In modern-day street art, spray paint is the most frequently used material due to its light-fastness and weather resistance. Understandably, street artists wanted their artworks to last long and stand the test of time. But this street artist from Ann Harbor, Michigan finds beauty in ephemerality and adds life to urban sidewalks with his whimsical chalk street art.
David Zinn has been a professional artist since 1987, serving all sorts of commercial clients. His commissioned works include business logos, theatrical posters, educational cartoons, and murals. One sunny day, he came across a box of chalk on a sidewalk and that’s when he found his true calling as an artist. Instead of paint or permanent marker, Zinn creates improvised drawings using colored chalks on local sidewalks, walls, and surfaces of structures.
Whimsical Chalk Street Art Brings Sidewalks To Life
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Like most murals and graffiti, Zinn’s eye-catching chalk street art also incorporates real-life elements to make his drawings interact with the surroundings. A crack on the wall becomes a window for little fantastical creatures to peek out from. Whimsical illustrations of animals playing with fallen leaves on a sidewalk.
A pensive wombat enjoying a cup of tea on a tree stump. For Zinn, the entire world is his canvas and the only limit is his imagination. Similar to 3D murals, he sometimes applies anamorphic pareidolia in some of his drawings for a submersible viewing experience. One of his drawings, for example, features a bashful blue creature that comes out of hiding when the viewer looks into the other side of a planter.
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But unlike most murals and graffiti, Zinn’s chalk street art doesn’t last long. His charming drawings will eventually fade away or be washed away in the rain right away. More interestingly, Zinn also gives names to his fanciful characters to give them some kind of identity which makes them even more lovable.
You can purchase his new book titled Chalk Art Handbook to learn his unique art through his online store. His website also offers calendars, prints, and postcards featuring his original artworks. Or you can simply follow him on Instagram to keep updated with his latest projects.
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