Step 1: Gather Your Supplies
Start your crayon drawing extravaganza by gathering all your necessary supplies. A good crayon drawing requires some materials, namely a few high-quality crayons, a sharpener, and a few sheets of paper. Collect these supplies, and make sure you have the colors you want to use.
Step 2: Decide What to Draw
Once you have your supplies ready to go, it’s time to decide what to draw. You could go with something traditional, like a still life of a bowl of fruit, or be creative and draw something from your dreams. Give yourself some ideas, pick a subject and then move on to sketching it out.
Step 3: Sketch Out Your Drawing
Now that you have a concept in mind, it’s time to sketch your drawing. With crayons, it’s better to start with a rough sketch, rather than trying to draw your final piece right away. Develop the sketch by adding soft lines, working out the colors and getting an idea of where you’d like to place highlights and shadows.
Step 4: Start Adding Color
Once you have a respectable sketch, you can start to add color to your drawing. Choose your colors carefully and think about what you’re shading and how. With crayons, the colors should be applied gently and with multiple layers for the best result. Use a light touch and build the colors up slowly.
Step 5: Develop Highlights and Shadows
Now that the colors are applied, look closely at your drawing and determine which sections need shadows and highlights. Using your lighter and darker crayons, pick out any areas where you want to add highlights or shadows, then build up the color slowly and gently.
Step 6: Add Final Details
After adding the highlights and shadows, it’s time to add your finishing details and make your drawing look like a true masterpiece. Take some time to look through your drawing and decide which areas could benefit from small, detailed changes. Add any finishing details that you think will further enhance the drawing.
Step 7: Evaluate and Sign
The penultimate step to creating your crayon beauty is to evaluate and sign your work. Take a step back, arm’s length away, and look at the drawing objectively. Are you satisfied with the end result? Does it deliver on your expectations and ideas? If yes, you can sign and date the drawing, adding your own personal seal of approval.
Step 8: Show and Tell
The final step in your crayon journey is to showcase your drawing. Find the perfect place to display your creation. Hang it up on the wall, put it on the fridge, display it on a mini easel, or give it as a gift. There are so many options, so go wild and show off your artistic piece with pride.
Life Hack: Save Your Crayon Bits
A helpful hint when it comes to drawing with crayons is that you don’t have to discard the bits you’ve sharpened off. You can collect the shavings, mix it with a few drops of water and oil and remelt it into a DIY new crayon. This can save you money and also make sure you have enough of the right colors without breaking the bank.
Tips to Consider
When drawing with crayons, remember to take it slow and be patient. As with any type of drawing or art, there will be a learning curve. Be gentle with the crayons and avoid pressing harder than necessary. Also, keep in mind that crayons are meant to be used for drawing and not for writing on paper.
Be Prepared for Mistakes
Finally, remember that practice makes perfect and don’t be disheartened by mistakes. Drawing with crayons is not an exact science and there will be some mistakes made along the way. Learn from these mistakes, move on and come back smarter and more prepared.
Making Use of Technology
In this day and age, drawing with crayons doesn’t mean you can’t use technology as well. Digital drawing tablets and programs such as Adobe Illustrator and Corel Painter can be used with crayons to give your drawing a digital twist. This can help add special effects and allow you to further enhance your crayon drawing experience.
Alternative Ways to Organize Your Crayons
Besides just opening up the box and picking out your crayons, there are other creative ways to organize your crayons. Think outside the box and find a way to arrange your color palette in an artful and thought-provoking way. Take a photo of the process or a copy of the final work to share your ideas with the world.
Experimenting with Different Paper Types
Finally, don’t forget to experiment with different types of paper to draw on. Crayon drawings look amazing on simple pieces of paper, but don’t be afraid to use textures or different types of paper like parchment, watercolor paper, or even a canvas surface. These are just a few ideas to get the creative juices flowing and help you make the most of your crayon drawing experience.
