October 31, 2019 | Community Spotlight: Creating Rainworks in Downtown Frederick |
Rainworks 'create joy' at The Muse. (c) Frederick Downtown Partnership
Rainy days are no fun… so we decided to create our own sunshine in Downtown Frederick! With a little elbow grease and the right supplies, anyone can create a Rainwork (rain-activated sidewalk art) in just three easy steps.
Find the Location: Look for cement that has an even surface, is light in color and doesn’t have much (or any) gravel visible. Get the Materials: We made all of our stencils by hand using cardboard, string and hot glue. We also used the official Rainworks Invisible Spray to create the best finished product. Install: Wait for a sunny day with low wind and go to work! We definitely recommend using a very fine mist to prevent bleeding around the edges of your stencil.Some tips we learned…Use big, bold graphics and lettering so that the fine details don’t get lost. Consider pressure washing your sidewalk first if it’s seen better days. It took a little more paint than we were expecting, so be prepared to have a second installation day in case you need to get more.
Once your Rainwork is complete, all that’s left to do is wait! The designs are truly invisible when dry, so people will have no idea your secret art is there until a few raindrops start to fall. Rainworks are an easy, cost-effective placemaking project that take a rainy day and turn it into a reason to smile.
For additional information on our Rainworks project, contact Downtown Frederick Partnership at mainstreet@downtownfrederick.org.
Rainworks 'stay dry' at Serendipity and Rainworks 'sunshine' at Kitchenette (c) Frederick Downtown Partnership
Submitted by Downtown Frederick Partnership - view photo gallery here.