Sketch Sidewalk Chalk Mosaics

Do you have budding artists in your family? With sidewalk chalk and masking tape, any paved surface becomes an oversized canvas for an outdoor masterpiece adventure! Encourage creativity and quiet play when you work together to create colorful, mosaic art on the walk leading to your front door, in your driveway, or even on your balcony. Best of all, it's easy enough that everyone—from preschoolers to grandparents—can have fun together.

What You'll Need

• A flat, smooth outdoor space paved with sealed cement or concrete, smooth blacktop, or patio stones—like a driveway, walkway, sidewalk, patio, or balcony
• 1 or more rolls of masking tape or painter's tape in (between ½-inch and 1-inch width works best)
• Sidewalk chalk in lots of bold, beautiful colors
• A spray bottle filled with water and an old rag (optional, to "erase" mistakes)
• A broom to pre-sweep surfaces (optional)

Get Ready… Get Set…

1. Determine the area where you'd like to create your mosaic. Consider making one, large mosaic to color together, or a smaller mosaic for each artist.

2. Start with a dry, dust-free surface— otherwise the masking tape won't stick! Sweep the area if needed. (Do a small patch test with your chalk if you're concerned about marking or staining.)

3. Using the masking tape, mark a continuous border for the outside of your mosaic. You may want to start with a rectangle, square, triangle, or irregular shape. Any shape will work, as long as you overlap the tape at all the corners.

4. Smooth down the tape and make sure it's thoroughly stuck to the surface by running your fingers over it, using light pressure. Pay careful attention when you check the corners.

5. Use more tape to create random shapes within the border you created. Criss-cross the tape to make triangles, diamonds, and irregular shapes, always ensuring that the tape touches the border or another piece of tape within your design.

6. Go over this tape with your fingers, as well, to seal it to the surface—it will result in a mosaic with crisp, clean lines.

Create!

1. Choose a favorite chalk color and a shape where you'd like to begin. Color in that shape all the way to the tape that borders it, and fill in every part until the color looks bright and solid. (It's okay if some of the chalk gets onto the masking tape. If you make a mistake or want to switch colors, use the spray bottle and rag to "erase" the spot you want to redo.)

2. Switch colors and pick another shape to fill.

3. Keep switching colors and filling shapes until the entire mosaic is colored in and no empty spaces remain.

4. Use your fingers to smooth any chalk areas that look rough, and the places where the chalk meets the tape.

5. Carefully peel away the tape. You can leave your mosaic as is or fill in the previously taped borders with a single chalk color. Finally, admire your finished mosaic!

In dry weather, your mosaic will last about 5 to 10 days—sometimes longer—before it fades. To make a new mosaic in the same spot, wash the surface with a garden hose sprayer attachment and use a scrub brush to remove leftover chalk.