Portfolio YTV Was Here work in progress YTV Was Here the finished ad Yellow Pages multiple campeigns Much Music, RBC and TD Financial Group Assorted Ads Labatt Blue & Covenant House Assorted Ads Just For Laughs assorted designs Just For Laughs assorted designs Just For Laughs assorted designs Monster.ca work in progress   Weather Conditions Ads painted with Tempera are legal because the paint is water soluble. In fact, if there's any rain at all, or if the sidewalk is at all wet, the paint simply runs right off. You can literally watch an ad slide off the sidewalk, run along the gutter and right down the drain!

Sidewalk art is frequently used in conjunction with other mediums to get a message out: posters, billboards, vehicle wraps, media events. It provides an extra, unexpected dimension to promotional campaigns.

When I first started these projects I thought chalk and pastel was the way to go. NOT! Chalk ads don't have a very much longevity. Plus they are messy (see Monster.ca). People get the stuff on their shoes and track it all over the place.

I soon discovered that Tempera paint is the way to go. The colours are vivid. And once the paint has had a chance to dry and bond with the concrete it is very durable. Painted ads last for about a month or longer depending on hte foot traffic.

Commissioning Sidewalk Art

Because every project is different, quotes are provided per project. Factors that effect pricing include:
     • size of the design
     • complexity of the design
     • number of colours used in the design
     • number of spots required
     • travel time to & from and in between multiple locations
     • maintenance schedules*
     • sidewalk cleaning after the campeign is over

* maintaining a sidewalk ad involves more than just a little touch up. It usually means re-doing the whole spot since fresh pigments will not match the faded / trampled art. It's quicker than the starting from scratch, but not by much.

Sidewalk Ad Removal

When the campeign is over the ads wash off easily with a power washer (no detergents required). The trick is finding a source of water. Mobile washing trucks may be required.