I picked this up because I love nothing more than stumbling on a sidewalk chalk exhibition while out and about; it is a wonderful kind of art. Also because I wanted a quick read and a picture book from the library fit the bill. I am rather delighted that it turned out to be more; the artist writes a great introduction focused on his craft and the brain puzzles involved in the specific kind of work he does (3D pictures that have to be seen from a specific viewpoint to make sense to the eye). I am just going to pull some quotes from the introduction that I found interesting:

Volumes could be written on how to do street entertainment; it isn't easy to get started. Simply standing in one spot juggling is of no interest to anyone, no matter how talented you are. The secret lies in the ability to make a random collection of individuals into a cohesive audience, to create an expectation, to amuse them and keep them wanting more as you work through a structured and reliable routine, finishing in a climax - in my case, juggling fire torches. But perhaps more important still is an internal change - to believe in yourself as a street performer and lose your fear.
...
Until then I had never been outside the UK and I wanted to see more of the world. It seemed a way to travel and finance it in route. And so I came to pavement art.
...
I make no apology for being a populist. If as a pavement artist, you don't draw what the public want to see and you are dependent on them for tips, you will become discouraged and give up. Beautifully drawn portraits of well loved or national heroes and icons are popular. ... Good quality pastels used on a good cement or stone surface can give an effect second to none - better than on paper.

The above was my favorite (probably!), but I loved all the ones his daughter is in. He is definitely right that when he makes a small thing big it works really well. I love the way he connects his drawings to take in a person standing in them. He often performs as a part of them and completes them, and often they do not make sense without someone standing in them, playing the part. He loves to play with effects of light and water, and that is quite impressive at times. A few of the works have photos from other angles so you can see just how huge these drawings have to be to make the perspective work from the chosen angle, which I also thought was wonderful.

On the whole, none of these really took my breath away (and I would say they probably need to be seen live, but if you see them live you have to look through the camera to "see" them; the photo of the drawing really is the finished form of the work of art in his case). But conceptually the whole enterprise is very interesting and I would still love to see one of his works in person. I enjoyed this and will probably read it again. It seems like it would be good to come back to.

And, so as not to spoil the book for you, here are some nice ones that are not in this collection:


( )

I have been captivated for some time by the work of pavement artists who create optical illusions of real depth with their art. This book is basically a collection of this anamorphic art by Julian Beever. There is very little script...just a bit to accompany each illustration and a short biographic piece at the beginning. However, Beever shares with us some of his trials in creating the art....from zealous officials through to shiny tiles that won't take the chalk too readily. Somewhere I think I have seen better works that this but maybe it is in my imagination. Beever explains quite well, I think, the fact that these drawings need to be seen from the one angle and really through the lens of a camera. He also explains that if he uses a wide-angle lens in his design stage then he has to allow for this ...maybe correct for it in his final art. I kind of feel for him in that he is working so hard and so creatively on ephemeral art ...which will be washed away by the next rain or vandalised by the guys in the nightclub nearby. What's left is the photograph and this book. ( )

Pavement chalk artist Julian Beever draws 3-dimensionally using chalk on sidewalks around the world. His works are amazing and this pictorial book displays some of these works and tells some of his story from street performer to chalk artist. ( )

I really enjoyed this book a lot. Beever’s chalk drawings are absolutely amazing and I found the stories of their creation fascinating. Definitely worth checking out if you have any interest in the subject. ( )

Is it really a hole in the sidewalk or is it chalk? Julian Beever's art will blow your mind! ( )