How To Create Melted Crayon Art

You don’t have to be an “artist” to be creative! Anyone can create a charming melted crayon artwork with a few basic art supplies. DIY melted crayon art is extraordinarily popular with all ages for its unmatched simplicity, with stunning results.

If you’re wondering what is melted crayon art? It’s quite simple. Melted crayon art is a canvas-based artwork. Heat applied from a blow dryer, or heat gun melts the wax, producing a splattering or dripping effect. Depending on your chosen color palette, the splatter or dripping effect can be quite striking and rather unique.

Melted crayon art makes fun and budget-friendly homemade gifts! They’re especially popular as baby shower gifts, wedding gifts, and LGBTQ pride art. Melted crayon art is also perfect as whimsical kid decor or a fun and easy homeschool art project.

For those ready to go on an artistic adventure, follow our handy guide to learn how to make this fun and easy, yet trendy piece of art!

Melted Crayon Art Umbrella Silhouette

Our DIY melted crayon art uses an umbrella silhouette, a stylish choice to create a lovely colorful rain effect on your canvas. An umbrella silhouette is completely optional. However, if you’re interested in recreating this same effect, you can search for an umbrella silhouette of your choice on sites such as Shutterstock.

For hard to find silhouettes or for those that prefer to use a Cricut Maker, to transfer vinyl directly onto the canvas rather than to trace, we recommend Etsy for several design options.

What’ll You’ll Need

• white blank canvas, 12×16
• umbrella silhouette, optional
• scotch tape, optional
• pencil
• permanent black marker
• box of 64 crayons
• hot glue gun
• garbage bags, newspaper, or drop cloth
• masking tape
• blow dryer (with diffuser) or heat gun
• paper
• scissors

How To Make DIY Melted Crayon Art

Step 1

Print the umbrella silhouette of your choice. Then carefully cut out the silhouette and trace onto the canvas with a pencil. Tip: Use scotch tape to keep silhouette from moving out of place. Remove tape after tracing. Fill in the umbrella silhouette with a black permanent marker.

Step 2

Decide on a color palette for your melted crayon art. We chose to use a traditional, but playful rainbow color arrangement. We followed the rainbow color order as follows, red; orange; yellow; green; blue; indigo; violet.

There is some debate on whether or not you should unwrap your crayons or leave the wrapper on. It’s a matter of preference. You can leave the wrappers intact on remove them with a utility knife if you prefer the look of unwrapped crayons. Regardless, the crayons will melt either way.

Step 3

Hot glue the crayons at the top of the canvas in the order you prefer with the tips of the crayons facing downward. You may hot glue the crayons individually or place hot glue directly on the canvas. Tip Make sure to apply gentle pressure to the crayons with your hands, after applying them to canvas to help them stick. Allow a few minutes to dry before attempting to heat the wax.

Step 4

Prepare a work area for heating the wax. Expect that things will get messy.

Attach newspaper, garbage bags, or a drop cloth to the wall. Secure with masking tape or pins. This will protect your wall from splattering wax. Prop your canvas against the wall at a slight angle. Place a drop cloth, newspaper, or garbage bag directly under the canvas to catch melted wax to avoid contact with your floor.

Although this makes for a wonderful indoor art project, it can make a substantial mess. Don’t underestimate the amount of wax splatter, or you will be spending some time cleaning it up off the floor and your walls. Although it’s not particularly damaging, its not exactly what we’d call a fun time.

If you’re able, this DIY melted crayon project is also well-suited for the outdoors, making clean-up an absolute breeze.

Step 5

Prepare a cover for your umbrella silhouette. Measure the width and height of the silhouette and cut out a piece of construction paper, parchment paper, or cling wrap to cover the drawing. This cover will protect the umbrella silhouette from melted wax. Secure the cover with tape.

Step 6

You’re now ready to begin melting the wax! Plugin your hair dryer or heat gun, and gently move the heat back and forth across the crayons.

You’ll start to notice slight drips and streams in the beginning as the crayons begin to melt. Hold the heat so that you can direct the dripping wax in a path you’d like it to go.

If a stream is not moving, adjust your canvas to more of an angle, and apply heat to that stream. Continue to apply heat, creating a unique abstract art design with melted wax until you feel your artwork is complete.

There is no right or wrong way of creating your melted crayon art. As they always say, there are no mistakes in art, only room for creative opportunity, so don’t be nervous about having fun with this inclusive art project; that’s enjoyable for everyone! Don’t forget to sign your canvas and hang proudly in your home.

Melted Crayon Art Clean Up

Accidents happen. If you do happen to get some wax here and there, don’t worry. It’s an easy fix. Our protective garbage bag hangs thankfully caught a majority of the wax splatter; however, some of the melted wax managed to find its way onto the wood floor, easily removed with an all-purpose cleaner, then wiped away with paper towels.

If you accidentally get melted crayon wax on your floor or walls, wait for the wax to harden and gently scrape it off. To remove crayon residue from your wall, use an old toothbrush dipped in undiluted white vinegar to scrub away the stain. Or you can opt for a magic eraser. To remove from the floor use an all-purpose cleaner.

We recommend using an apron, especially if making melted crayon art with children. However, if you or your child get crayon on your clothes, don’t panic! To get a crayon stain out of clothing, use a handy mixture of baking soda and dish soap, preferably blue Dawn dish liquid. Scrub with a damp cloth or toothbrush. Wash the clothing in the washer using hot water along with your usual detergent and one cup of baking soda.

DIY melted crayon art is a fun and easy activity that is a blast for the entire family! Don’t let your feelings on your lack of artistic ability shy you away from this amazingly approachable DIY art project! Amaze yourself, family, and friends! They may even ask you to make one for them!