Watercolor crayons are versatile art tools that combine the ease of crayons with the fluid effects of watercolor paint. Essentially, you apply the crayon to paper and then add water to create a watercolor effect.
Here's a breakdown of how to use them:
Steps for Using Watercolor Crayons
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Draw Your Image: Start by sketching your image directly onto watercolor paper or another suitable surface that can handle water. Use the watercolor crayons as you would regular crayons to create your drawing. You can layer colors and apply varying degrees of pressure for different effects.
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Activate with Water: This is where the magic happens! Use a wet paintbrush to go over the crayon marks. The water will dissolve the pigment, transforming the crayon lines into watercolor washes.
- Vary Water Amount: Experiment with different amounts of water. More water creates lighter, more transparent washes, while less water results in richer, more concentrated color.
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Blend and Layer: Use the wet brush to blend the colors together and create smooth transitions. You can also layer colors by allowing the first layer to dry before adding more crayon and water.
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Create Details: For finer details, use a smaller brush with less water to carefully control the blending. You can also lift color by blotting with a clean, damp brush or paper towel to create highlights.
Tips and Techniques
- Paper Choice: Watercolor paper is ideal because it's designed to withstand water without buckling or warping. Mixed media paper can also work.
- Experiment: Try different techniques, such as dry brushing (applying crayon to dry paper and then lightly wetting it) or lifting color (removing wet color with a clean brush or paper towel).
- Clean Your Brush: Rinse your brush frequently to avoid muddying your colors.
- Mixing Colors: You can mix colors directly on the paper by layering crayons and then activating them with water, or you can mix them on a palette and then apply them with a brush.
- Fixing Mistakes: While the watercolor is still wet, you can often lift color with a clean, damp brush or paper towel to correct mistakes. Once it's dry, it's more difficult to remove.
- Vary Pressure: Applying more pressure with the crayon will result in more intense color when water is added. Lighter pressure creates more subtle washes.
- Use as Underpainting: Watercolor crayons work well for creating underpaintings for other mediums.
Watercolor crayons provide a fun and convenient way to explore the world of watercolor painting. With a little practice, you can achieve a wide range of effects and create beautiful works of art.
