Monday

GETTING TO THE POINT (How to sharpen a Crayola Crayon)

Here’s a tip for all of you who want to step up your fine art coloring experience. Maintaining a sharp point on a crayon is fundamental for creating detail with crayons.
I find that when the crayon becomes blunt, I tend to get impatient and frustrated. When this happens, I begin to get careless and hurried! It is important to know when, where and how to use the point of a crayon. You might look at it as selecting the right brush or tool for your painting.

Some helpful hints for a sharp point:
1. Purchase a good (pencil or makeup) sharpener that cuts smoothly and does not get stuck because the opening is too small.
2.Turning the crayon slightly as you draw will wear the point evenly and cause it to last longer.
3. A sharp point will last longer with light hand pressure.
4. Begin coloring in the key areas where a fine point is needed, then move to the less particular areas.
5. To refresh or fine tune the tip, try dragging and turning the point on a scratch sheet of paper until the point is sharp again.

Constant sharpening will form a good habit and will ultimately develop a skill into an automatic response of a disciplined crayon artist.

P.S. Be sure to check back because my next topic will be “How to hold the crayon”.