Chalk & Paper
You don’t need fancy materials to have fun with chalk. Grab a sheet of paper and use it to create a work of art. Chalk drawings look especially vibrant on dark-colored paper. When you’re finished, have an adult spray your drawing with hair spray to help set the chalk and prevent it from rubbing off. For more ways to have fun with chalk and paper, try one (or more!) of these chalk-and-paper art projects. Don’t be afraid to experiment and invent your own techniques. Use your imagination—the things you can create with chalk and paper are limitless.
1. Wet Chalk vs. Dry Chalk
Experiment with regular dry chalk and chalk that’s been soaked in water. The wet chalk is much darker and more vibrant.
2. Wet Paper Chalk
Rather than wetting the chalk, try wetting the paper first with a paintbrush. Use thick paper for this activity so it won’t tear.
3. Chalk Rubbing
This classic activity takes advantage of different textures. Simply find something with an interesting pattern, place it under a piece of paper, and rub the top of the paper with chalk to transfer it. Thin paper works best for this project.
4. Tape Resist Chalk
Place painter’s tape in a pattern on a piece of paper. Use wet chalk to color between the lines. When finished, carefully remove the tape to reveal your design.
5. Sandpaper Chalk
Try creating a chalk drawing on a piece of sandpaper. Choose a superfine grit, and blow off the excess chalk dust frequently. Remember to protect your work surface from the sandpaper.
6. Blended Chalk
Use a cotton ball or your fingers to blend the chalk and create unique effects.
7. Sugar Chalk
Stir 5 tablespoons of sugar into 1/4 cup water and submerge chalk in the mixture for about 30 minutes. The sugar water will make the colors in the chalk brighter and reduce smudging. You can achieve a similar effect by painting the paper with liquid starch before drawing on it.
8. Glue and Chalk Patterns
Using a pencil, draw a design or picture on paper. Trace the pencil line with school glue that’s been tinted with food coloring or liquid watercolor paint. (You can also use dark paper and white glue.) After allowing the glue to dry, color the picture with either wet or dry chalk.
9. Silhouette Chalk Scene
Chalk makes a great background for silhouettes cut from black paper. Try creating a sunset or ocean scene.
10. Chalk and Paint
Dip brightly colored chalk in white or black paint before drawing with it. The paint will give the chalk more dimension.
Tip
Although they are made with similar ingredients, sidewalk chalk and chalkboard chalk are different. Besides being generally longer and thicker, sidewalk chalk usually contains particles that would scratch the surface of a chalkboard. Either type of chalk is great to use for paper projects.