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The Easy Trick to DIY Chalkboard Art and Lettering

You can create beautiful chalkboard art and chalkboard lettering even if you're not artistic (I promise)! Today I'm sharing a super easy trick for creating gorgeous DIY chalkboard art for your home or business.

For the past few years, I've been admiring all of the fun chalkboard signs and lettering in restaurants, shops, and people's homes, and wondering just how they do it. I thought that creating beautiful chalkboard letters or chalkboard art would require classes in calligraphy or hours of painstaking work.

BUT...I recently learned about a super easy trick that will allow even people with chicken scratch handwriting and stick figure drawing skills to create beautiful chalkboard art.

It all clicked during a printmaking class I was taking at a local art studio. The ladies teaching the class demonstrated how they use carbon paper to transfer their drawings onto the blocks that they carve. It allows them to perfect their work on paper and then transfer it to the block.

An idea popped into my head -- I bet I could use the same technique to transfer drawings and letters onto a chalkboard. 

I'd recently purchased some chalkboard bread boards from Decor Steals, and I'd been wondering how to decorate them. I love the versatility of being able to use chalkboards for just about anything, but I was worried my chalkboards would look like a toddler had been let loose with a piece of chalk.

After a quick search on Amazon, I found this white transfer paper.

While I waited for it to arrive, I looked through Pinterest for some fun, free chalkboard printables. I stumbled across my favorite Julia Child quote in a printable from I Should Be Mopping the Floor.

I printed it out, placed the transfer paper underneath, and traced over the letters & details with a regular #2 pencil. Once I was done tracing, I used a chalk marker to go over the letters and then filled them in. It was so easy, I was kicking myself for not figuring out this trick years ago.

Supplies Needed:

I used the same technique to draw a magnolia flower onto my other chalkboard. (Just google floral printable drawings and you'll discover many options). The possibilities really are endless. All you need to do is trace!

I like using a chalk marker to go over the outlines, but to add dimension I went back in with a piece of regular chalk and used my finger to spread the chalk dust around just a bit.

If you want to write your own quote, you can just type it out in a font you love, print it, and use the tracing/transfer technique. I used my computer to type and print out the "Bon Appetit" lettering for this sign, and it took me five minutes. It looks SO much better than it would have if I'd attempted to freehand it.

Isn't it wonderful when something that seems hard turns out to be so easy? Let me know if you try this out! I'd love to see photos of your finished product.

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carol

Saturday 27th of March 2021

Thanks so much for sharing this, can't wait to try it out!

Denise

Friday 28th of February 2020

I’ve never worked with transfer paper. Does the transferred outline erase the same as the chalk markers do? Or is it permanent? 

Alyssa

Friday 28th of February 2020

It does erase.

Andrea

Wednesday 12th of February 2020

Have you tried to use the same technique on wood?

Alyssa

Thursday 13th of February 2020

I have not, but it should work if it's a smooth type of wood.

Wendy

Saturday 10th of August 2019

Curious to know. IF YSINg transfer paper dies it make a permanent transfer on the chalkboard? I love this idea but afraid it’ll be permanent. I want to be able to reuse my chalkboard.

Alyssa

Saturday 10th of August 2019

Your best bet is to “season” the chalkboard with a coat of chalk first and then wipe off. I can remove the chalk from my board with a sponge.

Lilly

Sunday 17th of March 2019

Are these erasable?

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