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What You'll Need:
- Crayons - Hot Glue Gun/Stick(s) - Blue Tape - Hair Dryer - 1 Paint Pen - Roll of Paper Towels - Small Canvas - Access to a sink |
How to make it:
1. Collect the materials you will need. 2. Place paper towel in sink and soak crayons under hot water for a minute. 3. Unwrap crayons and hot glue them onto your canvas. 4. Place blue tape on parts of canvas you wish to stay clear of wax. 5. Place canvas on a slant and begin melting in a sweeping motion with the hairdryer. 6. Once crayons have melted to your satisfaction, wait for wax to dry and peal off tape. 7. Use paint pen to write student's name. |
Summary:
Although more complicated than the majority of door decs you will see on this site, this crayon art project will not only provide a lot of color to the halls, but will also cross a fun activity off of your resident's bucket lists. Due to the expensive nature of canvas and crayons as well as the amount of time it takes to melt the crayons (took about 1 hour to make the one above), it is best to use this door dec as a program for your residents. Depending on your program model and programming budget, purchase the items ahead of time and invite your students to a fun "Art Night" or "Pinterest Night". They will enjoy making their own artwork to proudly hang in their room. If a social program does not fit into your programming model, more educational variations are listed below.
Below are two very important notes to improve the quality of your program:
Although some of these door decs may be too heavy to hang on a door, your students will enjoy this activity and will have a memento to take home with them at the close of the program. Many of these supplies can be bought in bulk at a craft store or general store. Follow up with the arts students, many of them will be aware when the best time to buy these items will be due to clearance sales. Since the program takes a longer time, we would recommend doing this program when students are starting to get to know each other. Due to the hair dryers, it may be too loud to carry on conversations, but with a shared experience under their belt, the students will now have a common experience each other to talk about.
Other lessons you can incorporate in your programming may include:
- I See Your True Colors and That's Why I Love You- Diversity Event
- Stress-Less Week- Using Art as a tool to Destress
- Melting Under Pressure- Interviewing Skills/Managing Emotions/ Time Management
- Rainbow Pride- LGBT Awareness Program
Have ideas of your own you want to share! Send us a message.
Although more complicated than the majority of door decs you will see on this site, this crayon art project will not only provide a lot of color to the halls, but will also cross a fun activity off of your resident's bucket lists. Due to the expensive nature of canvas and crayons as well as the amount of time it takes to melt the crayons (took about 1 hour to make the one above), it is best to use this door dec as a program for your residents. Depending on your program model and programming budget, purchase the items ahead of time and invite your students to a fun "Art Night" or "Pinterest Night". They will enjoy making their own artwork to proudly hang in their room. If a social program does not fit into your programming model, more educational variations are listed below.
Below are two very important notes to improve the quality of your program:
- Know Before You Go:
- Test the program out ahead of time with the supplies you have available, some crayons melt differently than others (We recommend Crayola) and some hair dryers do not get hot enough to melt the crayons.
- This is a good rule of thumb anytime you have a program based off of a craft, make sure everything works well ahead of time.
- Follow up with your facilities department to see which sockets in your building/outside have enough power to host this event. Multiple hair dryers blowing at the same time in one room could blow a fuse.
- Check ahead of time to see if some of your residents are willing to volunteer their hair dryers/hot glue for the event so there aren't a lot of residents waiting around to use one machine. Make sure they are aware there is a chance crayon residue may splatter onto the end of their dryer. For easy clean up, use an hair dryer attachment.
- Wax is Hard to Clean Up:
- This one is pretty self explanatory, but remind students to wear clothes they don't mind getting messed up.
- Cover any surface with paper towels/trash bags to prevent coloring your sink, furniture, floor, etc.
- If the hair dryer is on "high" wax will splatter, although it takes longer, encourage students to heat on low or point the crayons toward the opening of a box (as seen above) to catch the splatter.
- There is not an "undo" button if the wax gets onto part of the canvas you weren't intending it to. Use the hairdryer to direct the melting wax and make sure the blue tape is firmly placed on the canvas. If not placed firmly enough there will be some that bleeds under the taped area (as seen above).
Although some of these door decs may be too heavy to hang on a door, your students will enjoy this activity and will have a memento to take home with them at the close of the program. Many of these supplies can be bought in bulk at a craft store or general store. Follow up with the arts students, many of them will be aware when the best time to buy these items will be due to clearance sales. Since the program takes a longer time, we would recommend doing this program when students are starting to get to know each other. Due to the hair dryers, it may be too loud to carry on conversations, but with a shared experience under their belt, the students will now have a common experience each other to talk about.
Other lessons you can incorporate in your programming may include:
- I See Your True Colors and That's Why I Love You- Diversity Event
- Stress-Less Week- Using Art as a tool to Destress
- Melting Under Pressure- Interviewing Skills/Managing Emotions/ Time Management
- Rainbow Pride- LGBT Awareness Program
Have ideas of your own you want to share! Send us a message.
Other Variations:
