Easy Painting with Crayon Wax Resist | Kids Project
“Nurturing Children In The Visual Arts Naturally”
Easy Painting For Kids
4 part framework – art method
Watercolor paint over crayon wax can make art appear magical.
Crayon wax resist painting
This project surprises children every time water repels.
Any type of wax will repel water.
The safest and inexpensive wax for children to use is a crayon.
1. Collect Kids Painting Materials
All types of crayons can work for this project, I used white a beeswax Colour Blocks™ in our demonstration.
Use only non-toxic watercolor paints for children.
Use watercolor paper that can absorb lots of water.
A large wide paint brush works best for this project, sponges can also work too.
A painters palette or egg carton will hold paints for dipping.
Water jar is for dipping brush when more water is needed to wash watercolor over paper or brush clean-up
Napkins or wipes for paint bush clean-up or messy hands.
Watercolor Wax Resist Paper Prep
I usually start off with a large piece of watercolor paper and trim down into quarter sizes.
For children exploring watercolor painting the paper shouldn’t be large.
After a child has mastered this technique and request a larger format, then I give them a larger piece of watercolor paper.
My main reasons is both earth-friendly and to be cost efficient.
I usually work in very small paper formats when using watercolor.
2. Set the Environment
• A space to get messy
• Good lighting
• Flat work-station
• Materials
• Artist Smock or clothes that can get messy
It’s important to have a place children can get messy and can withstand spills. Good lighting is best for children to see colors mix. Be sure table and chairs are at the level of the child. Materials should be easy for children to reach during project making.
3. Child-led & Adjustable for all ages
Project can be achieved by many skill levels and easily adjusted. Best for toddler to middle aged children. (Read more about this in my new book)
Fish Shape
For this project I chose to go with a fish cut out shape.
I cut fish shapes small and large out of watercolor paper.
Very young children may not fully understand wax resist concepts like older students so I chose this fun shape to help.
The fish shape excites young children who may be learning to paint for the first time.
Regardless of the outcome it’s still a fun shape a young child can be very proud of and recognize.
This project can easily transition into a child-led project and have many outcomes that are very creative making child feel like an artist.
Allow older children to cut their own shapes if they desire.
Plain square paper is still just as fun and entertaining for children to explore crayon resist painting.
Tip: You can also make all the wax marks ahead of time and have young children just paint to see what appears. I call this beeswax surprise painting.
You can doodle fun secret messages that revels after they paint, like their name or the alphabet.
An easy way to cut shapes out is to print one of these shapes and resize using a copy machine.
Print out one copy and trim fish. Use trimmed fish shape as a template you can trace onto watercolor paper.
You can also void these steps and freehand trim out fish shapes.
4. Exploration & Time
The most important part of this project is allowing children time to explore paint, colors, tactile sensations and completed work by their own hands.
Older children will learn how wax repels water and fun science concepts.
Older students also exposed to mix-media by using crayon and paint on the same project.
Mature students usually try different shapes other than a fish.
The best time duration for this project s 30 minutes, older students can usually go past 40 minutes to an 1 hour.
The common process you can expect for these ages is:
Children 15 months – 6 years will learn to dip into paint, learn to make a brush strokes, play in palettes and mix, swish water around in jars, learn to spread paint over fish and delight in the process.
Most areas on fish will not be covered completely. Children also commonly use their hands to paints and explore.
Covering art or table with paint is common for young children and normal.
Children 6 – 9 years old will be surprised to see wax repel paint and want to try it over and over until they understand what’s happening.
Children at theses ages can plan designs with crayon and see their ideas appear.
These ages quickly learn how to use materials and don’t need to be guided in the process of making.
One or two demonstrations is only necessary.
Children 10 – 15 years old will enjoy the mix-media aspect of this project and create many versions.
Students at this level will spend careful time planning designs and mixing colors.
These student can work longer durations independently.
Doodle with a wax crayons, watercolor over marks and watch wax repel watercolor paint!
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Other Crayon Resist project ideas:
Egg dying
Book covers
Bookmarks
Mix-Media Collages
Check out another fun project: Making sharks out of paper rolls project
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Three (8.oz) Ready Friendly Watercolor bottles
