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I grew up in Raleigh at a time when the nuns taught at Our Lady Of Lourdes. They lived out back of the school and wore those imposing yet Holy Habits that commanded your adoration, attention, and, quite frankly, your fear. So, when they asked you to "sit up straight" with your "feet flat on the floor" and compose your letters properly according to the Palmer Method of Handwriting, you did just that! I believe it was at that impressionable age that I became infatuated with the formation of letters. When I was introduced to calligraphy in 1978, it was no wonder I fell in love with this beautiful art form. My first taste of the calligraphic world lasted no longer than one hour. The instructor turned a piece of chalk on its edge to form calligraphic works of art from A to Z on the chalkboard. That was that! But it was all I needed to fire the embers that had been sparked in elementary school. Watching the slow, rhythmical shaping of those letters was like listening to classical music. It was not until 1997 that I enrolled in my first formal calligraphy class. Boy, were my eyes opened! I knew I had a lifelong road of learning ahead of me. It's been 38 years since that white piece of chalk was laid on its side. I am still learning. Come learn with me!

Monday, April 21, 2014

How to make the sign into a Chalkboard



If you have been following my earlier posts on the making of this Chalkboard, this is the step where the sign is painted over with Chalkboard Paint. First, I taped the edges so that none of the paint would get on the frame. The Chalkboard Paint was put on with a sponge roller so that it would go on smoothly. You could also brush it on, if you like. After this 1st coat dried the specified time, a 2nd coat was administered. And now I had to wait a few days before the next step.


Which is "priming" the board. How do you do this? You lay a piece of white chalk on its side and cover the entire board with it. Then you wipe it off (it does not come off completely...it's not supposed to!) with a dry cloth. Now it looks like a regular Chalkboard! The tape was removed, and now the next step can be taken. 

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