EXPLORING CRAYONS – Gradation, Sgraffito
Students explore colour mixing, gradation, sgraffito and impasto techniques using wax crayons.
Required Time
Grade Level
Subject
80 Minutes
Grade 3 to Grade 9
Art Techniques
Visual Arts
Materials
Toothpicks
Tissues
Crayons
Ruler
Pencil
White Paper
Shop Crayola Products
Crayons
Steps
Step One
Divide the paper into a grid using the width of your ruler as the thickness of each box. Draw 7
columns in each direction to make a grid with 49 boxes.
Step Two
Don't worry if the boxes are not perfect. This is just a place to explore how to work with wax
crayons.
Step Three
Choose a blue crayon and begin to colour in the bottom box applying heavy pressure.
Step Four
Continue to fill in each box in that column gradually changing the pressure from heavy to medium
to very light. Notice what happens to the colour. This is called gradation.
Step Five
Repeat the same thing in the next column. Once the blue is done, apply yellow on top of the blue.
Notice what happens to the colour.
Step Six
Continue in this way choosing colours that you like to work with. Fill 6 strips of colour. Next add a
thin strip of colour on either side of the columns. See what happens when you colour a contrasting
colour on top of the original colour.
Step Seven
In the last column add a different colour in each box. Press very hard so the colour is very thick
and bright. Try layering contrasting colours.
Step Eight
Now start adding thin columns on either side of each row like you did before. Use colours that you
like to work with and notice what happens as the same colour mixes with each new colour. Let the
colour flow out the top of the grid in some interesting way. This will help you to remember what
colour is on top of each column.
Step Nine
Use a black crayon to draw a line halfway along the top row – the last row you coloured. Fill in the
space with black crayon. Colour right over top of the other colours. Press hard so you get a
smooth, dark black layer.
Step Ten
Tape a toothpick to the end of a marker. This will make it easier to draw with. Use the toothpick to
scratch lines into the black crayon. This technique is called sgraffito.
Step Eleven
You can polish the final paper by rubbing it lightly with a soft tissue.
Learning Goals
Students will be able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Explore gradation, impasto and sgraffito using wax crayons;
Explore how to mix colours with wax crayons;
Build on their own and others’ discoveries to generate new ideas;
Explain their process; and
Express opinions about the works;
Extensions
Provide a variety of drawing challenges for students to work on in their sketchbooks, for example,
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Choose an animal to draw.
Draw the outline (contour) of all the details.
Colour the lightest areas with a light coloured crayon, yellow for example.
Colour the shadowed areas with a dark coloured crayon, purple, for example.
Press your finger where the two colours meet and gently rub until they blend together.
Prepare
1. Place students in groups so they can share the crayons.
2. Spread newspaper on tables for easy clean up.
3. Make a sample. (This doesn't have to be complete, but should give a general idea of what you are expecting.)
Introduction
1. Explain what wax crayons are – drawing tools made with pigment (the colours) and wax.
2. Explain that wax crayons are popular with children and adult artists because they are a good drawing tool that makes it easy to learn how to
draw and paint.
3. You may want to show students the work of Don Marco – crayon artist.
Marco
4. Ask students to share some of the ways they know how to use wax crayons.
5. Explain that today's class is for exploring different ways to use wax crayons so that they will be able to get the most out of them when they make
pictures and designs.
6. Introduce the challenge.
Activities
The Challenge
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Create different gradations of colour using wax crayons.
Experiment with sgraffito technique.
Experiment with impasto technique.
Explain your process.
Express opinions about your own and others' works.
The Process
1. Show your sample and explain the challenge.
2. Demonstrate each technique.
3. Encourage students to notice how much pressure they are applying as they experiment with different techniques.
Sharing
1. Have students work with a partner or in small groups.
2. Ask them to:
- Discuss the effects of pressure on the end result.
- Talk about the effects of superimposing colours to make new colours.
- Compare the exercises and describe to each other what they did to get certain effects.
- Consider how doing this exercise might help them if they were creating a picture.