This instructable will teach you how to how to make a washable chalk paint. The paint can be used by children to create games or paint pictures on a sidewalk or driveway. Teens and adults can use this method for temporary sidewalk advertisements, intricate paintings or thought provoking works of temporary street graffiti as the chalk paint allows for thick, even coverage.

The preparation for this project can take anywhere from 15-45 minutes depending on the specifics of your desired outcome - and can be completed by anyone who is able to safely use a blender. For younger children, some adult supervision may be required. A basic understanding of the color wheel is necessary for color mixing and this activity can be used as a lesson in learning primary, secondary and tertiary color and how to successfully blend colors.

Step 1: Gather Your Materials

Materials:

Sidewalk Chalk
Plastic Bag
Hammer
Blender
Tupperware Containers
Paintbrushes
Stencil (Optional)

Step 2: Decide Color Scheme

Determine the color scheme of your graffiti project and organize chalk into colors.

Step 3: Make Your Paint

1. Place one color of chalk into plastic bag and use hammer to break chalk into smaller pebble sized pieces.

2. Pour chalk pieces into blender and blend until chalk completely broken down into a smooth powder.

3. Slowly add water to chalk powder and continue to blend until the mixture has a consistency similar to latex paint.

4. Pour paint mixture into tupperware containers and seal with airtight lid.

5. Repeat these steps for each color of paint.

TIP: Think of mixing different colors together to create different hues or shades of color.

CAUTION: Do not add additional coloring (food coloring, paints or dyes) to paints as this may cause the paint to permanently stain surface.

Step 4: Paint!

If freestyle painting is your thing, get out there and start tagging.

Use paintbrushes to create original graffiti art on brick, stone, concrete or any other washable surface. Any art can and will be washed away with water, whether from rain or the garden hose.

If you prefer a crisper, more graphic look - continue to the next step.

Step 5: Make a Stencil (optional)

Stencils allow for a sharper, more graphic composition. You can find many different silhouettes and vector images that can be printed out and used as stencils. I used Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator to create different stencils using manipulated photographs and text.

1. Print your black and white stencil.

2. Use a fixative (spray adhesive, rubber cement, glue stick, etc.) to adhere paper to a heavier card stock or poster board.

3. Using a knife, carefully cut out your stencil.

TIP: Not all images can easily be used to make a stencil. When picking your image, remember all negative space must be connected to create an effective stencil. There are a number of online tutorials that show how to turn a complex image into a stencil using different software programs.

CAUTION: Always be careful when using sharp tools. Take care to protect yourself and your cutting surface.

Step 6: Using Your Stencil

1. Place stencil onto surface you wish to paint. Take care to ensure that the stencil is placed evenly on a flat surface to prevent paint from seeping underneath and causing uneven lines.

2. Use your paint brush to fill in the exposed area of your stencil. Be sure to cover the area evenly in paint but try to avoid over-saturating the sides of the stencil. If the stencil becomes too wet, it will not be able to be used again and the crispness of your stencil could be compromised.

3. Remove stencil to reveal chalk graffiti. It is advisable to wait until the paint has dried to remove your stencil to prevent accidental smearing of your artwork.

TIP: If you want to use stencil on a wall, use an artist's tape that will remove easily without damaging the stencil or surface.