Crayons are a great coloring tool. Also, they are easy on your hands, making them a great option for anyone with arthritis and wanting to start coloring. But crayons tend to leave a lot of white and can look messy; In this article, you will find ways to address this issue. There are methods for blending crayons that can produce stunning results.
Blending methods can smooth out the crayons and make it look like you are using a marker. Below are some techniques and tools, including baby oil and Q-tips. These are all affordable tools listed, making it easy to get started. Shading with crayons will give you an unexpected touch to whatever you are working on. It will take you to a place way beyond those colored drawings parents hang on their fridges.
Blend With 3 Shades
We will start with the basics shading with crayons, just as they are. Find a dark, medium, and light shade of the same color, creating an ombré effect. Begin coloring, pressing hard with the darkest color, and then lighten up the pressure you are putting on the crayon. Next, use the medium color. Use the same method to start by pressing hard, but start coloring over the section where you pressed lightly on the color crayon. Repeat the same process with the lightest crayon.
You can also blend two different colors in this way. For example, the colors green and blue. Start by coloring with more pressure for the blue and lighten up where you want the colors to meet. Do the same for the green; begin heavy-handed where you want the shading to be the darkest and lighten up when you get to where the colors meet. Once you layer the two colors in the middle, use a light hand; keep in mind layering with crayons can be difficult because of their wax base.
Tip: Be wary of the wax shavings crayons leave behind because they can and will stain your page in places you don’t want to be colored.
Check out more blending tips HERE.
Beyond The Basics of Blending
White Crayon
Blending crayons can also be done by going over what you colored with a white crayon. You press firmly on the white, and you are just forcing the colors into the sections left on the page. But this method, because you have to press so hard with the white, it dulls the original vibrancy of the colors. It does oftentimes come in the original set of crayons, so this is the most convenient option.
Baby Oil
Another way to get the colors to blend is baby oil. Find yourself a tray to pour the baby oil to start with; trust me, you will be glad you did; you will have added control over how much oil you are adding to your page. Then use a Q-tip to dab a little bit of the oil on the cotton end; you will be able to sort of smear the colors together with this tool. Also, the added baby oil creates a smoothness that the crayons wouldn’t otherwise have. Make sure to have a few cotton swabs on hand when you get started because the color does rub off on the Q-tip, so switch for each color.
Gamsol
Another method of blending is Gamsol, an artist-grade oil. This oil is something you can pick up at most art supply stores, or you can always find it online. You would use this just the same as you would baby oil. The only real difference in using the two is baby oil won’t take away any vibrancy from your colors, but Gamsol will remove some coloration. While blending with oils, just make sure to use a paper that can hold up to the added moisture.
Tip: Once the oil is applied, you can always go over it again with your crayon to add more color.
Using A Blending Stump
You can also use a blending stump to spread the oil. A blending stump is something artists use a lot for creating shadows with pencils. They are entirely made of paper and are easy to keep sharp. You can use a pencil sharpener if you find the blending stump dulling. Some also come with the ability to peel away layers of paper to keep the sharp tip without added tools. You want to take advantage of its sharp tip to spread the crayon into the little nooks and cranes that would be otherwise missed.
Also, with a blending stump, you won’t get stray bits of cotton spread around, making clean-up more difficult. If you have the ability if you want a refined finish to your coloring page, the blending stump is worth it. You can pick up a pack of these for fairly cheap. They can be found online, in most art stores, and in some grocery stores.
Keeping Crayons Sharp
When coloring with crayons, you can use a pencil sharpener on them to keep them performing at their top. Just make sure to not over-sharpen your crayons because they are soft. If you sharpen them too much, they will break. Keep in mind most people don’t sharpen crayons in an electric pencil sharpener because they are waxy and have a tendency to clog pencil sharpeners up. Also, an electric sharpener is hard to control how sharp you are making your utensil. So a hand sharpener is the best to keep control over how sharp your crayons get.
No matter the sharpener you use, make sure to clean the pencil sharpener. To clean a pencil sharpener, use it to sharpen a lead pencil, and it will perform well again. Keeping a slight tip on a crayon, just like sharpened pencils, makes it easier to get more color pigment in the small details you want them in. Crayons may be considered a kid’s coloring tool, but before you write them off, give them a try with the right applied techniques you may come to like using them.
Blending doesn’t always bring to mind, “Oh, I can use crayons for that.” But you can. So if you are new to adult coloring, getting started with crayons is cost-effective and nostalgic. As a kid, you weren’t concerned so much about making your coloring page look pretty, but now as an adult, you want your work to look near perfect. To up your coloring game, make sure to try adding an unexpected blending tool to your belt while using crayons. Use oil to blend, to save money, try baby oil, but make sure you have good paper.
Yes, paper, paper, paper, your paper choice will greatly affect your result; this may be more true than with other coloring mediums. Depending on the texture of the paper itself, you may get more or less of the typical pixel effect crayons have. The paper needs to be able to absorb any added oils and be thick enough not to rip. Do you remember tearing through those cheap coloring book sheets as a child? Was it because you pressed too hard? Working with crayons as an adult, you will be applying a lot of pressure on these tools, too, so give them something to work with.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there any way to deal with the waxy shininess that crayons leave behind?
One way is to try to apply less pressure and as few layers as possible. To keep it less waxy, useless crayon. But there is an alternative method; there are art tools that can remove the wax once you finish coloring your page. If you buy one of these scrappers at an art supply store and take that last layer off, you will be left with only the pigment of the crayons—no wax glaze.
To make my coloring page look neat, do I have to stay in the lines?
No, even if you go out of the lines a little, you can still have a great-looking result. So whatever your fifth-grade art teacher said, throw that out the window. When you color with a crayon, coloring in a consistent direction is more important than staying inside the lines. If you are having a hard time coloring back and forth when you get close to a line, try instead coloring in circles. Whatever coloring rhythm you find works for you, just keep it consistent.
Can I use other oils to blend crayons?
Yes, there are lubricants you can try for blending like Vaseline or rubbing alcohol. However, Vaseline tends to take away pigment. But rubbing alcohol is a good choice. There are many other methods for blending crayons; just give them a try. Find what works for you.
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