Turning Markers Into Watercolor Paint

So having melted your crayons into new and fun shapes you may be looking for new techniques to try with crayon drawings.  A favorite is crayon resist.  Children are encouraged to make nice dark marks with their crayons, creating a thick layer of the colored wax on the paper.  Watercolors are then used to paint over and around the crayon designs.  

The beauty of this technique is the way the wax resists the water so the bright crayon lines show through the paint.  Dramatic effects can be created with dark paint around bright colors.  Kids also delight in using a white crayon to create a secret picture that is only revealed when paint is added. Any watercolor will work - in keeping with our green focus for April - below is a method to use dried up markers to create liquid watercolors.

Begin by collecting dried and almost dry markers - the ones that are used up and not really working any more.  For the sake of safety and washability with kids, use watercolor and washable markers designed for use by children.  Use a pair of pliers to open up the plastic cases and pull out the filament inside the marker.  These may feel dry or may be still wet with color so rubber gloves might be good here.  Group the markers by color and put several in a small jar half filled with water.  Allow them to sit overnight and the remaining color in the marker will drain out into the water, creating a liquid watercolor paint.  If the paint seems t0o light, add more markers or allow it to sit out for a day so some of the water will evaporate.  If colors seem too dense, just add more water.  Discard the marker filaments once they are drained of pigment.

This paint can be stored in small jars and works well for young children because it is so fluid.  Paint over and around crayon drawings and watch the bright crayon colors pop through the watery paint.  Liquid watercolor can also be quite beautiful painted on large coffee filters or used as a stain on unfinished wood.  Try sprinkling salt over the wet watercolor and see what designs it creates - most of all have fun experimenting and using recycled crayons and markers.