Once upon a time (back in the 90s), I tried to make chalk. After a long conversation with a chemist at Prang, I took his formula, bought the basic ingredients, built a mold and got started. I really did try to follow his instructions to the letter. After making a couple of batches I had a nice supply of sidewalk chalk - the stuff was much too hard for bogus paper.
The moral of the story? Every time you do a chalk drawing remember to thank God for Matt Bowman at EternityArts.com As far as I know, Matt is the only person on the planet who makes lecturers chalk for chalk artists. And he will tell you that the process is far more complex than you can imagine. The chemistry and formulas are different for each color - not to mention the delicate issue of drying the chalk at the correct temperature and speed! One little thing can ruin a whole batch of chalk.
Hey Matt - thanks, man.
Kerry
Mon Jan 18, 2010 4:15 pm