How to Make a “Vanishing Crayons” Box To perform the “Vanishing Crayons” trick, you’ll need to modify an exis ng jumbo crayon box. Over the years, the manufacturers of Crayola crayons have altered the design of their boxes frequently. From the 1960s through the 1980s, the box had a flap which could be opened and closed. When in the open posi on, only the top third of the crayons could be seen. This style of box is what you must recreate in order to perform the “Vanishing Crayons.” First, purchase (at least) two jumbo crayon boxes. The Jumbo Crayons are available on many websites including this one: h p://www.crayolastore.com/product/12863 In 2013, the box design looks like the one pictured here. Excluding the green hanger, it measures 5” x 5¼”. Those are not the ps of the crayons you see in the picture. That is an illustra on of the ps of the crayons — printed on the box! So, from a distance, they look like actual crayons. Confusing for the audience! This is why you need to create a flap that does not include this illustra on. Fig. 1 Instruc ons to make the box and apply the templates 1. Print out the last two pages of this document with the templates of the Box Template and the Flap Template. Use a shiny paper like a photograph paper to give the final product a finished look. The artwork is based on the crayon box design from the 1980s when I made my first box. 2. Take one crayon box, and if there is “hanger,” cut off the green cardboard hanger tab that is used to hang the crayons on a display. 3. Remove the crayons from the box. Cut out the Box Template on page 4 of this document. Use a cra knife with a razor sharp edge and a ruler to be precise. 4. Fold the Box Template along the two faint ver cal gray lines. 5. Place the template on the face of the box. Line up the bo om edge of the template with the bo om edge of the box. Use the curve of the template as a guide to draw a curved line on the box. (Shown in red) 6. Remove template. Use cra knife to cut along the curved line you made on the box. Discard the half‐moon shaped piece and the 5” x ½” rectangular folding flap that is the top of the box. Fig. 2 7. Glue the template to the face of the box. Be sure the curve of the template is aligned with the curve you cut in the box. Fold the right and le edges along the gray lines and glue them to the sides of the box. I highly recommend using a spray mount glue, applying it to the backside of the template. (Con nued >>) 1 How to Make a “Vanishing Crayons” Box (Page 2) 8. Next, you’re going to use the second box to make the cardboard flap. The flap needs to be a li le bit larger than the half moon‐shaped cutout you made in the first box so it stays tucked in when you close the flap over the box. Fig. 3 9. First, cut out the Flap Template on page 3. Place it on top of your other crayon box. Be sure to align the horizontal gray lines that border the green bar with the top edge of the box. (Fig. 3) 10. Again, use the curve of the template as a guide to draw an arc on the box. (Shown in red on Fig. 3) Fig. 4 11. With a cra knife, cut along the arc. (Fig. 4) 12. Cut along the top le edge and top right edge of the top rectangle of the box (green bar that says CRAYOLA SO BIG CRAYONS) as well as about 1/2” along the back edges of the box. 13. When you are done, you should remove a piece from the box that will become your Cardboard Flap. It will look like this (Fig. 5). It should be the same size as the Flap Template. Fig. 5 14. Now it’s me to cover up that distrac ng artwork. Apply glue the backside of the Flap Template and place it over the Cardboard Flap. Adhere the two items together (Fig. 6). 15. Glue the orange sec on of the Cardboard Flap to the back of the box being sure that the top edge of the box folds over properly (Fig 7). Most importantly, be sure that the flap is now long enough so that it will tuck under the opening of the new box. If it doesn’t you can “extend” it by taping some transparent tape to the edge of the curved sec on of the flap. Fig. 6 8 CRAYOLA JUMBO CRAYONS 8 Fig. 7 16. Make the Crayon Fake described in the Explana on sec on on Disc 1. Insert it into the box. Be sure that the Crayon Fake slides easily up and down inside the box. Make minor adjustments to the box as necessary such as tearing out the two, small, ½” x ½” brown/orange cardboard flaps a ached to the sides of the box. Also make sure the bo om of the box is sealed ght with a piece of transparent tape so the Crayon Fake doesn’t fall out! Glue this section of flap to back of box.
Copyright © 2013 Danny Orleans (Con nued >>) 2 Flap Template CRAYOLO BIG BIG CRAYONS 8
JUMBO
Crayolo
CRAYONS
The BIG crayon
for little fingers
NON-TOXIC
(Con nued >>) 3 Box Template 8
JUMBO
Crayolo
CRAYONS
The BIG crayon
for little fingers
NON-TOXIC
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