Omaha Mural

Giraffe in a Bathtub

I was super excited to receive a certificate for Honorable Mention at the 2019 Midtown Crossing Chalk Festival for this 36 Sq. Ft. mural of a Giraffe in a Bathtub. 

Here is how I created the artwork...

GRID SYSTEM
To begin this project, I created a Photoshop mock-up created by compositing several images together. I then drew over it with my digital pen adding texture and color. I like to have a completed composition prior to starting my work so I have a good starting point. I know I could always change my drawing on the fly.

Using a tape measure, I carefully measured a 6×6 square foot area. To create a clean and crisp edge, I masked the outside border of my mural with painter’s tape. I then measured and marked each square foot to correspond with the 1-inch square grid system on my printed mock-up.

Chalk Grid System

ARTWORK OUTLINE
I then transferred the outline of my drawing to the sidewalk matching the shape of the contours within each 1-foot square to the 1-inch square of my mockup. I found that this is a much faster way than trying to use a pouncing technique. A pouncing technique is a technique using a perforated sheet where a powder such as chalk, graphite or pastel is forced through the holes to leave an outline on the working surface below, thus transferring the image. The powder is applied by being placed into a small bag of thin fabric such as cheesecloth, then dabbed onto the pricked holes of the pounced drawing.

Chalk Outline

COLOR BLOCKING
Once I have completed the basic outline, I fill in blocks of color and add the values for shadows and highlights. I mix my colors by layering the various hues with light chalk strokes until the optimal color is reached.