Melted Crayon Art Tutorial
Monday, 12 September 2011
Edited to add: Wow! This is 52 Kitchen Adventure’s most popular post ever. Which is a little funny, because this is actually a food blog. I added this craft tutorial on a whim because I loved making it. I’ll be adding more craft tutorials soon, so be sure to subscribe via RSS or email, or follow me on Facebook and Twitter for updates.
We’re taking a break from our regularly scheduled programming for a crafts tutorial today. If that’s not your thing, please skip this post and tune in again on Thursday for a delicious (and healthy) muffin recipe. I was hesitant to put up something that’s not food related, but I polled my Facebook fans and they strongly supported this post. If nothing else, enjoy some pretty rainbow photos…
You’ve seen it on Pinterest. They’re being sold on Etsy. These gorgeous melted crayon works of art have been all over the Internet. They’re not that hard to make and really fun, although they take a lot of time and can get boring (do it with a crafty friend if you can). I put together an easy step by step photo tutorial to help you make your own:
Supplies: you will need a canvas, a hot glue gun & glue stick, a hair dryer, lots of crayons and newspaper. For a 16″x20″ canvas, I used 2 boxes of 64 crayons, plus some extras from a box of 24.
Of course, some colors get rejected, so you will end up with a box like this. I brought all the extras to my school, where I’m sure they’ll get used.
Step 1: Pick out the colors you want to use and line them up until you run out of space.
Step 2: Using a glue gun, make a line of glue across the crayons (if you want a certain part showing, like the label, be careful to put the glue on the opposite side). Quickly place onto canvas in a line, as shown below, with tips facing down.
This is how the canvas looked after 5 and 10 minutes.
Step 3: Line your floor with newspaper, place the canvas against the wall, and get your blow dryin’ on. I started out on high and warm settings on mine, and alternated with low at certain points. You have to experiment a little to see how your hair dryer works with melting the wax. It sometimes splatters a little, so be sure to cover the floor and surrounding wall, and turn to a lower setting if needed.
This is after 20 and 30 minutes.
I like to concentrate on one area at a time, working my way across the canvas. It takes 5-10 minutes on each area, with 4-5 areas across this 20″ canvas. Aim the heat right at the mid to bottom of the crayons (where the tips are). Once the wax starts melting, move the dryer around as needed to prevent splattering and get wax to go straight down.
This is after 50 and 60 minutes.
It took me about an hour to make it across the canvas, getting all the colors to melt sufficiently. Oddly, some colors melt much faster than others – any chemists out there know why? Yellow is particularly slow.
This is after an 70 and 80 minutes.
Step 4 (optional): After getting all the colors to melt, I went back over certain colors that I wanted to go further down the canvas. As you can see in the photo on the right, I aimed the heat at the middle of the canvas to melt some of the chunks of wax and get them to drip all the way to the bottom of the canvas.
And voila! You have a fun piece of art to hang on your wall. Of course you can try this with different color patterns instead of a rainbow.
Which colors would you use?
No. 1 — September 12th, 2011 at 11:15 am
I’ve pinned two different melted crayon art projects, but the one I really like is purposeful, not just melty. It’s here: http://pinterest.com/pin/140773990/
No. 2 — September 12th, 2011 at 2:44 pm
I’m glad you posted this! Really, really cool idea. If I did it, I might have used difference shades of purple, green, and cream.
No. 3 — September 12th, 2011 at 6:24 pm
Wow, this is an awesome idea! I’ve made melted crayon crayons! As in, melting crayons to make new crayons in different shapes and colors. But this is a neat idea, I might just try this for a gift to someone! I think some cool colors would be some yellows, reds, pinks, and oranges. Or yellows and grays
No. 4 — September 13th, 2011 at 5:38 am
I love this idea! Crayons make me feel like I’m back in 2nd grade!
No. 5 — September 13th, 2011 at 10:18 am
How much of the crayon gets used in this process? would you be able to re-use for more pieces?
No. 6 — September 15th, 2011 at 9:16 pm
I know it’s not your regularly scheduled recipes but this is definitely a “recipe” that I love! That is so incredibly awesome! I’m so glad you decided to share it.
Krista {Budget Gourmet Mom} recently posted Twice Baked Pumpkin Potatoes
No. 7 — September 15th, 2011 at 9:23 pm
@Janelle – I love that one too! Turning melted green crayons into a garden is a great idea.
No. 8 — September 15th, 2011 at 9:23 pm
@Andrea – that would be a lovely color scheme!
No. 9 — September 15th, 2011 at 9:23 pm
@Andrea Rose – I think this would make a great gift.
No. 10 — September 15th, 2011 at 9:23 pm
@Kat – haha totally!
No. 11 — September 15th, 2011 at 9:25 pm
@Kari – it depends on the size of your canvas and how much you get to melt. You might be able to re-use some once.
No. 12 — September 15th, 2011 at 9:25 pm
@Krista – it’s like a non-edible recipe. Glad you enjoyed it!
No. 13 — September 15th, 2011 at 9:44 pm
WOW! That looks like a ton of fun. It looks super cool my son would love it.
Susie recently posted Calamari – Kikkoman Kara-Age Review
No. 14 — September 15th, 2011 at 9:54 pm
@Susie – it’s a lot of fun. I think it’d be fun to do with kids!
No. 15 — September 16th, 2011 at 5:01 am
This is so awesome! I must live under a rock because this is the first I’m seeing of this – but you better believe once I have some free time, I’m getting myself a couple boxes of crayons =)
Peggy recently posted Strawberry-Cucumber Salsa
No. 16 — September 16th, 2011 at 3:03 pm
colourful art looks wonderful
No. 17 — September 17th, 2011 at 12:47 pm
Such a cool project!! The results are beautiful!
Michelle recently posted It’s a Pancake Party!
No. 18 — September 17th, 2011 at 7:41 pm
I’ve never seen this before. I think it’s cool. Too bad I didn’t know earlier, when the temps here were close to 100. I could have just left the canvas outside and let the sun do the melting.
I’d probably do a canvas in blues, greens and whites to match the sky, trees and clouds.
The Mom Chef ~ Taking on Magazines One Recipe at a Time recently posted Pasta Frittata from Food Network Magazine, September 2011
No. 19 — September 18th, 2011 at 9:43 am
Thats soooooo amazing. I want to try that on the top of my door!!!
No. 20 — September 18th, 2011 at 11:18 am
Regarding the “How to Make Rainbow Crayon Art,” I am assuming that the crayon does not melt easily after being hung on walls – In looking at how long it took to melt the crayon? That would be my concern. But I LOVE this. And it’s easy to do.
No. 21 — September 18th, 2011 at 1:17 pm
@Pamela – it took a little over an hour for the 16″x20″ shown in this post. It depends on how hot your hairdryer gets and how much you want them to melt.
No. 22 — September 18th, 2011 at 1:30 pm
Great idea!!! Would this project work on sturdy cardstock or posterboard?
No. 23 — September 18th, 2011 at 1:42 pm
@Emily – that’s a great question. I’m not sure but it’s worth a try. Let me know if you do try – now I’m really curious! If it’s a matter of cost, look for a Michael’s coupon or wait until they put canvases on sale – I got a 2 pack of 16″x20″ for $5 there!
No. 24 — September 18th, 2011 at 6:52 pm
Absolutely love it!
mjskit recently posted Part II – New Mexcio Red Chile and Giveaway
No. 25 — September 18th, 2011 at 7:41 pm
I LOVE this!! Definitely pinning it. So colorful and bright.
No. 26 — September 18th, 2011 at 9:14 pm
Excellent artwork ideas! I want color yellow with green, I think it is very much refreshing. Melting of crayons are such an excellent idea, and thanks for sharing this excellent ideas! Keep sharing!
Owen Hernandez recently posted Bank Repossessed Cars
No. 27 — September 21st, 2011 at 8:45 pm
The yellow crayons have larger pigments than the other crayons, so they melt slower! Naples yellow has one of the largest pigments, imagine how slow it would have been
No. 28 — September 24th, 2011 at 5:21 am
SUPER awesome!!! I am already thinking of colors…my living room area is all browns and blacks…so I don’t know….I love this! Maybe all in BLUES for my son’s room….
No. 29 — September 24th, 2011 at 7:19 am
Just made one last night and posted it this morning.
Darla recently posted Crayons Aren’t Just For Children…(a borrowed idea)
No. 30 — October 4th, 2011 at 4:32 am
I saw this on Pinterest, what a cool idea! This would look great in the playroom!
No. 31 — October 5th, 2011 at 9:31 am
Love this so much I made two already
No. 32 — October 5th, 2011 at 6:44 pm
make sure you use crayola crayons. I used dollar store type and they did not work at all! very disappointed.. thats what i get for trying to go the cheap route i guess!
No. 33 — October 12th, 2011 at 10:55 am
What a great idea Janelle – thank you for taking the time to post picture. My daughter and her friend are working on this now and are LOVING it!! I wanted to come up with an idea for them to use up the browns & blacks left over. -LMW in Burke, VA
No. 34 — October 17th, 2011 at 8:51 am
I used an embossing tool to melt the crayons and it went fairly quick. Plus, the air is not as strong as a blow dryer.
No. 35 — October 17th, 2011 at 4:40 pm
@Tami – that’s a great idea! Thanks for sharing it with us.
No. 36 — October 19th, 2011 at 11:58 am
I absolutely LOOOVE this idea and project and how it turned out! I cannot wait to make one! I also wanted to tell you that I featured you over at my blog here. Please feel free to grab a featured button if you want!
-Mel the Crafty Scientist
No. 37 — October 19th, 2011 at 3:32 pm
I did one of these and hung it in my living room, everyone whose seen it loves it! I also did one with some of the reject colors…I bought a black canvas and did the same thing with white and silver crayons and it looks pretty cool.
No. 38 — October 21st, 2011 at 4:30 pm
this black canvas and the silver and white sounds absolutely amazing!!!
thanks for sharing this idea also:)
No. 39 — October 21st, 2011 at 4:38 pm
Stephanie–i am completely new to this kind of a craft. do you just use a real canvas=like you paint on or what? would their be a “technical name” for it? that way when i went into the store to ask for it -they would know what i was talking about! thanks you so much. love this idea =can’t wait to share with my granddaughters:)
kathyb
No. 40 — October 21st, 2011 at 5:01 pm
@Kathy – yes, a real canvas like one you would paint on. You can ask for a canvas at a crafts store like Michael’s – they have a whole aisle full of them. Have fun!
No. 41 — November 7th, 2011 at 6:49 pm
Some other sites say to peel the paper off the crayons first, did you do this? Any idea if the Glitter or Metallic crayons would melt like this?
No. 42 — November 7th, 2011 at 8:37 pm
@Monica – I left the paper on the crayons. It doesn’t interfere with the melting process and I like the way it looks with the paper on. I don’t know if the glitter or metallic crayons melt as well, but they would look really cool if they do!
No. 43 — November 17th, 2011 at 3:15 pm
great idea, I would prefer it with the paper off.
No. 44 — November 21st, 2011 at 8:45 am
Hi, this is a great idea, but what if I wanted to take the crayons off the top of the canvass, would I just glue them without the paper?
No. 45 — November 21st, 2011 at 8:24 pm
@Joanna – if you want to take the crayons off after, I would attach them with something less permanent (like tape).
No. 46 — November 25th, 2011 at 11:21 pm
YOU CAN USE DOUBLE-SIDED TAPE AS WELL. YOU MIGHT WANT TO ADD GLASS BEADS OR SEQUINS OR SPARKLE. GOOGLE THEA HAUBRICK ENCAUSTICS AND JOIN. THEN POST YOUR VIDEO. I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO ADD IT MYSELF.
No. 47 — November 26th, 2011 at 9:14 am
Hello. I seen this on Pinterest. Love it!!! Try melting crayons in a silicone mold for different crayon shapes. Great for little kids so they can hold onto them better. Also you can make your own colors by doing this. =)
I can totally see this project being done for a baby’s room…esp pink for a girl…different shades. =) Love it! You can also re-wrap the crayons with your own labels…maybe with a child’s name or something printed off of the computer…or do the alphabet? This can be done in so many ways! =)
No. 48 — November 29th, 2011 at 9:41 pm
Great idea! Do you think this would work on a piece of wood rather then a canvas?
No. 49 — November 30th, 2011 at 7:24 am
@Lizzie – I haven’t tried it on wood but I think it would work. Worth a try!
No. 50 — November 30th, 2011 at 10:23 am
THE TECHNICAL TERM IS ENCAUSTIC. THEREFORE, ONCE YOU GOOGLE ENCAUSTIC OR ENCAUSTICS YOU WILL NEVER LOOK BACK. GENERALLY ONE WOULD USE BEESWAX. I DIE MY BEESWAX WITH CRAYONS, OIL PAINTS, WATERCOLOURS, WHATEVER. THIS IS A VERY ADDICTIVE HOBBY. MANY REQUIRE A TORCH GUN, AS IN CREME BRULEE TORCH GUN, AND A HOT AIR GUN, TO GET THE SHOW ON THE ROAD. YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE AN ARTIST. AND THIS STUFF SELLS.
No. 51 — November 30th, 2011 at 12:58 pm
Ok, so I did this with an ‘off’ brand (been sitting in basement, not getting used) and it DID NOT melt like the Crayola brand did. It was a watery-wax substance that melted off, not the actual color. Just a heads up so no one else makes the same mistake I did!
No. 52 — November 30th, 2011 at 3:04 pm
@Tammy – oh no! That’s really good to know, thank you for sharing with us.
No. 53 — December 4th, 2011 at 8:42 am
Juat tried this amazing project and it turned out beautiful!!! I love it:)
One tip that I would give is to use a propane blow torch instead of a hair dryer. It goes much faster and the colors drip straight down instead of splattering:)
No. 54 — December 4th, 2011 at 6:23 pm
@Rebeka – what a great tip! I hadn’t thought of using a torch. Thanks for sharing
No. 55 — December 4th, 2011 at 7:51 pm
YES. A CREME BRULLE TORCH. THEY ARE EXPENSIVE. TONIGHT I PICKED UP A BIC BRIQUET MEGA LIGHTER INEXPENSIVE. SO I WILL SEE HOW THIS WORKS FOR SHELLAC AND BURN ON CANVAS.
No. 56 — December 5th, 2011 at 10:06 am
fab picture….would love to try this out… did you make flowers from crayons also? How?
No. 57 — December 5th, 2011 at 1:39 pm
@Tricia – I’ve never made a flower one, but one that I saw used crayons in the color of stems and melted a few of those, then turned it upside down and glued on fake flowers to the ends of the wax drips.
No. 58 — December 23rd, 2011 at 1:45 pm
I just did this project and it took about an hour. I used the same hair dryer and the only problem I had was that I was a little impatient and wound up splattering some of the wax. I’d be interested in seeing how this look after an hour under a heat lamp.
No. 59 — December 30th, 2011 at 6:31 am
The darker colors melt faster because they have more dye in them. I did a science fair project once with candles like that. Its the same with candles.
No. 60 — December 31st, 2011 at 6:04 am
I’m thinking about doing this project for my daughters room with pinks and browns to match her bed set. I’m wondering if I can tape off her name in the middle of the canvas and peel it off after it has dried.. I plan on using a shorter wide canvas and a heat gun since I’m inpatient!
No. 61 — January 9th, 2012 at 6:57 pm
I tried this and found that the crayon after it dried it started to peel in places. Do you have any suggestions?
No. 62 — January 15th, 2012 at 12:07 pm
that is totally wicked!!!!!!!!!! i have so gotta try that!!!! but eeps.. i dunno if i can let go of my crayons xD ….
No. 63 — January 18th, 2012 at 2:39 pm
This looks awesome i want to try it but im afraid of messing it up. :/
No. 64 — January 22nd, 2012 at 7:38 am
“Since darker colored objects absorb more energy, the albedo of a darker crayon is probably lower than the albedo of a lighter crayon. This means the darker crayon, while absorbing more energy, will heat up faster than the lighter crayon. ”
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Does_the_color_of_crayon_affect_it's_melting_rate
No. 65 — January 22nd, 2012 at 8:18 am
that is so very cool!!!!!
Yael recently posted eons… i know….
No. 66 — January 22nd, 2012 at 10:57 am
very cool! I love the abstract-ness of this project, and BTW very nice step by step tutorial! Another fun way to use crayons is to put them in a mini-muffin tin and set them on an electric griddle. It keep them melted at a constant temp so you can “paint” with them. I save bit of crayons, think I’ll give this a try! Thanks for posting.
No. 67 — January 23rd, 2012 at 10:50 am
Thanks for the tutorial! I can’t wait to do some! I’ve got some friends who are completely into my little pony I’m thinking I’ll be using some of those color patterns for a few gifts
No. 68 — January 23rd, 2012 at 1:19 pm
If people don’t like the “splatter” effect using the blow dryer – I highly recommend doing this project on a sunny/hot summer day! Glue the crayons like so, then place the canvas tilted however you want outside and leave it out in the sun for a while – that way the wax drips in one direction!
Lovely tutorial!
No. 69 — January 24th, 2012 at 10:26 am
I am expecting a girl in 9 weeks 2 days (but who’s counting) this is going to be in her room as art work. I CAN”T Wait to do it! Thanks for the WONDERFUL tutorial!
No. 70 — January 24th, 2012 at 8:28 pm
My bf Matt and I make custom melted crayon artwork. If you’d like to check it out, here’s a link: http://thegrandcrayonyon.tumblr.com – Thank you!
No. 71 — February 8th, 2012 at 3:03 pm
Do you think if I painted a canvas the wax would stick?
No. 72 — February 12th, 2012 at 10:13 am
Using colors like that makes an interesting project. There are many color to choose from and choosing them in a specific order will make a big difference. Just like paint for your home when decorating.
No. 73 — February 15th, 2012 at 5:33 pm
i used the idea for a cool valentines gift for my girlfriend.
thanks!
-she loved it of course
heres a link to how it turned out:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150600168578168&set=a.10150168364968168.319042.525203167&type=1&theater
No. 74 — February 21st, 2012 at 6:04 am
i am so excited to try this but i was wondering how do i ‘fix’ so that is doesn’t reactivate on the wall and onto my daughters floor.
No. 75 — February 21st, 2012 at 1:31 pm
@nicolesherri – I’ve had mine hanging on the wall since I made it and it’s been fine. It has to be really really hot for the crayons to melt so it shouldn’t melt onto your floor.