I do the chalk boards at the hardware store where I work - it is a warehouse style format so chalk boards work well with the utilitarian type theme.
Chalk board done with regular chalk sticks
All the end of aisle boards are done in chalk which look great but some of the boards are really large so even with the thickest available chalk sticks the lettering gets a bit lost.Sometimes we break open liquid chalk pens and just use the ink with a sponge applicator; this works well but is obviously quite an expensive method.
When I was cleaning up at home the other day I found a bag of Plaster of Paris and as I was just about to chuck it I had a massive Eureka moment and THIS is the result !! I know - I really DO have to get out more.
Probably best to cover your surface with newspaper or cardboard - food colouring can stain and the Plaster can and will stick and need chipping off if it dries hard and be sure to use only plastic or other disposables for mixing and ....
Do not throw Plaster of Paris into the drain, it will clog the pipes. If you have any leftover mixture, let it harden, then throw it in the rubbish
So to make your awesome LIQUID CHALK PAINT you will need;
Plaster of Paris .......henceforth called PoP
Food colouring
Water - coldest possible
Small plastic containers
Wooden or plastic stirrers
Table spoon
Teaspoon
Paint brushes
Plastic jar/jug jar or similar ( craft use only )
Paper towel ( just in case ! )
Chalk boards
I am making 5 colours so I have 5 separate little pots - little plastic shot glasses left over from a party.
Fill the jar/jug with about 5cm of very cold water
Put about a teaspoon of PoP .......into each plastic cup,
then add about a teaspoon of food colouring to each little cup.
Next add a teaspoon of cold water to each and stir with wooden/plastic stirrer until smooth and the paint coats the stirrer like thin cream.
cover any mess you may or may not might have made with paper towel.......!
grab your brushes and boards and start painting ....
I just did some pretty average lettering to see how it went - obviously when it goes on first it looks very faint, just like wet chalk sticks do.......and you think it is not going to work so you paint more over it - unnecessary as it turns out as you will see from the following photos.....
... as it dries it becomes familiarly ( is that even a word ? ) opaque and dries to a good, deep colour...
...now attempting to make purple and orange
Meh...not too bad !!
The orange is definitely orange-ier than the red and the purple whilst not actually purple is a different shade of blue - good to know for the future... !!
Meant to say before that obviously if you want plain white liquid chalk they you don't add any colour
Time to clear up the damn mess..
Make sure to keep your brushes in water so they don't go solid on you !!
When you want to change your board just wash off the chalk with damp old rags until it is clean then chuck the rags away
The 'paint' stays liquid for about 10 - 15 mins so make small amounts only ...or work super fast....lol
I tried to resuscitate mine after it went hard but it wasn't terribly successful...but I didn't try very hard either because .let's be honest ...it is very cheap to make..
You can do though if you dry it out thoroughly in the oven and then grind it back to powder.
