ScrawlrTips
Marabu Art Crayons
Featured In / December 2020 ScrawlrBox
We realise you may have never seen or used products like this before so we have put together a few hints, tips and techniques to test out and get the best from these supplies.
These Art Crayons are buttery-smooth, wax-based soft pastels in a sturdy, fully-loaded retractable holder with an ergonomic grip and a clear protective cap. They are a versatile medium, suitable for a variety of fine art and mixed media work. They work well on raw or primed surfaces such as paper, canvas, fabric or wood. They produce a vivid, lightfast pigment and are water-soluble so can also be used to create seamless blends and washes and are wipe-resistant after 24 hours. These crayons are a highly forgiving art product that you can work with in tons of ways, working and reworking to your creative heart’s content. It is a product that encourages play and experimentation, so you can let your experimentations run a little wild
Things To Try...
~ Marabu Art Crayons are extremely versatile. They can be used directly like oil pastels, smudged with your fingers, they blend easily and they are also water-soluble so you can create mixes and washes to your hearts content.
~ If you need a more precise nib on your crayon you can sharpen the pigment into a point, by carefully shaving the sides down using a knife (ask for supervision if you need it). You can then use the crayon for more exact line work... But be sure to keep the shavings. They can be used to make finger marks and smudges, they can be pressed into your paper directly to create intense, pigmented texture, or you can combine them with water to mix a watery paste. This can then be applied with a paint brush or you can use interesting materials to create a stamp like effect (try dipping some bubble-wrap or dried foliage into the paste... or anything that you think would add an interesting texture to your work).
~ You can also use the shavings of your crayons to mix an entirely new colour. Just add the shavings into a mixing palette and add a water.
~ Take a look at some classic Expressionist artists for some inspiration. A few artists to browse are Edvard Munch, Wassily Kandinsky, Emil Nolde, Franz Marc and Max Beckmann (and of course, there are so many more to discover).
Notes From The Artist
Marta Betlej
Take inspiration from all around you. You can paint from nature, you can also open your favourite fashion magazine. There are tons of cool pictures and images you can paint from.
Look at a face reference with narrowed eyes. This will eliminate the detail and you will be able to see where the light and dark shades are. Can you see the colours?
The portraits do not have to reflect what you see in real life. That’s what photographs are for. Take a look at the portraits of Matisse and you will understand what I mean.
Be confident. Dip the brush in water, mix a few colours, don’t be afraid. Watercolour does not like hesitation. Start with an outline, an oval of the face, a storm of curls, eyes, lips, lead the line of the nose. Splash a little paint and create something that reflects the way you feel right now.
Most importantly, find your style. Remember to exercise your imagination and art skills. It may be difficult to waste one page, and another one, and another, but how else can you learn and improve your style?