Every time I go on Pinterest I’m seeing more and more of the art project that has people gluing brand new crayons on a canvas and then using a hair dryer to melt them. It creates a running stream of wax down the entire canvas and creates a beautiful work of art. I never did this as a kid or anything that involved melting crayons. It intrigued me.
However, I knew a new box of sharp crayons is too highly coveted in our house to use and besides we have hundreds upon hundreds of dull, neglected crayons. Also, the use of a hair dryer seemed a bit boring to me.
Alas, I came up with my own project. This project utilizes real FIRE! Since this was an experiment for me, I waited for a day when my daughter was gone and my almost 2 year old was down for his nap and could be a one-on-one project with my 5 year old Bency.
First, I started with a blank canvas. (I actually used a paint by number canvas. These were on clearance at a local craft store and seeing as how my kids like to do their own thing, paint by number wasn’t a huge hit.)
Blank canvas not required….you’re going to be filling it up!
Next, cover your work surface (I forgot this step and got melted wax all over my dining room table!); get your old, dull, PEELED, crayons (we used 10-12) and a candle.
Now you can start creating by simply holding your crayon over the flame for a few seconds to get the wax hot and then quickly move the crayon above the canvas to let the wax splatter on it.
We just focused on making abstract art this time as it’s hard to control where the wax always lands. I think with practice we’ll get better!
On a scale of 5 I give this project 3 stars. I really enjoyed doing it but it was time consuming. We spent 2 hours on this (Bency wanted to keep going but my other son woke up from his nap). It was messy but it was my fault that I didn’t lay newspaper down! Plus it is potentially dangerous. Open flame and 5 year old doesn’t really go together so supervise your child at ALL times!
My son gave it a solid 5 stars! He has been proudly showing off his work of art to everyone he sees and telling them he used REAL FIRE!
The finished product!
Motherhood Is An Art 
When we were kids my motherused to let us melt crayons in the sun on paper plates and make artwork. Of course, sometimes we “ate” the artwork. Years later when my father found out that my mother let us eat crayons he was appalled; my mother said that she had always encouraged her children to be “colorful”. Crazy, but true!
That is so funny! Did you just let the crayons melt naturally? How long did it take???
Yes, we let them melt on paper plates in the sun. It took a bit of time, as I recall. But you kind of had to work on it once they were pliable. If I remember correctly we were charged with “who can make it look like a pizza, a burger, a plate of spaghetti?”, stuff like that. My mother would be the “judge” and then she would let us take a bite. Crayons are salty.
That is cracking me up!!! I may just have to try this!
My father is still shaking his head about this! But maybe my mother was onto something, as she certainly did raise some “colorful” children!
Very creative, and brave…
Thank you!
I love your creativity! It turned out great too. I am a tad bit too OCD and neurotic to attempt anything that involves open flames, but I admire your ingenuity.
haha!!! Thanks!!! I am a bit OCD myself and am not loving all the scratches I put in the dining room table scraping the wax off with a knife…oh well…could be worse!!!
I’m not sure I would be brave enough to try it myself but I really love the idea and the picture looks awesome.
Thank you!!! It’s not a project I will be whipping out all the time but maybe use it as an incentive!!! If you’re REALLY good we’ll melt some crayons…..!!!! LOL
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Haha… Open fires will definitely be a hit with kids. It takes a brave parent to attempt this. But the results are pretty!