This Crayon Art is a great thing to make around Halloween time.

* When there is an asterisk on the step name the step should be completed by an adult or with adult supervision *

Step 1: Gather Your Supplies

Supplies you will need for this project are:

8x10 inch canvas
Construction Paper (or old newspapers/magazines)
4 crayons
Heavy-duty tape roll (or painters tape, masking tape)
Hairdryer* (125 VAC, 60 Hz, 1875 Watt)
Hot glue gun (glue gun instructions)*
Glue gun glue sticks
Pair of scissors
Power cord and/or power strip*

* Make sure there is an outlet around you so that you are able to plug-in your hairdryer, hot glue gun, and/or your extension cord

- Before you begin, make sure you have enough table space to work on about eight cubic feet.

Step 2: Peel & Break Your Crayons

Place a few pieces of construction paper under the canvas. Placing the construction paper prevents any stains on the surface you're working on if crayons were to slip off. Recall that you may use another base other than construction paper (i.e. old newspapers or old magazines that you don't mind ruining)

Pick out desired crayon colors (you will need about 4 crayons) and peel the paper off the crayons(picture on left). After peeling your crayons, break the crayons into about 4 equal pieces by snapping(picture on right).

Step 3: Cut Your Tape*

Cut square shapes of tape approximately 1x1 inches. You will then cut diagonally down the middle from the corner to the opposite corner to create two triangle-shaped pieces that are approximately the same size(picture on left).

Repeat this step 2 more times until you have 6 triangle-shaped pieces of tape

The first two triangles will serve as the eyes, one will serve as the nose and three for the mouth of the jack-o-lantern in our finished product(picture on right). Firmly press on tape when putting on canvas.

Step 4: Plug-in Hot Glue Gun*

Reference your hot glue gun manual for instructions on safe usage.

Plug-in hot glue gun and let it sit 3-5 minutes before use. Place one glue stick in when glue gun is ready per glue gun directions

Step 5: Place Crayons on Canvas*

Take your hot glue gun and place a very small amount (about the size of a grain of rice(picture on right)) on the canvas. You will then grab a piece of crayon and quickly place it on the glue or else glue will dry. Apply light pressure for about two seconds when placing your crayon on the canvas. Make sure to not place glue on the tape itself. Reference picture on the left to see how far apart to glue crayon pieces. The tape is outlined in black.

Repeat this step until all your crayon pieces are used or until satisfied with the number of crayons on the canvas.

Step 6: Plug-in Hair Dryer*

Once you are done gluing all of your crayons to the canvas you may unplug your hot glue gun. Then plug in your hairdryer.

Step 7: Melting Crayons*

Before melting crayons, make sure that the construction paper is still under your canvas. Placing the construction paper prevents any stains on the surface you're working on if crayons were to slip off.

Blowdown on canvas making sure to heat all crayon pieces holding the hairdryer about 1 foot above the canvas(picture on left). If you hold the hairdryer too close to the canvas the crayons may roll around when they start to melt. If a piece were to roll off it may be hot so use caution when picking it up and placing it back on the canvas. Hold hair dryer to blow melted wax on the canvas leaving the corners of the canvas white as much as possible to emphasize the jack-o-lantern shape.

Do not turn the blow dryer up so it blows tape off. Make sure the hairdryer is on high heat. This step will take approximately 10-15 minutes(Pictures on right).

Step 8: Find the Eyes, Nose, & Mouth*

Find the outline of the tape underneath the melted crayon by looking closely and peel it off. Grab your scissors leg and go underneath the tape and lift up to remove the tape(picture on right). Do this step within the first couple of minutes of turning off the blow dryer. If crayons are not solid, do this step carefully.

Step 9: Admire Your Creation

Let the canvas cool off for approximately 5-10 minutes. Then admire your creation.

Introduction: Abstract Jack-O-Lantern