Every street painter hopes for good weather – rain is the enemy of the street painter! If it rains you can try to save your image with plastic, etc. but this can create more harm than good so we usually just start all over when the weather clears up. Wind can also be damaging as…
Here is a recipe that many street painters I know use. It does take some practice to get the recipe exactly the way you want it. I use powder pigments from Daniel Smith, Sinopia and Kremer. This recipe can yield a few hundred chalks, especially if you double the emulsion recipe. If you don’t use…
I am a purist with this art form so I only use chalk pastels. I use all kinds of chalk pastels – Koss, Eternity Arts, Sennelier, Unison, Rembrandt, ArtSpectrum – usually color choices dictate manufacturer preference. I am particularly addicted to Eternity Arts right now. They are buttery homemade pastels that glide on like silk!…
I have worked on street paintings of all sizes but the largest ones have been group projects, working with a team of artists. I was involved in 2 spectacular reproductions of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling which were quite large. The first was at the Youth In Arts Italian Street Painting Festival in San Rafael, California…
This depends on the size of the painting. I have done one day paintings – usually on the smaller side of 8′ x 8′. It’s hard to generalize but on the average it takes me anywhere from 2 to 4 days to make a painting, ranging in size from 8′ x 10′ to 12′ x…
In the US, street paintings are relegated to public festivals or private events. Unfortunately the US typically does not promote or allow ‘in situ’ street painting – spontaneously created on any city street or public space. Many cities will fine you for working on their streets since they often refer to it as graffiti! (My…
My subject matter ranges quite a bit as I am easily bored! I copied masterpieces for years and still do from time to time, to try out new techniques or approaches. I get most excited about my original designs since they are how I challenge myself. I also like to entertain by creating worlds that…
I had seen street painting in Europe when I was studying art there as a student but later rediscovered it at the I Madonnari Italian Street Painting Festival in Santa Barbara, California. I just stumbled upon that event in 1997 and immediately knew I had to try it. I participated the following year and became…
Originating in Italy and practiced by European artisans dating from the 16th century, street painting began as a means of communication most often associated with traditional religious celebrations and folk festivals. The artists, know as ‘madonnari’ or ‘Madonna painters’ because they reproduced icons of the Madonna, created works so well executed that they resembled complete…
Street painting is an ephemeral artistic expression, in that a large drawing or “painting” is created, typically using chalk pastels, on a public plaza, street or thoroughfare. It is a performance based art form that allows the viewer the opportunity to watch art being created right before their eyes. Street paintings are not meant to…