Mini Crayon Art Works

Colour is what crayons are all about and what better way to show off the multiply colours of crayons than to create mini pieces of modern art with their own round picture frames.

These frames can also be used to display a coin collection - perhaps from a holiday to a distant land. The mini 'masterpieces' are created by melting crayon in the cut off base of aluminum beverage cans.

• Crayons
• Aluminum Beer or Soda cans
• Blu Tack
• Black card
• Paper tissue
• Coins to display (optional)

Tools:

• Gas lighter - a BBQ lighter is ideal
• Long nose pliers
• Cotton gloves (optional - I didn't use any)
• Box cutter
• Scissors

• Cut off the base of an Aluminum beverage can using a box cutter.
• Trim the edge with a pair of scissors so it is nice and smooth with no jagged bits.

• Cut off some slivers of crayon and place in the up turned base of the aluminum beverage can bottom.
• Hold on to the mini aluminum dish shape with some long nose pilers.
• Heat the slivers of crayon through the aluminum using a BBQ gas lighter held under it, until the crayon melts.
• Experiment with different coloured crayons to create amazing art pieces.

Melt a solid colour of crayon in a can end, as the crayon wax is setting, sprinkle on some grated crayon of a different colour.

Hold the aluminum 'canvas' with some long nose pilers to prevent your fingers getting burnt while melting the crayon with the BBQ lighter. You may like to wear some gloves if you are worried about getting hot fingers, although I didn't have a problem. Should you burn your fingers, the first aid treatment is to place them straight away under a running cold water tap for five minutes.

Experiment with different colours and ways of melting the crayons. Be creative.

When using the BBQ gas lighter under the aluminum to melt the crayons, a layer of black soot is likely to form. Remove this by rubbing it with a paper tissue.

The finished mini 'Masterpieces' can be displayed on black card by attaching them with Blu tack.

To get a thicker layer a crayon around the aluminum base and hence a thicker, more solid colour, move the melted crayon around is a circular motion as it sets.

Coins can be displayed by embedding them in melted crayon. This is a good way to display a set of currency and to study individual coins - which are mini art works in themselves. Should a coin fall out, just fix it back in with a little blu tack.

A couple of the coin display pieces can be joined back to back with a length of sellotape to make a drink coaster - suitable to hold an espresso cup.