Here's a simple, quick DIY project that all ages can have fun with - and all you need is a white crayon, watercolors, and some paper! First, the crayon is used to draw a design, and then watercolor paint is brushed over the wax drawing. The paint resists sticking to the wax (wax-resist!) which leaves it standing out against the bright paint. Use this method to make your own Naw Rúz or Ayyám-i-Há cards, and each of your loved ones will be able to enjoy a unique piece of artwork too.
To get started, you'll need:
- A white crayon or oil pastel
- Paper (watercolor paper is best, but a heavyweight white drawing paper will work too)
- Watercolors (this demo uses a simple set of Crayola watercolors!)
- A paint brush
- Water
1. Prepare your paper: You can keep the paper full size if you're making a larger painting, or cut it into smaller pieces to make cards.
2. Draw a design using white crayon or oil pastel on your paper. Don't be afraid to push hard on the paper for this part. The wax needs to transfer to the paper so that when you paint over it, there's enough wax to repel the paint.
3. Use your paintbrush to collect a bit of paint, and a generous amount of water. You'll want the brush to be pretty wet - again, so that the wax can repel the paint properly.
4. Brush the paint lightly over the crayon drawing. The lighter, the better. You just want to add the color without rubbing the crayon too much, to get the most defined lines possible.
Mix colors and experiment! This project is easy enough to do over and over, and it's totally child-appropriate to involve any little ones in your life. You could even try drawing secret messages or designs for children which they can paint over and discover - share your creations in the comments!
