Crayon Paper Techniques #1

This technique is one I first came across when my granddaughter brought me a lovely hanging for my refrigerator from her daycare. You may have done it as a Scout or maybe a school art project, but I have found that it has wonderful adaptations to many types of paper art.

You can make quality, enduring papers in a wide array of colors that can later be cut, shaped, glued and otherwise manipulated for all your paper crafting needs. You may wish to just create full-size sheets of paper at first, until you get comfortable with the technique. Then you can experiment with making a specific card. However, I have found that the papers you get as so exquisitely unique that it's often in your best interest to use this as a medium for your other paper crafts.

Occasionally you will get a big blob of one color which can be cut away to show of the patterns of color. You might try using a stencil to cut out letters for cards, such as using glitter crayons to make a happy birthday card. The possibilities are endless.

What you will need:

A stack of old newspapers Crayons in your choice of color A heavy-duty roll of aluminum foil An old iron, or one used just for arts and crafts White cardstock or handcrafted paper in a light color An old ironing board, or one used just for arts and crafts

Step 1: Use the heavy-duty aluminum foil to cover the iron. Make sure there are no holes in the foil, but folds, bends and creases are okay.

Step2: Set the aluminum cover craft iron on the cotton setting.

Step 3: Place a small stack of old newspapers on the ironing board.

Step 4: Place your cardstock on the newspaper.

Step 5: As the iron begins heating, peel back the paper off of three normal size crayons of different colors. If you use the big fat crayons, cut back on the amount of crayon you use in each color.

Step 6: When the iron gets hot, hold it upside down and place the lightest color crayon you've chosen onto the foil, pushing it gently.

Step 7: By gently pushing and the pulling the crayon away, create two or three small puddles and then quickly press the iron onto the cardstock in a twist and lift motion to release the crayon onto the paper.

Step 8: Repeat this step with each color, lightest to darkest, until all of the melted crayons have been released onto the paper, making sure you leave some cardstock white so that you haven't covered every inch of the paper with melted crayon.

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