Overview

Stumbling upon a detailed work of art in the middle of a street or sidewalk would make anyone stop, admire its beauty, and wonder why someone would create something so magnificent in such a non-permanent manner. Part folk art, part performance art, this fascinating genre known as Street Painting, where chalk is substituted for paint and asphalt or concrete for canvas, is being revitalized thanks to festivals like the International Street Painting Festival in Northern Italy and the Absolut Chalk Festival in California. Sidewalk Canvas is packed with vibrant examples from author and professional artist Julie Kirk-Purcell and other leading international street painters, and includes 3-D illusions, original twists on the old masters, and works by artists famous in other media. In addition to a gallery of the best street painting from around the world, there are insights into how the art form is executed, where to find it, and how to create it. This book isn't just for practicing artists. It is for art educators, commercial organizations looking to commission work for promotional purposes, and the thousands of people attending festivals worldwide who enjoy the beauty that can be found at the tip of their toes.

Full Product Details

9781565235649

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Reviews

Several years ago, my art teacherannounced an assignment for the few underclassmen that remained in my drawingclass after the seniors graduated: we were to do sidewalk paintings. She then turned on the overheadprojector and showed us absolutely amazing artistic feats in this medium wherethe viewer looked like they were going to fall right into the drawings, wherethe perspective was so masterfully done that it looked like things were risingup from the street despite the fact that they were done in chalk pastels. Long story short, we didn't succeedbecause after two class periods of sitting in the hot sun came the biggestrainstorm in five months and washed away all that work. After reading Sidewalk Canvas, onlynow do I realize just how little any of us knew about the art of sidewalkpainting. Sidewalk Canvas starts out asmany other art books do, with brief history of the craft and a gallery ofrelated examples. Julie Kirk hasdone her research and really relates the origins of sidewalk paintings in a waythat is both informative and entertaining. However, where this books really gets good is when she movesfrom simple show and tell to explaining how the depth of perspective isachieved. In some, it's a matterof single or multiple point perspective, or perhaps a cast shadow in the rightspot. Others, like the anamorphicperspective that is utilized by well known street painters with such enormouseffects, are much more complicated. Kirk not only explains the basic theory behind creating anamorphicdrawings, but then goes on to take the readers step-by-step on gridding outtheir own anamorphic sidewalk paintings. This book concludes with a basicchapter on color theory and drawing as well as a not-so-basic tips andtechniques section that anyone that wishes to become a sidewalk artist wouldbenefit from reading prior to starting any project. As a sidewalk painter herself, Kirk is able to give solidadvice that even those that have had some experience in the field might findhandy. W

Author Information

Julie Kirk is a Professor of Art at Irvine Valley College, Irvine, CA. In addition to teaching, Julie is an internationally recognized street painter and professional artist. She is also an artist on the education roster at both the L.A. Music Center and the Orange County Performing Arts Center. She holds a B.F.A., Art Center College of Design, 1997, and M.F.A. California State University Fullerton, 2004.

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