So, I know it’s the most non-original piece of art to do right now, but I decided that Harlow needed to have a melting crayon canvas on the wall. I’m creating a little gallery of art for her surrounding her whiteboard desk. I’m dorkily excited about the ideas brewing up in my head: I just need more hours in the day.
Enter: quick + fun + cheap! art.
Materials:
- Canvas: be sure to nab a coupon online/newspaper/mail for Joann’s, Michael’s or Hobby Lobby. I purchased my canvas from Michael’s, and it was already 60% off: huzzah!
- Crayons: I purchased 2 big boxes. You know, the one with the sharpener in the back. [Side note: when I was a kid, I remember them being organized by color ....is that just my imagination? Because these boxes were put in every which way. Oh well!] Depending on your canvas size, you’ll use more/less. Also, depending on what colors you like + want to emphasis – you’ll use more/less…. How redundant of me.
- Hot glue gun.
- Heat gun.
Okay. So first you’ll want to lay out your crayons in the order you want them. I did this step, stood back + took a look…changed a few…stood back…..asked Andy….texted a picture to my sister …. you get the idea. Until I had the perfect progression of R.O.Y.G.B.I.V. :)
Next, decide on how you want to glue these babies down. What I mean is this: what part of the label do you want showing? At first I started gluing them down so “Crayola” showed on each crayon. I glued about 5 down before I realized it looked more like a backdrop for a Crayola commercial….OY. I ripped those off, and tried a few different ways. I landed on showing the color name. I liked the way it looked, but I also like the names. :) I still think the best is when they look completely random – but that’s always easier said than done.
Use your hot glue gun + glue!
Okay. Here is where I changed things up just a little bit. Every post I read on how to produce this melty art used a hair dryer, but alas: I couldn’t find the one we kept for Wyler when he gets a bath. So, I happen to have an awesome neighbor [Hi Heather!] who has a heat gun she uses for embossing. I decided to give it a go, and I’ve now decided it is the way to go if you’re going to do this project. Here is why: it took me 15 minutes, instead of the hours I read about! But that being said: be ready for melted wax! It melts fast!
So.
Go outside/basement/garage, but be sure to put out cardboard or newspaper. The wax has a mind of its own…..
Turn on that heat gun + melt! And really? It’s totally up to you how melted you want the final product to be. I knew that I wanted quite a bit of white canvas left at the bottom of my masterpiece. So, other than a few splatters, the majority of the canvas is still white.
And voila!! I can’t wait to show y’all once I have everything hung up! If you look closely in the photo above, you can see Harlow’s whiteboard desk I refinished for her! She is so proud to sit there + color + “read” books!
Have you created a melty-Crayon-masterpiece? I’d love to see a monochromatic one! Leave links to photos!! I want to see!!
xoxo
Happy Wednesday!
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
So cute! I made a melty crayon piece a couple weeks ago for my room inspired by fall! I actually took off the paper and used only red, orange, and yellow with melted brown crayon 'bark' at the bottom. It's really cute.
That sounds super cute! So creative!
oh, i love how yours turned out! and i like the names showing too – they always come up with such neat names for them. can’t wait to see all of harlow’s room!
Love, love, love this. I am not uber crafty, but I feel this is something I can handle. I guess this “heat gun” can be found at a craft store? I don’t have the patience to use a hair dryer.
wow! great job! thats pretty cool! and i want to do one for me! now to find someone with a heat gun…
hi! just saw this post :-/ sorry I'm late haha glad the heat gun worked out for you!