How should I practice?

I would be interested in hearing from anyone on how they practice/prepare for a chalk presentation. Do you have a certain number of pictures that you practice over and over? How can I best be ready when the opportunity arises to do a chalk drawing? Any ideas on what a chalk artist does from day to day to be ready would be appreciated. Thanks, Jay

Hi Jay,
When we launch a new campaign series, it includes 4-5 new drawings. I will work out the composition/hidden drawing and then take a digital photo of it and print out on photo paper. These print-outs are my "guides" and go in a 3 ring binder.

Then I will practice each one of these drawings 3-5 times along with my music soundtrack just to make sure it will work out timing-wise. It is during these practice times that I tweak the composition and colors, trim or add details, etc. I may take a new photo if a lot of changes have been made from the original.

Just before a program, I will be backstage (we haul and set up stage curtains) going over the photo of the drawing for that night. I'll study it for a couple of minutes just to remind me of colors, proportions, details, etc.

That's pretty much how I do it. I'll post a photo of the "practice booth" I recently put up to contain the dust.

Hope that helps!
Kerry

Thanks Kerry, that is very helpful. Jay

Where can I find the practice booth?

Yeah, sorry about that.

I really did mean to get a photo taken and posted. It is essentially a large sheet of heavy plastic that is fastened to the ceiling in a corner of the garage and hangs to the floor. In a large "hem" I have inserted some conduit pipe so the plastic stays flat to the floor, keeping the dust enclosed in the "booth." Cheap, quick and simple to put together.

Hope that helps.
Kerry