to touch or roll the painting. Even a canvas oil painting may be damaged by rolling it up. Take care that nothing falls on or punctures the paper.

Smears and Smudges - Use a clean, dry paper towel with a light touch in only one color at a time. Use a clean area on the paper towel for each stroke to avoid contamination from the last color.

Torn paper - Apply wide masking tape to the reverse side of the paper. Place the picture on a hard flat surface and press the torn area back in place to form a smooth seam. Hold a piece of wax paper stationary to smooth the tear.

Water damage - The paper canvas is water soluble. Keep it dry. Repair warping with direct pressure under glass. 

Framing - Simple inexpensive frames may be made from 1" X 4" pine. The inside diameter should be an inch smaller than the height and width of the painting, usually about 34" X 48". No inset or groove is necessary on the back of the frame unless pressure mounting under glass. 

Joinery - Mitered corners may be joined with biscuit joints, tongue in groove joints, glued dowel pin joints, screwed rear plate joints or counter sunk screws. Corrugated steeples are inadequate for this size of frame.

Mounting without glass - Lean the frame upright against a wall. Do not mount picture with the frame lying down. Hold the paper tightly. It can easily slip in the wind. Stretch the painting over the opening. Align it with the picture. Staple the top two corners snugly with 1/2" staples using a staple gun. Rotate the frame on one side. Stretch evenly and staple the loose corner. Add staples at six inch intervals across the top and sides. 

Mounting under glass - Frame shops, though expensive, are usually the best choice for glass mounting. To mount with a front glass cover, cut glass two inches smaller than outside of frame. Select trim and spacer to hold glass to frame. (figure 1) Miter trim and spacers to match the outside diameter of the frame. Mount the trim to hold the glass on the front of the frame. 

Mounting between glass and foam core - Ordinarily, the work should never come in contact with glass, but it may be pressed together between a foam core backing and glass front, then mounted in a grooved frame. (Figure 2)Use anti-static glass cleaner before direct pressure mounting. Coat foam Core and back side of picture with several even coats of contact cement spray glue. When the glue is almost dry, center it and place it on to the foam core. Smooth out any bulges or wrinkles on the picture with wax paper without letting the wax paper slide. Use clean sheet for each color area. Center and place the glass directly on top of the picture. Do not slide it from side to side. Place a few books around the edges to hold it in place. Allow to dry over night. Trim off all the edges with your heavy duty razor blade knife without letting glass slide. Hold it securely as you cut. Place clear tape on one edge of the top of the glass so that only a quarter of an inch is on the glass front, with rest hanging off the side. Fold the tape around to the back of the foam core. Smooth and secure it to the foam core without sliding or lift the glass off the foam core. Place the glass attached to the picture and foam core face down into the frame groove. Secure with trim. 

What kind of canvas or drawing surface is used for chalk drawing?

Most standard chalk drawings are rendered on bogus paper. Bogus paper consists of cellular materials of hard and soft woods. Wood based papers are prone to degradation due to the presence of lignin. Lignin that is not removed during the process of paper manufacture degrades to form acidic compounds. The presence of acids causes the paper to degrade rapidly becoming yellow, brittle leading eventually to total disintegration. 

Chalk art on paper can be preserved for years if care is taken to minimize conditions that can cause damage and basic guidelines for care and handling are followed. Most art on paper consists of three basic components: the paper support, a sizing material or ground, and the media that is used to create the work of art. 

Sizing refers to the application of adhesives such as gelatin, plant gums and starches to the surface of a sheet of paper. Un-sized paper is highly porous and absorptive. Size is added to make the paper surface less absorptive in order to prevent the bleeding and blurring of media. Sizing is also added to give strength to the paper. Since most bogus paper has little or no sizing it is susceptible to water damage and easily torn. 

 

Adverse Conditions	Causes	Results	Solutions
Acid Damage	Leather, plastic, or cardboard	Paper become yellow, brittle and disintegrates	Neutralize PH
Pressure, abrasion, ripping	Careless handling	tear, wear, crease, stain or distort	Handle cautiously
Temperature fluctuations	Direct sunlight or UV lamps, Heat, Fireplaces, Furnace vents	Paper become yellow and brittle	Regulate Temperature, Lower light level
Infestations	Insects and insecticides	Paper eaten away or stained by insecticides.	Examine plants before placing them in same area, seal cracks, keep cool and dry
Contact abrasion	Dusting, Slip sheeting	Distortion and smudging of picture
Static charge	Prom Plexiglas or plastic covering	Pigment is pulled from the picture to the charged substance	Avoid statically charged objects
Contamination	Rust from metal from clips or other objects in contact with the picture, Oils in hands, Dirt, Smoke, Food,	Staining	Keep hands and work area clean. Keep contaminants away from art
Moisture	Humidity or wet hands on unsized paper, Damp basements, , Mold, mildew	Warping, smudging, tearing	Keep Dry

Careless handling can lead to tears, wear, loss of the image, creases and staining. Prevent damage that can be caused by moisture, salts and oils from human hands. Oils and salt can cause damage in the form of staining and can also transfer dirt to the paper surface. Moisture can cause warping, weakening and tearing. Care should be taken to ensure that hands are washed and dried frequently when handling chalk art. Work spaces and table tops should be neat and free of dirt. 

When moving a very old, brittle or humid chalk drawing support it from below. The safest method for moving artwork is to slide a piece of stiff paper, foam core or mat board underneath the art so that the mat board, not the art is handled. Do not lift a chalk drawing by its edges if there are any tears present.
Stacked or rolled paper objects should never be dragged or slid across each other. This can cause abrasion or smudging of their surfaces. It is best to transport them flat one at a time. If covering or rolling is required for transport use a slip sheet of wax paper or static-free slick plastic.

Do not eat smoke or drink in the vicinity of works of art. Accidents can lead to irreparable staining or burns. Stains can also be caused by ink pens and markers. Use only pencils when working on or around works of art. Never write on artwork with a marker or pen. It can bleed through to the other side.
Paper clips, binder clips and post-it notes should not be used on works of art. Metallic clips can corrode and leave rust stains on the paper surface. Post-it notes can damage the image or paper surface.

The fading of dyes and pigments, and the overall degradation of paper can be caused by sulfuric acid, nitric acid, ozone and formaldehyde. These chemicals can originate either from wood, leather and some rubber and plastic materials. 
Insects can damage paper. Silverfish and firebrats feed on mold and starchy materials. Inspect stored artwork regularly. Screen windows and doors to keep out larger pests. Fresh flowers and plants should be inspected before being brought into the home. Low humidity levels are unfavorable for insects. Insecticides should not be used on or in the vicinity of works of art on paper. Insecticides can cause the fading and discoloration of works of art. 

Fluctuations in temperature and humidity levels can have a detrimental effect. Low humidity levels can cause paper to dry out and become brittle. High humidity levels can cause swelling of paper materials. This swelling and expansion of paper leads to planar distortions. High humidity levels above 60% can lead to mold growth. Avoid storage in damp basements. This is particularly a problem with paper constrained by wooden stretchers or backings. Since wood and paper absorb moisture and expand at different rates uneven expansion of constrained paper can lead to tears.

Cool storage is desirable, however in the home it is not practical. Avoidance of extremes in temperature and humidity can achieved by insuring that paper objects are kept away from heat sources such as furnace vents, fire places, warm lights and direct sunlight. Exposure to light can cause the paper to fade discolor or become brittle due to heating. The most damaging portion of natural and artificial light is Ultra Violet. Ultra violet is the invisible high energy portion of light. It is the same energy that has been proven to damage eyes and skin. Ultra Violet filtering for windows and frames is commercially available and can significantly reduce the damaging effects of Ultra Violet.

Visible light can also damage works of art. The recommended light levels for display of paper materials in museums is very low. 50 LUX is the level of light that is recommended for short periods of time (6 months). 

Special care must be taken when storing chalk drawings. The powdery surface of these works of art prohibits the use of folders. In addition, plastics such as Mylar have a tendency to develop a static charge which attracts the charcoal and pastel. The buildup of static can result in the transfer of the chalk to the Mylar.
A Window mat or individual box for each drawing is best. The drawings should be placed face up in an individual box. Storage boxes, folders and tissue paper should be acid-free, lignin free and have a neutral pH. Acid that is generated by poor quality wood based cardboard boxes can cause the degradation of artworks stored within them.

Severely degraded paper should be stored with buffered boxes that contain an alkaline reserve. Alkaline reserve buffers are chemicals that act as scavengers that absorb acids that are generated by the degraded paper. The storage of paper with materials such as leather, plastic or metal should be avoided.
Avoid placing chalk drawings in the vicinity of fireplaces or air ducts, since dirt and soot can be deposited onto the artwork. Display on walls that are on the outside of building should also be avoided since it can lead to damage originating from sunlight or moisture condensation in winter time.

When framing chalk drawings on paper high quality acid-free lignin free mat board is recommended. Paper objects should always be framed using a window mat. Window mats provide space between the surface of the artwork and the glass of the frame. This method of framing prevents the work of art from becoming stuck to the glass The artwork should be attached to the mat board using only acid free paper hinges and high quality adhesives. Staining can be caused by contact with acidic or other poor quality materials such as scotch tape or rubber cement. The recommended adhesives for hinging paper are wheat starch paste, methyl cellulose, and ready made paper framing/hinging tape is available from University Products Inc., 517 Main Street, PO Box 101, Holyoke, MA 01041-01011, (800) 628-4847

The use of Ultra Violet Filtering glass can help, but Plexiglas in frames should not be used with chalk drawing. Plexiglas builds up static electricity which can pull the chalk off of the surface of the paper.

In general, chalk drawings should never be dusted. The fragile surface of these drawings could be permanently damaged. These works of art should only be cleaned by a professional conservator.

Paper materials that have been stored in damp environments are highly susceptible to damage by mold growth. In situations where mold growth has occurred the mold must be removed before it can cause permanent staining or contamination of other objects. The safest method of mold removal is to brush the mold off the surface of the artwork. Since mold spores can spread through the air and contaminate other objects, this must be carried out in an area where other paper and objects will not become contaminated. Frequent cleaning of brushes is essential. After mold removal the artwork should be placed in a stable environment with moderately low humidity levels. The condition of the object should be monitored periodically.

Could you send me product information and a catalogue?  

Information and prices on all chalk art products and suppliers and a quick order forms can be viewed at:

http://www.chalkartnews.com/supplies.htm
http://www.chalkartnews.com/order.htm
http://www.danondra.com/Secure_Server/orders.html

We providing a free online resource for chalk artists to help them find chalk art supplies and equipment. If you intend to become a supplier, we would like to promote and list your offerings for all those in your area to enjoy.

The only products and services that we provide, are those not provided elsewhere. We try to fill the gaps for chalk artists. All orders are prepaid in US dollars. Credit card are not accepted. Our catalogue is online. Our online order form is printable for those who need hard copies.

Do you have minimum quantity orders or minimum dollar purchases?

There are no requirements for minimum order quantities or minimum dollar amounts for purchases. Order any quantity needed. Products arrive in 4-6 weeks depending on shipping limitation in your region. We do not accept rush orders.

What shipping arrangements do you have? 

Most orders ship through the US Post Office. Shipping and handling fees are 10% for US orders and 20% for international orders. The flight easel is the exception. It is shipped basis based on freight cost, plus insurance, plus packaging requirements.

If we are interested in your products, would you be able to send samples?

All our samples are online. Click on the pictures on the order forms to
see detailed descriptions and actual samples of the products content.
I do not offer quantity discounts or free samples, since the funds sent
are actually used to manufacture the product. This eliminates storage,
initial stock investment, shelf life and cash flow issues.

What sort of quality control do you have? Do you have stock on hand? Or do you make to order?

Like the art work itself, each of our products is hand made with the finest expertise and craftsmanship possible for the price. Because chalk art supply has such a limited market, all our products are uniquely crafted and made to order exclusively for chalk artists. Compared to other art forms, the needs of chalk artist's are very specific. Mass production work can sacrifice quality for the quantity. It often can not meet the wide range of exclusive needs of the full time and part time chalk artist. 

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What is the chemical composition of lecturer's chalk?

The main medium used for chalk drawings is Prang Artist/Lecturer's Chalk,  manufactured by Dixon Ticonderoga in Sandusky, Ohio using FDA approved  pigment with a calcium carbonate base and clear liquid soap binder. There are 25 colors in 1x1x3 inch square sticks. Lecturer's chalk is softer and less dense than pastel due to it's media base calcium carbonate as opposed to the harder gum base of pastel. This soft chalk is specially designed for large format live drawing since it rapidly covers a large. 

Prang Fluorescent Artist/Lecturer's Chalk, also made by the same company in seven brilliant day glow colors. They have bright colors in white light and they glow brighter under fluorescent light.

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How is a picture hidden with chalk?

Blacklight has been a very effective tool for chalk artists since the discovery of the effect of ultra-violet light to phosphoresce certain chemicals creating colors otherwise invisible. Special invisible blacklight chalk (actually it is white under normal light) is usually applied over an area of the picture that is already saturated with white chalk. Then by very lightly and carefully drawing light areas only and skipping the darker areas (reverse drawing), brilliant pictures can be pre-drawn and concealed until a black light causes them appear seemingly  from nowhere. 

Steps to hide a blacklight picture:

1. Scrub in a heavy base coat of clean white chalk. Use cross hatching. Rub it in good and scrub in a second coat of white. Be sure not to create any distracting patterns or smudges. Do not blend after the second coat with your fingers. Some artists sand the paper with a sanding block to assist concealment of the hidden picture.

2. Everything that touches the white area must be very clean. This means your fingers, chalk, and brush if you make corrections.

3. Draw very lightly at first. Add chalk slowly only in the area it is needed. Skip over the areas that are shadows. Do not blend the chalk with your fingers, since this will show under normal light.

4. For mistakes use a small, stiff brush to remove the chalk and re-layer it with white before you continue.

Seventeen colors of invisible blacklight chalk are currently available from Teuling Enterprises in Muskegon, Michigan. There is an amazing range of artistic possibilities. 

The chalk talk artist's use of invisible fluorescent chalk to hide a picture within a visible picture has created a unique communicative tool that produces unforgettable results. 

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Is it possible to produce a full range of colors by mixing the basic colors in invisible black light chalk? 

Unfortunately, it does not work out that way in actual drawing. That is why pastel artists have such a vast array of colors in their palettes. 

Some pigments are more concentrated than others, and some colors can only be achieved by mixing as many as three or more pigments. The problem becomes a question of whether the artist wants to take extra time to achieve a certain effect, or save time by having a color already on hand. In the long run, it is cheaper to have the color on hand, than to mix several colors as you are drawing.

For instance, to make a purple, you can take a red and a blue. But if you want to get a pastel shade of purple, you may have to introduce a bit of green, but that in turn means you may have to start with a paler shade of red, which means you have to dilute the red with a non-fluorescent white pigment.

The reason 17 colors are made in our line of fluorescent chalk, is that most artists  have found these colors to be the most useful. They are not made to sell more chalk. Basically, if it takes gram of chalk to make a certain object, and if half of that color is red and half is blue; if you do it with two colors it might take 2 minutes to produce it. If you do it with a color that is the combination of the red and the blue, you can produce it in one minute. Ultimately the cost is the same in terms of pigments; but twice as costly in TIME if you use two pigments. Ultimately, the time saved is well worth having this extra color. 

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