pavement artist

6.8

A person who draws pictures on the pavement with chalk to earn money from people walking by

noun
/ˈpeɪvmənt ˈɑrtɪst/

: artista de la acera

He watched the pavement artist skillfully draw a dragon, marveling at the intricate details and lively colors.

Examples

You want to do public art, then be a pavement artist in chalk.

Blog text (9)
The pavement artist created a colorful mural on the sidewalk, attracting a crowd of curious onlookers.
As a pavement artist, she uses vibrant chalks to depict scenes from nature, hoping to earn some money from passers-by.

Synonyms

painter

vspavement artist

214 1.0

A person who makes pictures using colour on canvas or paper

uses colored chalks on public ground and often relies on donations from passers-by

sketcher

vspavement artist

1 3.5

A person who draws quick pictures, often as an artist or for a hobby

works on public ground using colored chalks often seeking money from passers-by

screever

vspavement artist

Archaic

9.9

A person who draws pictures with chalk on the pavement to earn money

focuses on colored chalk pictures in public often hoping for donations

How Skilled

pavement artist

6.8

screever

Archaic

9.9

doodler

1 3.8

Surface Forms

pavement artist singular

pavement artists plural

Morphology

pavement + artist

The meaning 'a person who creates pictures on public pavements' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'pavement' (the paved surface/sidewalk) and 'artist' (a person who makes art). This noun+noun compound follows a common composition pattern (cf. 'street artist'/'sidewalk artist') and would be immediately comprehensible to a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

The name pavement artist comes from a simple, literal picture: an artist who sits on the street and draws bright pictures with chalk on the pavement. Because they work on the pavement and often wait for people walking by to give money, the phrase means 'a person who creates pictures on public pavements and hopes for money'.