Chalk Pebbles Ushokwe Wamatshe by Rui Huang

Chalk Pebbles Ushokwe Wamatshe by Rui Huang is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Umklomelo Webhulonzi we-A' Design Award in Izimpahla Zobuciko Competition Category.

IbhulonziIzimpahla Zobuciko· 2025

Chalk Pebbles Ushokwe Wamatshe

by Rui Huang

Client: Xiamen University of Technology

Umklomelo Webhulonzi we-A' Design Award Winner in Izimpahla Zobuciko Category

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Colors

The Design

About Chalk Pebbles Ushokwe Wamatshe

I-Chalk Pebbles iyisethi yoshokwe wokudweba wezingane, ebunjwe njengamatshe asesihlabathini somfula. Iphesenti ngalinye linombhalo ongalingani nemibala eyakhiwe kuphawuda yezithelo neyemifino eyakhiwe kuphawuda edliwayo. Amazinga ayisikhombisa obulukhuni avumela izingane ukuba zihlole umehluko wokuthinta futhi zembule izingqimba zombala ezifihliwe. Ushokwe udweba ngokuqondile ezindaweni ezingaguquki futhi ungahlukaniswa ukuze kudlalwe ngokwakha ngokukhululekile. Uma umanziswa, ushokwe futhi usebenza njengendlela yombala wamanzi. Izinto eziphephile ukudliwa kanye nephakethe elibolayo kusekela ukuphepha kwezingane nokunakekela imvelo.

The Recognition

About the Umklomelo Webhulonzi we-A' Design Award

Chalk Pebbles Ushokwe Wamatshe iwinile uMklomelo Webhulonzi we-A' Design Award, ukwaziswa okuhloniphekile kakhulu okunikezwa imiklamo ephawulekayo eyehlukaniswa ukudala, ubuhlakani nobukhali bengqondo. Abawinile beBhulonzi yimisebenzi enobuchule obukhulu nedala ngokumangalisayo eqinisekisa isipiliyoni esibanzi, umcabango nobuhlakani babaklami babo. Chalk Pebbles Ushokwe Wamatshe ilindeleke ukuba ibe yinto exatshwa kakhulu, edunyiswayo nethandwayo, enobungcweti obuphawulekayo nezinto ezintsha. Lo mklamo owinile uMklomelo Webhulonzi we-A' Design Award uhlanganisa izindlela ezinhle kakhulu ebuciko, esayensi, ekuklameni nasebuchwepheshe futhi uhamba phambili ngenxa yokunaka kwawo imininingwane. Chalk Pebbles Ushokwe Wamatshe iyanelisa izidingo ngokumangalisayo, ithinta izifiso, iheha imizwa futhi ikhanga ukufuna ukwazi.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Chalk Pebbles is designed with the concept of nature as a teaching tool, inspired by the natural shapes of riverbed pebbles. Each piece features irregular textures and vibrant color bands made from vegetable-based pigments. With seven hardness levels, children can explore tactile gradients, revealing hidden color layers. The chalk also doubles as a watercolor medium when moistened. Chalk Pebbles reconnects children with nature in a poetic way, offering low-tech, high-sensory interaction in the digital age.
Dimensions & Packaging: Individual: 56mmx42mmx23mm, 40mmx35mmx20mm, 50mmx38mmx18mm, 59mmx30mmx21mm, 58mmx26mmx21mm, 62mmx34mmx26mm, 70mmx50mmx25mm
Packaging: 264x142mm
Tags: Stationery, natural materials, tactile experience, fine motor skills, children's development, eco-friendly design, sensory play, educational tools, hand-eye coordination, creative exploration
Production Technology: The components of this product are edible fruit and vegetable powders. The pebbles are made using a molding process with food-safe materials, combining starch and powdered pigments for adjustable hardness.
Design Challenge: The biggest challenge lies in the ratio of product ingredients, because different color simulations, surface textures, and hardness are required, so multiple tests are needed to optimize the user experience.
Research: Chalk Pebbles reimagines traditional chalk through nature-inspired design, combining edible vegetable pigments and riverbed pebble morphology to create a multi-sensory chalk for children. Through naturalistic observation, material testing, and questionnaire from 28 users，Open-ended interactions deepen children’s connection to ecological cycles. Future work will scale the play-learn-renew model to broader sustainability education contexts.
Inspiration: Bring the pebble elements of nature indoors to arouse curiosity and closeness to nature in educational scenes.
The unique texture and color changes of natural pebbles are retained in shape and material, allowing children to directly feel the beauty of nature through playing.
Environmentally friendly, edible raw materials and degradable packaging are used, which are friendly to the environment and concerned about children's safety.
Project Duration: The project runs from March 2024 to February 2025 in Xiamen, China
Operation Flow: Paint directly onto rough surfaces.
Break apart and paint onto rough surfaces.
Smudge painted areas with a wet brush for a watercolor effect.
Use Chalk Pebbles or break them apart for free-building play.
Patents: Copyrights belong to Rui Huang, 2025.
Team Members: Rui Huang
Image Credits: Image #1: Designer Rui Huang, ChalkPebbles, 2025.
Image #2: Designer Rui Huang, ChalkPebbles, 2025.
Image #3: Designer Rui Huang, ChalkPebbles, 2025.
Image #4: Designer Rui Huang, ChalkPebbles, 2025.
Image #5: Designer Rui Huang, ChalkPebbles, 2025.
Video Credits: Designer Rui Huang, ChalkPebbles, 2025.