Chalkboards are one of my favorite canvases because they’re endlessly reusable. In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to transform yours into a piece of cozy, quote-filled art using simple supplies, a little planning, and faux calligraphy.
Here’s what I love about a chalkboard: it’s easy to reset. You can use it in an interactive design, like a chalkboard; or you can do something a little more static, like mapping out recommendations for houseguests. For 15 years, I’ve had a fairly large chalkboard that has fulfilled both roles at different times.
In its most recent role, my chalkboard showcased recommendations for our guests. Unfortunately, in the years since the chalkboard was created, half of the restaurant recommendations have closed. I became a mother in 2018, and my children’s wandering hands have made a lot of smudges since then. Suffice it to say that a redo has been overdue! Today, I’ll walk you through my updated method for creating chalkboard quote art.
Before you create chalkboard quote art, you will, of course, need a chalkboard. Chalkboard paint (affiliate link) makes this easy: nearly any hard surface can be repurposed into a chalkboard. I recommend looking for old framed prints at thrift shops. They’re inexpensive, durable, and usually have a smooth or semi-smooth texture that makes the best chalkboard base once painted.
When I announced this tutorial on the TPK Premium schedule a few weeks ago, several people asked what size of chalkboard is needed. The truth is any size works! Buy (or make) whatever works in your space, then adjust the creation process to accommodate that size.
The first step is choosing a quote that speaks to you. After some searching, I landed on a favorite from Emma by Jane Austen: “There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.” (If you’re in search of a quote, Goodreads is a great place to find inspiration.) With the words chosen, I turned to Procreate on my iPad to draft the layout. Back in 2017, I showed you how to do this with pencil and paper, but now I prefer the speed and flexibility of digital. Here’s how it works: first, you take a quick photo of your blank chalkboard and import it into Procreate. Then, select the plus sign in the upper right corner to add a new layer.
With your new layer selected, choose the Procreate Pencil brush, switch the color to white, and adjust the size so it mimics real chalk (I used 1%).
From there, just play! Write directly on the photo, erase and resize as needed, and shuffle elements around until the layout feels right. Keep drawing and writing, playing around with different designs. You can look to any source for inspiration! Initially, I felt inspired by a Victorian-era calling card, so I created a design based on that.
However, that design felt a little too sterile. Despite the mountains motif being a good representation of my home city, it just didn’t go with the quote. With that in mind, I went back to the drawing board (literally), and came up with something that felt homier to me. You can watch a timelapse of how it came together below:
You’ve already got the chalkboard; now you just need a couple of other supplies. First, print out your design if possible. Then, divide it into four sections, both lengthwise and widthwise. Next, buy some standard white chalk (affiliate link) and a sharpener with two holes (one big, one small). Then, grab some water and a small handful of cotton swabs.
After you’ve got everything ready, sharpen your chalk to a point using the larger hole of the sharpener. You’re now prepared to write!
Now, use a straight edge or a ruler to divide your real-life chalkboard just like you did your draft. Depending on the size of your chalkboard, this could prove challenging, so don’t worry if it’s not quite perfect.
Once you’ve done that, the grid on your chalkboard should look something like this:
Now, you’re going to use your draft as a guide to transfer the design to your chalkboard. You know from the draft which design elements go in which guideline rectangle, so simply try to echo the positioning of those elements. It’s a good idea to erase unneeded parts of guidelines as you go.
Continue to draw the design on your chalkboard, staying as true to the draft as you can. Every so often, sharpen your chalk. If it breaks, just sharpen a new piece and keep going.
For this chalkboard, I decided to draw the floral border first. This made sense to me so I could be sure to fit the words within the illustrated wreath. If there’s a border around your design, I recommend doing it this way, too.
Once you get to the actual quote part, be sure to write the words in monoline script first. (You’ll do faux calligraphy later!)
Continue to write. It’s a good idea to hold off on drawing descenders for now so you can make them once you’ve written all the words.
Once you’re happy with the layout of the words, use your cotton swabs and water to erase any remaining guidelines.
You’ll want to swap out cotton swabs fairly frequently. Swabs with a lot of chalk residue can make unwanted marks on the board.
Once you’ve created the basic design, including your monoline script, use the faux calligraphy technique to add substance to any downstrokes.
Continue to work your way down the quote, carefully adding downstrokes. A slow, deliberate pace and awareness are key here; it’s important to keep your hands (and sleeves) out of the way so you don’t smudge any letters.
Once you’re finished, take a step back and evaluate the quote from afar. Ask yourself (and, potentially, a family member — or the Premium Discord!) if you’re truly finished. Could you add something to make the design feel more cohesive?
In my case, that answer was yes. I felt that the quote was still a little sparse, so I added in a few extra flourishes.
And that’s it! At this point, I feel happy with my quote and it’s ready to hang. Smudging won’t be an issue this time, since it will have a new home in our staircase hallway, out of reach of curious hands. The design should stay in mint condition until I’m ready to switch it up again!
I hope you enjoyed today’s tutorial! Its use of faux calligraphy ties into Lesson 1 of the Beginner’s Modern Calligraphy Online Course, which we’re currently working through as a group. I love how this technique not only teaches fundamental calligraphy principles, but also has real-world applications like this chalkboard design. I’m so excited to see what you create with it!
Warmly,
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