Wax Crayons: Features and Tips to Use Them

It's time to color! Let's make lots of strokes and fill with life the coloring pages we brought for you. But which technique do we use? There are so many that it's very hard to choose one!

Luckily we had an idea. How about we use wax crayons? You'll surely have a lot of fun using a material like this. Let's go! At Coloring Together we'll show you how to color with wax crayons.

What are wax crayons?

Wax crayons are sticks that are made of wax and that are used to color or paint on various surfaces. Wax crayons are washable and non-toxic.

They usually come in stick form, with a rounded tip and in a diversity of colors. They are one of the easiest materials to use, and they tend to be the basic material that schools around the world ask for. Although that doesn't mean they can't be used by professionals!

History of wax crayons

Since the times of the ancient Egyptians, colored waxes were already used. They weren't a crayon as such, but rather a way to fix a particular color to a surface.

The Egyptians used a type of hot beeswax, which was combined with colored pigments to paint stone with color. However, it wasn't until 1644 that the word "crayon" was mentioned for the first time.

Some people say that Pliny the Elder, a Roman chronicler, was the first to describe drawing techniques with wax crayons. On the other hand, the first crayons that emerged in Europe were made of oil and charcoal.

Some artists like Francois Clouet and Nicholas L'agneau used wax crayons in their works, and many artists still do today, which implies that these materials have had an undeniable influence on art.

How to color with wax crayons?

Now we'll explain in detail how to apply wax crayons in your drawings and thus get an invaluable work of art. Grab your crayons! It's time to learn Coloring Together.

Step 1 (Optional): Outline the drawing

Use the thin parts of the crayon sticks and outline the edges of the drawing. This way, when you color, you won't go outside the lines as much.

Step 2: Apply a first layer of color

Wax crayons are better worked in layers, so apply a first layer of color with the crayons you've chosen. Don't forget to color making circles so you get an even finish.

Step 3: Apply two or three layers of color, if necessary

If many blank spaces are left, then apply more layers of color again, one or two more until the tone has come together. This way the porosity left by the paper will show less. If you have a white color, you can apply the whitening technique to get a better finish.

Step 4: Repeat the same procedure all over the drawing

It's almost ready! Keep applying what was explained earlier all over the drawing, combine colors and apply various techniques so you get beautiful results. You'll surely have fun!

Examples of Wax Crayons applied

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Techniques you can combine with Wax Crayons

If you're not satisfied with all the information we've given you, then keep reading. We still have a couple of things to explain to you! We'll tell you what other techniques you can apply with this very interesting material, and that way you'll get more incredible and creative results. Try it!

• Linear: color your drawing making lines in the same direction, you'll notice that the texture you get will give your artwork a very artistic touch.
• Coloring in circles: if you color in circles the finish on your drawing will be much more even and it'll look prettier.
• Whitening: if you have a white wax crayon, apply a layer of color on top to combine and blend the colors of the previous layers.

Tips and tricks to color with wax crayons

Before you go, you have to read some tips and tricks to apply wax crayons on your drawings. We hope these tips are useful to you and that you can improve a lot with this material. Ready to begin?

• Wax crayons are materials that leave porous finishes, due to the material they're made of. That's why, they should be worked in layers Always use two or three layers! You'll notice how good they look.
• It's a bit tricky to shade with wax crayons, but not impossible. The recommendation is that you do a test on a separate sheet and confirm whether they are combinable wax crayons Some are not!
• Wax crayons are porous and leave a layer on the paper that doesn't come together with the paper, this is ideal if you want to apply the scratching technique Do it carefully!

For now this is all we have to teach you. It's time for you to get to work, because to improve, you have to practice.