This project started as an accident. I wanted to create something that looked like pointillism using crayons. The idea had been to put down tiny pieces of crayon on the canvas and then melt them. I didn't want to use a blow-dryer since that seemed too messy and I didn't have an oven to bake the painting in.

So I improvised and put a piece of parchment paper over my design and ironed it. I didn't get pointillism... what I got was a happy little accident.

Combining an abstract look of watercolor along with an interesting texture was more than I had expected. This project is good for children aged 6 and up with adult supervision. It's also great for teenagers and adults. One of the things that I love about this project is that each painting will be absolutely unique.

Supplies

Crayons

A canvas

It can be stretched or regular

I used a 12x12 stretched canvas for this tutorial

I have used all sizes and styles and they all work equally well

A few sheets of parchment paper

An iron

A cheap sharpener and/or a cheese grater

I used a sharpener for this project

I have included pictures later of a painting where I used the cheese grater

*Please note: I do not recommend using your normal kitchen cheese grater. I used a mini-grater that I bought specifically for crafts. I bought mine in a local kitchen store, but have seen them on Amazon as well: Mini cheese graters

A cup of warm/soapy water (optional)

Step 1: Choose Your Colors

Choose your crayons. I recommend starting with the primary colors (red, yellow and blue).

They can be broken or whole. All crayons are welcome.

Please note: With the great feedback of the Instructables community and some more testing, it seems that Crayola brand of regular crayons will give the most consistent results. I recommend experimenting with the different kind of crayons that you have in the house. For illustration, I used an unknown brand next to Crayola brand crayons and the results were striking.

However I've made these canvases with all kinds of crayons and I like the variations that the different brands add.

Step 2: Remove the Wrapping

Take off the wrappings from all of the chosen crayons. If you're struggling with getting them off, it's time for a crayon bath!

Fill a hot cup with warm soapy water.

Put chosen crayons inside.

Leave soaking for a few minutes.

Most of the wrappers will have automatically unwrapped themselves from the crayons.

Take the crayons out carefully.

(Optional: Lay the full wrappers on a flat surface for later use.)

Dry your crayons.

Note: It's okay if the dried crayons look like they have pieces of glue still attached.

Step 3: Lay Canvas on Parchment Paper

Make sure that your parchment paper is larger than your canvas. Lay the parchment paper on a smooth surface and place the canvas in the middle. The canvas does not need to be secured to the parchment paper. The next few steps can get a little messy so be sure that your surface and floor are washable.

It is recommended that you make sure there are no carpets or rugs in the vicinity. There are a lot of crayon shavings and they might get mushed into the fibers.

Step 4: Shred Your Crayons

Using either a cheese grater or a sharpener, begin to shred your first color of choice. Shred the crayon over the spot where you want that color to be. For example, if you want yellow in the middle of your canvas, shred the yellow crayon in the middle of the canvas.

Continue to add colors to your canvas. You want to add enough that the crayons will melt over the whole canvas, but not too much that it ends up looking like blobs. It's okay to see the canvas through the shreddings. The crayons will melt over it.

Step 5: Melt Your Masterpiece

Cover your canvas with another piece of parchment paper that is larger than the canvas.

Set your iron to high. When it is hot enough, put it down gently on the parchment paper covered canvas. Carefully but firmly iron the picture. You will see that the colors will start to bleed into each other underneath the parchment paper. This is good! Continue until all of the white spots are gone. You can use the iron to gently move the colors to cover any white spots that might still be there.

Take the parchment off slowly while it is still hot. This is what adds the interesting textures and designs.

*Please note: your iron might get a little bit of crayon on it. That's okay. You can wipe it off with a paper towel while the iron is warm and it should come right off.

Step 6: Hang It Proudly!

Step 7: Optional: Adding Color to the Sides of a Stretched Canvas

If you are using a stretched canvas, you might want to add color to the sides.

Prop the canvas on its side. I used my crayon container to hold the canvas up.

Shave matching crayon colors onto the side.

Put a piece of parchment paper over the crayon shavings as well as both sides of the canvas. Carefully iron the shavings down. You will want to gently move the colors along with your iron but be careful that they don't drip onto your painting. Continue this for all four sides. Experiment with different colors on the sides.

*Please note: this step can be difficult for kids.

Step 8: Notes: Shredding Crayons Vs. Sharpening

I used sharpened crayons in the main example but have also used a cheese shredder for other paintings. There are pros and cons to each one.

Sharpened crayons give you bigger pieces, which you can then grind to smaller pieces with your fingers. This gives the advantage of putting a color in a very specific place. Shredded crayons are finer and you don't have to worry about the crayons "blobbing" up as much. Experiment and see which way (or a combination of both) suites you best.

Step 9: Notes: How Much Crayon?

I got overzealous on one of my canvases and added enough crayon to cover the entire canvas. There was almost no white showing. The result was a very thick amount of crayon on my canvas that looked like I used thick paint.

This is an extra reminder to be aware of how much crayon you're putting down. It's better to err on the side of caution. You can always lift the parchment paper and add more crayon if you're not satisfied mid-project.