Chalkboard quote tutorial

Creating professional looking chalkboard art is actually a lot easier than it seems!

Supplies:

Instructions:

First, copy and paste the image into a document on your computer. You can resize it if you would like it to take up more or less of your chalkboard space. Print the image onto a regular 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper.

Then, fold your sheet in half, then in half again, and in half again in both directions to make my 8×8 grid marks. Take a ruler and go over your lines with a fine pen to make the lines easier to see.

OK, this is the trickiest part of the whole process, but you can do it! Chances are your chalkboard is not the same dimensions {or ratio} as your sheet of paper. In order to make sure the drawing area has the same exact ratio as the paper, one side will stay the same and one size will need to be brought in. In order to figure that out, use this equation.

Height = X
Width = Y

X ÷ 11= A
Y ÷ 8.5 = B

Which one is smaller? A or B?

Whichever answer is smaller is the side of your chalkboard that doesn’t change. Then take whichever answer is smaller (either A or B), and multiply it by the other equation’s paper size (8.5 or 11) to give you the new length for that side. Subtract the new length from the old length and then divide by 2 to give you the amount you will need to take off of each side.

For example, my chalkboard is 29h X 23w, so I plugged it into the equation like this.

This shows that my height is proportionately smaller than my width, so my height will stay the same. I will need to bring my width in a little bit.

X = 29
(new)Y = 8.5 x A, so Y = 22.1

Subtract the new Y from the old Y.

23 – 22.1 = .9

From here, I will want to divide this by 2 and that will tell me how much I need to take in from each side.

.9 ÷ 2 = .45

So, we would bring each side in by almost a 1/2 inch.

Once you mark the outside lines on the chalkboard to make it the same ratio as your sheet of paper, you are ready to fill in your grid lines. First, start by drawing a midline vertically. Then, draw a line halfway between those two spaces, and then repeat in each of the areas once more. Repeat this horizontally, and you will end up with evenly spaced, 8 wide by 8 tall, boxes.

The hard part is over! Now, on to the fun part!

Now, you will use your gridded sheet of paper as a reference to fill in your design box by box. Breaking it down into these smaller areas makes it a lot easier to draw, and it helps to get the proportions on there correctly. Some of the areas are a little trickier than others, and it helps to dot the lines before filling them in. Think of it as sketching with a pencil before drawing over it with ink. This is a magical trick; it works so well! Continue until you have finished filling in the drawing.

When it comes to the more detailed lettering, outline it first to get the spacing right and then add the details later. That is the beauty of chalk; you can tweak it as much as you need to.

When filling in the thicker parts of your letters, draw the outline first. Then scribble a little in the middle and smudge it with your finger until it is nice and even. This creates nice depth and visual interest.

To finish up, erase your gridlines using a damp cloth and Q-tips in the smaller areas. Go over all of your lines one more time with a new, fresh piece of chalk.

Creating chalkboard art is such a fun way to add seasonal charm to your space! With a little prep work and a great design, you can create your very own professional looking drawing.

More ideas with chalk

Fun with chalkboard paint
Pinterest projects with chalkboard paint
DIY chalkboard mugs