Name of the medium: Chalk pastel
Characteristics of this type of drawing medium: This medium is powdery and blends very quickly. The colors are quite vibrant, even when blended. It needs to be fixed to the page via hairspray or professional fixer or else it will spread.
What age levels is it most appropriate for and why? Chalk Pastels are appropriate for introduction starting in 1st grade, as this new material provides a chance for that age level to learn proper procedure using a new material that’s similar to chalk or crayons. This development is important according to the National Art Standard.
Project Ideas:
One project idea would be Chalk Circle Smears (link here) where students use circle cut outs and use the long edge of chalk pastels to create smears. Students will have the opportunity to overlay various colors and understand the idea of pressure while applying chalk pastels.
Another idea is Abstract Shapes using chalk pastels (link here). Students can overlay shapes and colors and learn about fixing the chalk and using chalk pastels while maintaining their desired colors.
Professional Artworks:
Artwork Example:
