Wax crayons drawing technique. Encaustic

Good day, dear parents!
My name is Olya. I am the mother of little fidgety Alina. this moment we are 2.6. Almost from Alina’s birth I tried and am trying to focus on development creativity and I think it's creative developed person will be successful in everything without exception. Creativity occupies a special place in our lives. While Alina is little, I try to focus on unconventional techniques drawings. They are the most interesting and most accessible: even the smallest child can master them. I, of course, still do some part of the work myself (due to our age), but every day Alina’s participation in our creative experiments becomes more and more more and more. This makes me happy and inspires me. I invite you to join our cheerful creative company and you will accept us into your ranks =). We have a lot of creative lessons, I will post them little by little, with your permission;-)

The other day Alina and I tried the new kind creativity - DRAWING WITH MELTED WAX. creative circles it's called Encaustic,
which translated from ancient Greek means “the art of burning.” The encaustic technique consists of applying it to the hot surface of an iron. wax crayons different colors, which are then transferred to cardboard or paper using ironing and applying movements. There is a lot of information on the Internet about this technique, video tutorials and recommendations, so anyone can easily master the art of encaustic painting.

Considering Alina’s age (2.6), I changed the technology a little, but the main tool, of course, was still the iron.
In general, Alina’s wax and oil crayons cause wild delight. In addition to the fact that crayons are always available to us, their number is constantly growing. I can safely say about myself that I am a stationery maniac. At any opportunity, I always buy pencils, paints, paper, etc. Without all this, I can’t imagine Alina and I’s life. We test crayons from different companies and choose only the best ones: those that draw brightly and lie comfortably in the hand. I put the rest of the crayons that didn’t pass the aptitude test in a box labeled “ maybe it will come in handy." Of all the wax and oil crayons we tested in the mid-price category, the best were BARAMBA Wax Triangular Pencils (Spain) and TITI Pastel Crayons on oil based (South Korea). Cryola (USA, Mexico) and BIC (France) crayons also draw well. You can also add Luch “Krokha” triangular oil pencils to the list of suitable ones. They also draw well, but I would classify them as wax, since oil pastel Still, he draws bolder.

TODAY WE WILL MAKE A WAX PICTURE AND DECORATE A T-SHIRT WITH WAX.

Children absolutely love mixing, pouring, ironing and being amazed at the results. So why not do something that brings you joy and positive emotions!? Always remember, IT IS THE PROCESS, NOT THE RESULT.

For work we will need: an ironing board, an iron, wax crayons, newspapers or sheets of thin paper, cardboard, sheets of thick paper, an old T-shirt or a piece of fabric.

1. We sharpen the wax crayons, or grate them. Alina sharpened the crayons, and I grated them. We have a tiny grater for garlic. It came in handy. Attention! Crumbs from crayons stick to the grater, hands, knife, everything plastic and polyethylene, so it’s easier to sharpen crayons and then just chop large shavings with a knife. But crumbs from grated crayons after ironing look more impressive on a sheet (fabric), so you decide to sharpen or rub - we did both. The first time we made a picture, we sharpened all the pencils into one glass, and when we made a T-shirt, we distributed the colors into cells.

2. I took two sheets of black and white. And two oil crayons of the same color. You can take any others at your discretion. You can't see the black chalk on black. Why? Because this sheet is black, just like chalk. You can’t see the lines from the white chalk on the white sheet. Why? because the sheet is white like chalk. .For adults it is so simple, and perhaps primitive, but for children it is magic. A child learns color and its basic properties here and now, holding a pencil in his hand, scribbling visible and invisible. So, do not be afraid and avoid black colors.

We cover the ironing board with newspaper (sheet), then put our black and white sheet on top and sprinkle with wax shavings

Turn on the iron; set the regulator to the minimum setting and turn off the steam. We tear another sheet on top and iron it. You can entrust the work with the iron to a child. But an adult should always be nearby. Alina liked ironing. She did it with the knowledge that the iron was hot: smoothly, slowly and carefully. If wax gets on the iron, don’t worry. It can usually be cleaned off with a dry cloth or paper towel. Why shouldn’t you use thin office paper? Firstly, because it can curl up after ironing, and secondly, the appearance of large oil stains is possible.

Remove the top sheet and...

Voila, ours space drawing ready. You can cover the top with watercolors, glue some elements. You will get a full-fledged applique drawing. This is our first acquaintance with this technique and therefore we will not finish drawing anything, but leave everything as is. Next time we will try the decor. Older children can easily lay out any pattern with multi-colored shavings, for example, a rainbow in the sky, space with planets and a rocket, the seabed with algae and fish. By the way, why not adults do this?! Great art therapy =)

Next time, we decided to try drawing with wax on fabric. We found an old small T-shirt, made wax pencils again, turned on the iron and got to work.

1. Cover the ironing board with newspaper.

2. Take a T-shirt (fabric) and put cardboard inside so that the design does not imprint on the back)

3. Sprinkle crumbs on top

I would like to suggest very original equipment drawing. The good thing about it is that, despite all the complexity at first glance, even a child can master it. kindergarten. Simple plots executed in this technique acquire a picturesque appearance without much difficulty and art education. This technique is close to the style called pointillism, a very famous movement in painting. — The basic rules in which are to apply paint in separate strokes of the correct, identical shape. The paints were mostly not mixed with each other, all for the sake of the optical effect. – Our brain, through the eyes, itself compares pure color spots with each other in the required proportion, thereby mixing them instead of the artist and obtaining the intended shades.

As for our master class itself, we will make spots with wax crayons heated over a fire, as a candle drips when it burns out. This technique is not new and has become quite popular - the technique of drawing with molten wax crayons is called encaustic. And of course you can also experiment with it - for example, to make pictures in pop style You need to place the round spots at an equal distance from each other. Try it yourself.

Master class on encaustic painting in pointillism style

For work you will need wax crayons, a sheet of paper or, if you wish, you can take a canvas, and of course fire. You can take a candle or a special lighter for gas stoves, unlike a regular one, holding it lit for a long time will not burn your fingers.

Next, let's start drawing. To begin, sketch out a sketch of your future painting. If you know how to draw, you will succeed quickly. If you don’t know how to draw, I won’t teach you that in this master class. — In the end, there are drawing courses, if you have this goal, attend them. And if you’re not sure, but want to try this technique, just draw something. When the sketch is ready, light the candle and let's get started. You need to hold the wax crayon over the candle until a drop forms, then carefully and quickly move it to the desired place above your sketch, placing the drop on the plane of the sheet.

In the case of a lighter, you can hold the chalk directly above right place. You can see more details in the video

Here you choose what is most convenient for you. In the case of children, it is perhaps safer to use a candle and draw under adult supervision.

Drops of wax crayons create a voluminous and smooth textured surface that looks impressive as in paintings as well as in the graphics. What we can see from the works of the authors presented here.

Everyone dreams of spending a weekend with pleasure and benefit with their family. The question arises - what to do so that everyone will find it interesting, exciting, and also something to remember from it? joint creativity left? Forum-Grad offers its visitors great idea on creation artistic canvas from melted wax crayons.

If you're interested in the idea, put on your boots, head to the supermarket and load your cart with boxes of wax crayons!

So how do you create a piece of art from melted crayons?

Step one.

Purchase a clean white canvas in advance. Imagine in your mind the picture on this white rectangle, admire its virgin purity, as very soon it will turn into your joint creation.

Step two.

Unpack the crayons, use a pack of 64 crayons if your canvas is wide enough. Depending on its size, you can add crayons from other boxes or reduce it accordingly. Place the crayons at the top of the canvas side by side, arranging them by color as you have in mind.

Step three.

Glue the crayons to the canvas with a glue gun, pointed end down.

Step four.

We place the canvas on a bed of newspapers or oilcloth at an angle, almost vertically. We connect a hairdryer and point it at the crayons until you see that they begin to melt and flow down in colorful rivers. In order to melt the crayons evenly, we direct a stream of warm air over all the crayons.

Step five.

This whole process happens very quickly, therefore, by the way, it involves instant satisfaction of your creative potential. So, as soon as you are satisfied with the result, you should immediately turn off the hair dryer, and in just a few minutes your work will dry and the crayons will harden.

Step six.

Hang your masterpiece on the wall, and get ready to receive a lot of compliments with your co-creators.

Similar crafts - great way create a bright spot of color in a calm interior, or simply decorate a wall painted in a single color. The main thing is to get into the general color scheme of the interior. And besides this creative activity brings you together and allows you to reveal all your potentials and the potentials of your loved ones. And for children, this unusual process will undoubtedly cause a lot of positive emotions!

Wax crayons are art materials, united under common name"pastel". Pastels used in painting and graphics come in wax, oil and dry pastels. This classification is determined by the method of manufacturing the material.

It is not difficult to guess that the base for the described crayons is wax, to which colored pigments are added. Such pencils best quality Produced only from natural raw materials and vegetable dyes.

How to use wax crayons

There are several great techniques that give unique results. Classic way- drawing with a sketch. It is made with a pencil of the color that will be the main one in the range of the drawing. Then shades are applied to the sketch. Wax crayons (oil and dry pencils, by the way, are used at this stage in exactly the same way) are used in the drawing, first dark, then light. The strokes that will lie on top must be done very carefully so as not to tear off the wax already placed on the paper.

Sgraffito method

Translated from Italian it means “scratched” drawing. It is carried out using the engraving technique. You will need crayons and a knife. Pastel is thickly applied to a sheet of paper - first light, then dark. The contours are scratched with a knife.

Stained glass enamel method

You'll have to stock up on a grill stand. You need to place burning candles under it, and on it - a metal or porcelain plate on which a sheet of paper will lie (experts advise putting a newspaper under it). The meaning of the method is that during the process of drawing with wax, the surface must be constantly heated. The crayons melt into the warm paper and create a delightful enamel effect.

Encaustic

This is also a method of drawing with molten wax, but it is done differently. The image turns out three-dimensional, “alive”. The method was also used. You will need wax crayons, thick cardboard, a solid (without steam holes) iron. Multi-colored lines are applied to the sole of a slightly heated device and the iron is pressed, turning slightly, to the surface of the cardboard. The result will be beautiful patterns that can be turned into both realistic hills, mountains and rivers, and into outlandish abstract landscapes. Thinner and more precise lines can be made with the tip or edge of the iron.

Blur method

The drawing will turn out very mysterious and transparent if the image created with wax crayons is blurred with turpentine. Take a drop of solvent onto a synthetic brush and move it over the drawing with light strokes.

Wax crayons in children's creativity

Crayons of various shapes and colors bring unprecedented creative pleasure to children. The lines and strokes are colorful and embossed, and the tool itself does not require constant sharpening. Paper of different textures allows you to create unusual drawings and compositions. The paintings created using watercolors and wax crayons look very picturesque. The photo on this page demonstrates a wonderful technique. First they make a “wax” image, and then paint it with paints.

The second life of wax crayons

Chalk drawn to a short tip and broken can be turned into a beautiful souvenir or new tool for the artist. The fragments are placed in heat-resistant molds and baked in the oven for two to three minutes, allowed to cool and removed. If the colored fragments are mixed before the procedure, the new chalk will turn out unusually colorful.

Wax crayons are not considered a serious painting material. Most often they are bought for children because they are the most harmless. Wax pastels are suitable even for kids, of course, if they are made from high-quality vegetable wax. Inexpensive wax crayons are made on the basis of paraffin, so there is a chance you will stumble upon cheap (non-food grade) paraffin. If you care about the health of your child, then it is better to buy wax pastels from a trusted manufacturer of art materials.

Wax crayons, like regular colored pencils, are very easy to sharpen with a knife. The thickness and shape of the sharpened crayon can be varied depending on the type of strokes you need. The shavings left over from sharpening wax crayons can be put to good use. To do this, you need to collect it in different containers, selecting them by color. When a sufficient amount of wax waste has been collected, new crayons of the original color can be made.

Of course, when choosing wax crayons, it is better to choose pastels based on natural vegetable wax. Such crayons will be more flexible and opaque, which is very important for wax pastels.

When starting to work with wax pastels for the first time, it is better to try out a new material for you. various types paper or drawing materials. This way you can evaluate all the features of wax painting in advance.

Wax pastels, in comparison with other types of pastels, have a number of features. It doesn't blend as easily as classic dry pastel. With wax pastels, you won't be able to mix two different colors directly on the paper. You can only change the tone of the base by lightening or darkening it. Wax shading is applicable only at the borders of design elements, to smooth out sharp transitions from one color to another. To smooth out these transitions, you need to make some effort, but you still shouldn’t rub the pigment into the paper with force. Let the wax thaw a little under the warmth of your fingers, this will make the wax crayons more flexible. Besides, you can’t draw with wax pastels outside when it’s cold.

For cheap wax pastels made on a paraffin basis, mixing colors on paper will be generally impossible. This pastel is very non-plastic and will roll under your fingers. For this type of wax crayons, there are other techniques, for example: encaustic or stained glass enamel.

Despite a number of differences, wax pastels have much in common with other types of pastels. In terms of drawing technique, wax is closer to oil pastel.

In order to master the wax pastel technique, you need to master the basics of pencil drawing. For any type of drawing or painting, the following concepts are relevant: perspective, proportions, composition, shadows and strokes. Without understanding the basics of drawing, you cannot master painting.

First, a sketch of the future drawing is made. The sketch can be made using a regular pencil, or you can take a wax crayon of the dominant color in the composition. The sketch outlines general composition drawing, the elements of the drawing are distributed in their places, the contours of objects are drawn, the contours of white or light areas are indicated. To avoid damaging the surface of the paper, the sketch is made with light strokes.

When the sketch is ready, you need to spread the color over the surface of the future drawing. More often, special pastel paper is used for pastels. Wax pastels are no exception in this sense, although other materials may be suitable for wax crayons. It is important that the background does not discord with the overall color scheme of the picture, but complements it. If we talk about pastel paper, the warm tones of the pastel are emphasized by cool-toned paper. Warm-colored paper is suitable for cold-colored pastels.

Since wax crayons are an opaque material and have one hundred percent hiding power, the color is spread from dark to light tones. Wax pastels also allow you to blend the previous layer of color with the next one, but you need to be very careful. After all, wax crayons are closer in properties to oil crayons, and therefore can roll into dirty flakes under your fingers. There is no need to press hard on the pastel. If your pastel is made with natural wax, it should feel a little warm under your fingers. Then it will become more plastic and will smooth out sharp color transitions drawing.

Light reflections on the wax pastel spread at the end of the work, when all that remains is to make color accents on some details that require highlighting with color. Wax pastels do not require fixation, the work is ready with the finishing touch.

Of course, you need to take into account that mixing halftones in wax pastels is difficult. Because color scheme The work needs to be thought out in advance, choosing a dominant color that will be enough to be slightly emphasized with highlights and contrasting lines. Works made with wax pastels do not imply a rich color palette; it is better to choose a couple of primary colors in which the drawing will be made. Drawings written with wax crayons are bright, expressive and expressive. The finished work looks more like a sculpted colored panel than a painting.