Sidewalk chalk comic at 24 hour comics day

| winter

I decided to make a comic using sidewalk chalk for this year’s 24 hour comic day event put on by the Mid-Missouri Comics Collective. I used some pavement outside of the event location to draw 24 panels during the 24 hours.

Read the comic here:

About the process:

The event location of the Artlandish Gallery was quite unusual, and I spent quite a few weeks figuring out where it’d be best to do my chalk drawing during the event. Eventually I settled on a large spot of parking lot pavement. The surface area seemed more uniform and manageable than irregular sidewalk panels nearby and the other cartoonists could keep an eye on me through the garage door windows during the night.

I used several tools to help in the process:

  • Kneepads and gloves – To protect from scrapes.
  • White Markal railroad chalk – For the main drawings.
  • Crayola sidewalk chalk – For color accents.
  • Car wash sponge and water pail – For attempting to erase chalk.
  • Chalk line reel & tape measure – To create a grid on the pavement.

I started out the process by tracing a grid in the alloted rectangle I was using. I measured and snapped some chalk lines to get things straight as possible. I was left with roughly 40 inch squares for each panel, with the total size of the comic being roughly 14 feet wide by 21 feet long.

Next, I spent a few hours inside sketching out what to put in the panels. Chalk does not erase well, so planning was essential. I decided to create a story about my character Izzy the mouse falling into the center of the earth.

(This photo by Keith Chan.)

I started drawing my character in the panels and eventually went back and added word balloons later in the night. The 54 degree high of the day turned into a cold 40 degree night. A nearby lamppost lighted things pretty well as I bundled up and got to work. In the morning I added some colored shading and retraced the panel borders.

The finished product as seen from above. The comic was up for a couple of days before a rain washed it away.

About the idea:

I got the idea for sidewalk comics one day when I was, of course, walking on a sidewalk. Sidewalks are already broken up into panels, so it seemed to me like an intuitive place to make comics. I also liked the idea that it can thrust a comic artist out into public view for immediate feedback and visibility. As I did some short tests for this project in a local park, I was really surprised at how passers by doted over my work and it brought a smile to their face. Doing my project in a 24 hour period was a physically draining experience, but I think doing 3-4 panels at a time might be something I’m up for in the future. Anyone else want to give it a try?

Final Comments:

Many thanks to Lisa Bartlett and her Artlandish Gallery for hosting the event, Scott Ziolko for event organizing, Josh Nichols & Keith Chan for technical support, and to all the other artists for ideas & support during the event! Check out the press we got in the Missourian newspaper and the accompanying photos.

Update: The project has been mentioned online by the Daily Crosshatch, Midnight Fiction, Comics Alliance, Rick Bradford, Midmococo, the Comics Reporter, Comic Book Resources, and Fumetti Di Carta.

(Updated 05/27/14)