Wednesday, April 15, 2009

How to make and use spray chalk


Working with sustainable communication methods is hard. There is no rule book or standard print size, and most of the time there is no printing at all. While it can be difficult, there is nothing more satisfying than finding an effective and sustainable medium.

My new love is homemade spray chalk. A simple cornstarch and water mix combined with a stencil can do wonders. Through trial and error I have come to three conclusions about spray chalk.

1. Don't save it after you use it. Keeping cornstarch and water in a tight place for more than a few hours makes it smell like sweaty boy feet.

2. Transparencies make for the best stencils.
Chalk isn't like spray paint; it gets cardboard wet and soggy. Thin plastic transparencies work best.

3. Spray bottles clog.
Spray bottles make for a better look, but will clog after one or two runs with a stencil. Instead use sponges. For the best results, make sure the sponges are almost dry, then lighting dab on top of the stencil.

3 comments:

Ben said...

nice process, looks good.

what kind of life does it have? gone with the first rain? around for a few weeks?

megan pants said...

Depending on how much cornstarch you add and what surface it can last a long time. Some of the vertical surfaces we've tagged are still up despite several months of rain showers. Alas, the high traffic areas don't see the light of day for more than a few days.

Rachat de credit said...

That was a good guide, thanks a ton, now to make and use spray chalk is easy with your recommendations. Thanks