3D Chalk Art and Street Paintings by Chris Carlson

3D chalk art is a great way to create excitement and drive audience interaction for any event. Chris Carlson is a professional chalk artist and street painter based in Denver, Colorado. Chris travels all around the country creating incredible sidewalk art. His artwork is designed so that when you take a photo from one specific viewing point the 3D painting appears to jump off the wall or floor. This means that you can pose “inside” the street painting and appear to be a part of the scene. People will pose for photos with this amazing artwork and share those photos on social media, expanding your brand’s reach. Whether you are looking for a professional chalk artist in Denver or anywhere in the world, Chris can deliver the excitement and audience engagement to take your project to the next level.

3D chalk artist Chris Carlson poses with his drawing of "Jaws" in Denver, Colorado. A giant shark is breaking out of the sidewalk.
A 3D street painting of a giant hole in the ground on the Mizzou campus in Columbia, Missouri.
A drawing of a cat swatting at an orange and yellow lava lamp. Created by 3D chalk artist Chris Carlson at the Denver Chalk Art Festival
3D Artwork on the floor of a building that makes it look like the floor has fallen away and you can see the city below.
Alien 3D chalk art is Panama City, Florida for the FLLUXE Festival
"Tiger vs Hoverboard" Columbia, Missouri

What is 3D Chalk Art?

Anamorphic 3D chalk art is a form of optical illusion that is created by drawing a 2D image on a flat surface in such a way that it appears to be 3D when viewed from a specific viewing point (and usually through a camera). The artist manipulates the perspective of the image to create an illusion of depth and volume. The key to making an image appear 3D is to carefully control the size and placement of objects in the image so that they appear to be in the correct position when viewed from the intended location. When viewed from the opposite side the artwork will appear stretched and distorted.

Artwork viewed from the correct viewing point

Kurt Wenner is credited with inventing 3D pavement art in 1984. Since then, people like Julian Beever, Tracy Lee Stum and David Zinn have helped propel the art form to new heights. With the increasing popularity of chalk art you may be able to find a street art festival in a city near you!

Below are more examples of 3D chalk art by Chris Carlson.

A 3D street painting of a giant roulette wheel for the Atlantis Casino in Reno, Nevada.
An interactive mural depicting a rocky landscape and blue sky for a Jeep dealership in Chicago.
A large painting of a zombie invasion for Foot Locker in New York City.
A painting of zombie bartenders in Los Angeles, CA.

Chris Can Create Street Art With Different Levels Of Permanence

This is accomplished by selecting the proper materials for each individual project. If you need sidewalk art that can be quickly washed away, pastel chalk may be the best choice. If you want street art that can be walked on for photos, tempera paint could be the right option. This type of paint dries with a beautiful color, but can also be washed away easily with a pressure sprayer. Finally, if you need artwork with maximum lifespan, latex and acrylic paints could be the perfect option. The artwork can be painted directly on the street/pavement, or on a movable surface like vinyl or felt paper. No matter what your needs may be, Chris can put together the perfect 3D street art design to engage your audience.

Chris Can Work With You To Create a Custom Design

This process begins with a round of digital sketching to make sure that you are thrilled with your design. Next, Chris refines the design and adds color and rendering. On site Chris can create his 3D artwork directly on the street or sidewalk. He can also create the artwork on a movable material like vinyl, canvas or tar paper. Your audience can watch the whole process as he goes from a simple outline to a full color 3D chalk drawing!