Don't Get Burned Street Painting

We all have stories of events where we felt like we were going to melt into the asphalt.  Rod Tryon, a veteran chalker for many years, had a harrowing experience recently in San Rafael, California during a particularly hot spell, where his shirt actually caught on fire!

He has a concave lens on a tripod that he uses to help create his anamorphic sketch for his 3D pieces (it's faster than looking through a camera every time you want to check on your work.)  

As he was standing in the middle of his drawing, he smelled something burning.  He wondered what it was and then felt a very warm sensation on his lower back. The back of his cotton shirt was actually burning. He quickly patted it out and was OK, but shaken, to say the least.  (See the picture below.)

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I guess Rod's new nickname should be "Burning Man".

Don't be afraid to ask for help if you feel dizzy or nauseous while chalking.  These are signs of heat exhaustion.  Here is a link to an article with all the signs that you should be aware of when spending the day out in the hot sun.

Tips to deal with heat:
- Drink lots of water before and during the event.
- Wear hats and loose clothing.
- Stop working during the hottest part of the day.
- Ask for or bring a tent or umbrella.