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Wax Resist Painting with Watercolors

by Jean Van't Hul
December 4, 2009

Wax Resist Painting with Kids

Here’s a melted crayons art project that even the youngest kid can do (unlike drawing on a hot cookie sheet, as we did recently)!

Wax Resist Painting with Watercolors

MATERIALS

  • Wax crayons
  • Candle (optional)
  • Cheese grater
  • Watercolor paper
  • Wax paper
  • Iron
  • Watercolor paint

Wax Resist Painting with Kids

INSTRUCTIONS

First, I had Maia select three crayon colors, which I then grated on a cheese grater. Pink and red are shown together above. The white one is actually a grated wax candle. She then arranged the crayon shavings on a piece of watercolor paper (kind of like when we make melted crayon stained glass).

Wax Resist Painting with Kids

Then, I set a piece of wax paper over the paper and the crayon shavings and used the iron (on a low setting) to melt the crayon.

Wax Resist Painting with Kids

Here’s the melted crayons design. Next time I think I’d use just the crayon and no wax candle, since the melted candle looks a little too much like grease stains to me.

Wax Resist Painting with Kids

Finally, as soon as paper cooled down, Maia painted over the crayon and paper with watercolors.

Wax Resist Painting with Kids

I love this!

To adapt this idea for realism, a child could draw a picture—a house for example—then add crayon shavings of one color within the lines of the roof, and crayon shavings of another color for the door, etc.

Wax Resist Painting with Kids

This is a project that even a two year old could do, but I think it’s one that an older child would enjoy as well. Or an adult. I’d personally like to make a rainbow out of different colored crayon shavings! Or flowers.

I think I need to start doing more art alongside Maia rather than just putting together projects for her!

For more wax resist painting ideas, see this post on 6 watercolor resist techniques.

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Wax Resist Painting with Kids

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