How to Paint With Melted Crayons

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Things You'll Need

  • Craft knife

  • Pencil sharpener

  • White glue

  • Hair dryer or heat gun

  • Heavy paper or canvas

  • Muffin tin

  • Electric skillet

  • Cotton swabs

Melt chunks of crayon on canvas or paper for 3-D art.
Image Credit: BananaStock/BananaStock/Getty Images

By melting crayons, either in muffin tins or directly onto paper, you can make your own form of paint. If painting with brushes isn't your child's forte, you can help her melt chunks with hot air. Kids will enjoy breaking or shaving crayons to make their own paintings. Best of all, if they're into landscape paintings or other pieces with swaths of brown, they'll finally have a use for leftover burnt umber and raw sienna.

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Hot Air Method

Step 1

Have your child cut, shave or break crayons. Cut small chunks for them with a craft knife while they make shavings with a pencil sharpener.

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Step 2

Have your child lay out the crayons on the paper or canvas to make a design. For large drips, use broken pieces. For blotches, use chunks. For delicate highlights, use shavings.

Step 3

Have your child glue large pieces down with white glue. Allow the glue to dry completely. This method is best if you want relatively straight, thick lines and defined edges. If you're using chunks or shavings, lay them down and melt them one at a time.

Step 4

Melt the crayons for your child. Hold a blow dryer set to high heat or a heat gun 3 to 12 inches away from the crayon pieces. To melt a small piece in a specific direction, hold the dryer closer. To make large drips, hold it farther away. Aim the air at the crayon until it melts.

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Step 5

Allow the artwork to cool completely before hanging or touching it.

Cotton Swab Method -- For Teenagers

Step 1

Prepare the supplies for your teenager or older child. Fill an electric skillet with 1 to 2 inches of water. Plug it in and set it to low heat. Set a muffin tin in the water and place one color of crayon chunks in each compartment.

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Step 2

Allow the hot water to melt the crayons in the tin. Leave the skillet on to keep the crayons melted as your teen works.

Step 3

Direct your teen to dip a separate cotton swab into each color as he goes. He should paint with the color immediately after dipping to keep the crayon from cooling.

Step 4

Allow the artwork to cool completely before hanging or touching it.

Warning

Do not allow small children to use a heat gun or blow dryer. Do this part for them.

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