Two anonymous students have elevated vandalism to an art form at the Columbus College of Art and Design in Ohio. Known only as Dangerdust, the duo has created quite a buzz both online and on campus. Each week, they sneak into an empty classroom at night and use chalk to create amazing artwork that illustrates a motivational quote. The students’ flair for typography and illustration are evident in their drawings, which feature an incredible range of styles designed to emulate the person they’re quoting. Appropriately, a breathtaking illustration of the cosmos accompanies a quote by Neil DeGrasse Tyson, a 3D drawing of Peter Pan flying over London is paired with a quote by J.M. Barrie, and a clever depiction of an old-school Mac screen displays wise words from Steve Jobs.
The two students are both seniors in Advertising & Graphic Design. “When you’re working on long extended projects for graphic design classes it’s easy to […] lose motivation,” they said in an interview with CCAD. “I think we’re tired of the computer, and [chalking] gives us motivation.” The first couple of chalk masterpieces were just experiments for fun, but after the pieces took off and a professor encouraged them to continue their project, they ran with the idea, completing over twenty chalkboard drawings over the course of the past school year.
Each masterpiece is completed in one fell swoop on Sunday or Monday night. They choose an inspirational quote, do a rough sketch, and get to work, sometimes taking up to 11 hours on a piece. At the beginning of each week, fellow students are treated to Dangerdust’s stunning work, which inspires, motivates, or just entertains.
Although the duo has recently graduated from CCAD, they still have more things in store for the future. Be sure to follow them on social media or purchase a beautiful print from their Etsy shop.
