Make Chalk Paint
There are two types of chalk paint: the first is paint made out of pieces of chalk, and the second is a type of paint used to give furniture a matte, chalky finish. This article discusses how to make paint using pieces of chalk that you can use to paint chalkboards, the sidewalk or any other surface you'd normally write on with chalk.
Contents
Steps
Make Chalk Paint
- Choose some chalk. Chalk is a mineral, a type of limestone that is naturally white due to its calcium content. In its solid form chalk makes a great tool for writing on blackboards or making chalk drawings. Chalk paint may be made from any type of solid chalk. Consider one of the following options:
- Use regular white pieces of white chalk that teachers use in classrooms. This type of chalk is available at drug stores, teacher stores, and dollar stores.
- Try colored sidewalk chalk. Using this type of chalk allows you to make paint in many different colors. Pick up a bucket of sidewalk chalk from the toy store or drugstore.
- You may also want to try fancier art supply chalk used to make chalk drawings. This type of chalk comes in a wide range of saturated colors, and is available at fine art stores.
- Grind the chalk into powder. Chalk is easy to crush and grind into a fine powder that makes a base for chalk paint. To make a cup of paint, you need a stick and a half of chalk. Grind more chalk for more paint, and less if you don't need a whole cup. Use one of these techniques to create your chalk powder:
- Shave the chalk using a cheese grater. Place the grater over a bowl and run the chalk down the side to grate it. Continue until you have a nice pile of chalk dust.
- Use the side of a paintbrush. Set a paintbrush horizontally over a bowl. Run a piece of chalk back and forth over the rough part of the paintbrush handle until it grinds into a fine powder.
- Pound the chalk with a hammer. Place the chalk in a plastic food storage bag that is sealed. Use a hammer to pound the chalk until it is reduced to a fine powder. Pour the powder into a bowl to prepare to mix it into paint.
- Add water to the powder. Adding a small amount of water to the chalk turns it into a milky liquid. Add a teaspoonful of water at a time, stirring often, until the mixture reaches the consistency of cream or wet glue.
- It doesn't take a lot of water to create chalk paint; if you add too much, the paint will be quite thin.
- If you add too much water, you can always grate more chalk to thicken the mixture.
Get Creative With Chalk Paint
- Use a paintbrush to create drawings and patterns. Dip your brush into the chalk paint and use it to paint a chalkboard, the sidewalk, or any other surface where you want to make a temporary painting. It looks almost clear when you first paint it on, but when it dries it shows up in a bright, chalky white. Just like regular chalk, chalk paint can be erased or washed away quite easily.
- Use the paint to write messages on a chalk board. Create to-do lists or inspirational messages.
- If you're a teacher, use the paint to write lessons on the board with a flourish.
- If you're having a yard sale, use chalk-painted arrows to direct potential customers down the sidewalk to your house.
- Make more than one color. If you have a whole bucket of colored chalk, make several different colors of paint. Rinse the paint brush in water between colors to avoid muddling the different paints.
- Try mixing different colors to create original colors. Combine basic yellow and green to make a bright springtime color, or mix blue and purple to make a deep violet hue.
- Make an especially artistic hopscotch court with a range of different colors.
- Make window paintings. Since chalk can be washed away so easily without leaving a residue, it's safe to use on a lot of different surfaces. Use different colored chalk paint to make vivid chalk paintings in your windows.
- Make Do Window Art, then wash them away once the holiday has passed.
- Decorate your store front window by writing menu items in a pretty script, then washing them away when the menu changes.
- Celebrate your team's victory by painting your mascot in the back window of your car.
Tips
- Try using a stick blender to grind and mix different colors.
Warnings
- If it's a very hot day, you may want to quickly wash off the paint before the sun bakes it into the cement. It won't stain or mark the sidewalk, but it will be harder to wash off.
Things You'll Need
- Chalk
- Bowl or bucket
- Water
- Cheese grater, paintbrush handle or plastic bag with hammer
- Paintbrush
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