Chalks, sometimes called pastels, are a coloring tool used for rubber stamping. They are easy to use and almost mess free.

Chalks are typically sold as a small palette consisting of several colors. They can be used to outline a outline a page or a border. But today, with more colors and sparkles and glitters, chalks are used to color inside the stamped image too. Chalks add subtle, not bold color. They can add a vintage or grunge look and work well when used with earthy (grays, browns, greens, and black) color ink.

Why I like chalks:

--Chalks are versatile and do not take much practice to master. This type of color doesn’t require a lot of detail work. Just smear it on. It can be layered and/or blended.
--They are easy to use and risk free. If you make a mistake there is a chalk eraser!
--Chalks look good on borders for highlights. They look good on torn edges too.
--You can blend color chalks easily.
--Chalks can have glitter or sparkle! Pebbles Inc. makes wonderful chalks that sparkle and shine.
--Most chalk packages come with an applicator, but if there isn’t one you can use a cotton ball, swab, or q-tip. An eye shadow applicator will work well too. There are shadow applicators that have flat pointed tips that are good to use for corners and tight spaces. Some people prefer to use their fingers, which is fine, but be sure not to smudge your card with your chalked fingers. Another possibility can include a tweezer or a clothespin with pom poms. Many of these applicators can be reusable within the same color family.
--Chalks can smear, but not too much. If you don’t want to risk smearing you can spray it with a fixative, or you can spray it with hairspray, which will act as a fixative. Krylon Fixative can be found in a hardware or crafts store. Hair spray can be found in the beauty aisle…
--You can wet the chalk and paint with it using a paintbrush.
--Chalks are inexpensive! If you are learning, chalks can come from you child’s supply. After all, chalk is chalk. If you want your project’s color to last a long time, make sure that your chalk is acid free, or archival quality.
--Another fun technique to play with is to stamp an image in into a clear embossing ink and then chalk over the embossing ink. You could heat set the chalk and the color may deepen a little.