The Art of Chalk is finally here! Well, almost. After a year of hard work, I was pleasantly surprised on my birthday to receive one of the very first copies of the book delivered to my door step! Thank you Quarry Books for the nice surprise.
The very creative team over at Traffic Design Consultants out of the UK did a fantastic job on the cover – I think it looks great! The book is scheduled for official release on May 15 but thought I’d give a sneak peak into what’s inside.
This layout shows the wide range of artistic styles highlighted in the book – from decorative chalkboard creations to pastel portraiture. Renowned artists like Cuong Nguyen, Ryan Bradley, Chris Yoon and Catherine Owens bring the text to life with their gorgeous creations!
Technique is key to believable illusions in chalk so this chapter focuses on how to create various effects with chalk application.
Images from 50 artists worldwide are included in the book, working in a variety of platforms. Here you can see street painters working on pavement, plazas, sidewalks and streets. This spread features street painters Rod Tryon and Valentina Sforzini. I love these images of process!
Tips, methods and suggestions from the participating artists like street painters Gary Palmer and Mark Wagner show so many ways to get from Point A to Point B – the idea being to offer many options for the reader in supporting their own creative route to a chalk pastel masterpiece!
50 Artists Share Their Methods
Loads and loads of great usable information about process, technique and philosophy of 50 international artists who work across the spectrum in chalk pastel art forms.
- Have you ever wondered how pastel artists get such painterly quality to their landscapes? That’s explained and illustrated through a step by step process from pastel artists like Gerald Boyd and Gary Huber.
- Or what about drawing beautiful portraits or landscapes, that look as if they can jump off the page? Breaking it down into methodical steps we can see how artists Kim Lordier and Susan Lyon breathe life into their subjects.
- How do chalkboard artists work with those elaborate fonts they use? Chalkboard artists Maggie Choate and Dania Mallette show us how’s it done.
- And don’t forget those amazing 3D street paintings, that just boggle the mind in altering our perception of space – illustrated in step by step, easy to understand layouts, I’ve broken down the mechanics of 3D with the help of artists like Cheryl and Wayne Renshaw.
If you’ve ever been inspired by the works of pastel artists like Edgar Degas, Jean-Etienne Liotard, myself or one of these artists listed above, this book will definitely be an essential handbook to get you drawing. Novice, amateur or professional will appreciate the colorful images and useful recommendations throughout.
Jean-Etienne Liotard – Portrait of Maria Frederike van Reede-Athlone at Seven Years of Age. See more at: http://blogs.getty.edu/iris/pastels-portraits-and-paramours/#sthash.iJuQea5P.dpuf
Edgar Degas – Dancers in a Studio
Some of the items covered include:
- Pastel recipe
- 3D designing
- Chalk application
- Designing tips
- Materials
- Working set-ups
Where to get it!
Plenty to get you started on your next masterpiece! The book is on sale now, with the official release date of May 15. If you’d like to order your own copy you can find out more here:
BUY NOW
Happy chalking!
