What Happened Crayola?!?

I posted on TikTok the other day about my experience with Crayola as of late.  It popped off big time!! Currently has 19,500 views, almost 1000 likes, and close to 400 comments. So obviously it struck a nerve with art teachers, teachers, and parents!!!  

Have you noticed how easily they snap, crumble, and the wrappers fall off?!?! 

WHAT IN THE WORLD??

Crayola has always been the best in crayon, marker, and colored pencil, but seem to be cutting corners & embracing shrinkflation!!! The crayons are my main issue at the moment, but many others expressed the markers are drying out & the colored pencils are losing their lead and challenging to sharpen. 

I just switched schools this year, and had to buy all new crayons at the back to school sales.  At my old school I was still living off of crayons I had purchased several years back.  I had not noticed a change till this year, but many had said they've noticed it the past couple years.  

Where do we go if not to Crayola?  What brand will rise up and do better?

Crayola #2 Pencils: RIP

 I have been a HUGE fan of Crayola's # 2 pencils since I first came across them at Dollar Tree several years ago.  They last longer than the former best pencil out there (which has really become one of my least favorite pencils because of the quality & price!).  I looked at ordering more after running out at the end of last year, but did not see them.  After looking at several places, I decided to write Crayola and see what was going on.  They said they actually discontinued them fall of 2023!  AHHH!!!!!!  Heart broken! 

Dandelion Dup

Colors of Kindness has two dups for Dandelion.

The center is the original Dandelion. Top is regular Yellow from a "normal" box of 24.  To the right is Banana Mania. At the bottom is Hello Sunshine. Though I would love Dandelion to return, the two from Colors of Kindness are pretty good. 

TESTING CRAYOLA SPECIALTY CRAYONS FROM DOLLAR TREE

As an art teacher and a dad, I was curious to all the specialty Crayola Crayons in stock at Dollar Tree.  Some I had experience with, but most I had never used before.  I wanted to test them to see if they were really  something I'd purchase for my students or my own kids.

WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER

BOLD & BRIGHT

Crayola's first version of construction paper crayons were good, but they leaned more towards pastel/muted tones. Sargent came out with their own version that was really wonderful.  The colors were truer & came in a wider range.  The Bold & Bright version of Crayola's construction paper crayons are really wonderful.  The 8 pack(what is available at Dollar Tree) is nice, but the 24 pack offers so many colors that are truly beautiful & work so well together.  

PEARL & PASTEL

I liked both the Pearl & Pastel crayons.  I'm not sure I'd say they are MUST HAVE's, but they would be nice editions.  The colors are nice & I feel they deliver on what they claim to be! 

NEON

The neon are just ok.  I think kids would enjoy them.  However, the color does not go down as well as regular colors & they really are a niche selection with limited use in most works of art.  

CONFETTI, METALLIC, GLITTER

Save your money!  I don't really get the Confetti crayons at all?! The ones that actually show other colors present kind of make mud.  The ones where the color doesn't show up just look like regular crayons. So why bother?  The Metallic & Glitter both have very little sparkle.  If you hold the paper just right in the perfect light, maybe.  Once again...why bother? Your money can be spent else where(like on the Bold & Bright!).  

Don't take my word for it...go to Dollar Tree and pick you up the ones you are curious about. You may love the ones I didn't?!? 

(One last test...all on black paper.)

Crayola at Wendy's!

So yesterday I took my 3 kids to Wendy's to spend some quality time enjoying a Frosty.  THAT WAS MY ONLY REASON FOR GOING TO WENDY'S.....REALLY!!! (wink wink)  

I was so impressed!  NOW THIS IS A KID'S MEAL TOY!!!  It comes with 3 colors related to the container (here you see red violet, blue violet, and purple), and it comes with an activity sheet that goes along with that theme!  HOW FUN!  I was really hoping yellow would contain dandelion, but it did not (yellow, yellow green, yellow orange).  I feel like they missed an opportunity there! ha ha 

 

Crayola Creativity Week

 There are some great things to check out during Crayola Creativity Week!! This would be wonderful for home school families or school with out art teachers.  Check it out.  Link below! 

https://creativity-week.squarespace.com/

Crayola’s Colors of the World Colored Pencils

OH MY!!!!!!!!

My wife called me from Wal-Mart, and told me she found Crayola Colors of the World Colored Pencils for only $1.  YES...$1!  She asked me how many I wanted.  ALL OF THEM! ha ha I'm not sure if your local Wal-Mart will have them for that price, but it is worth a look.  

 

Crayola creatED Writing Art-Inspired Stories Pre-K-2nd

 As a  "THANK YOU" for participating in a recent Webinar with Crayola, they sent me several products to try out.  I received their Crayola creatED series!  I have three children (ages 6, 9, and 11) are the target ages to try out these boxes by Crayola.  For our first project I had them work together using the lesson found in the pre-K - 2nd box. 

The hardest part of this lesson was having my kids agree on a theme for their story! ha ha  Unicorns, Llamas, and Godzilla would have made for a very interesting adventure, but they finally agreed on creating a story about our cat, Ali.  They talked about different ideas of what she could do in their story, and decided to have her home alone and getting into trouble.  

(Bonus points if you can tell me the segment of the story that was originally Godzilla! ha ha)

THE END

ps...I do like the boxes!  They have the product and easy to follow lesson plans.  The lessons are connected with the national art standards and pull in cross curricular elements. They have Writing, Math, and STEAM.  The price point (last time I looked) was $19.95.  If you are home schooling, a parent dealing the teaching your child at home during the pandemic, or just wanting a fun arty activity to do for family time....I think they are great!  

Crayola Brush & Ultra Fine Markers: Product Review

Crayola Gel Pen: Product Review

I have wanted to try gel pens for awhile now. Check out my review of Crayola's Gel Pens. 

 I'd also love to hear tips, tricks, and how you use them in your art!  Leave a comment & let me know!!

Crayola Take Note! Supply Review

If you journal...these might be for you!! 

Check out my review of Crayola's TAKE NOTE! products.  

Testing Out Crayola Washable Color Glue

Check out this product & project!

Crayola Webinar!!

Join me next week!!! I just discovered Crayola was doing these...and now I get to be a part of the fun!!!! (ps..They called me a teacher influencer...I never said that....that was their words...I'm just an art teacher walking the same road we all are!)  https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_X9bVOQfoTqm7G5_I5Gkpgw?platform=hootsuite&utm_SeptTW=hootsuite

Art Supply Review: Target's Up & Up vs Crayola

I will say that there there is for sure a difference with some of the supplies, but

 different isn't always bad! Check out my review...and know before your buy.

 

Crayola Colors of the World

Have you seen the Colors of the World crayons by Crayola?  I’m so happy that there are more flesh tone options. I have children from all over the world at my school...and the smaller packs of skin colors just was not sufficient. I still feel that we need more options, but this is a step in the right direction! 

Have you tried them out yet? What are your thoughts? 

 

Pinch Pots: 1st Grade

My 1st graders created pinch pots with texture on the exterior.  I do not glace, and each year I do different things in regards to painting.  I've used watercolor, tempera, acrylic, crayon with a black ink dip......a little bit of everything.  This year I used Pearl It! by Crayola.  I've had it for awhile, but never tired it on anything.  I LOVE IT!!  I allowed the students to select a liquid watercolor to tint the Pearl It!  They look wonderful.  Just a little color...and a little shine.  It doesn't distract from the clay work the students did.  

Construction Paper Crayons Review

One of my students who recently found my YouTube channel encouraged me to do a product review! He was excited to try the new Sargent Art Construction Paper Crayons out....but was wondering how they were different than the Crayola Construction Paper Crayons we had been using for several years.  So...here ya go!  I hope you find this helpful when you consider ordering construction paper crayons in the future.  

BRING BACK DANDELION

I received my first box of Crayola Crayons today that did not contain Dandelion(It was a Christmas present from one of my students! SO SWEET!)  I have to admit though...I was extremely sad when I opened the box and no longer saw Dandelion in the mix.  The absence is really pretty glaring.  You see a variety of reds, oranges, blues, & green, but there is just one bright yellow looking back.  I'm not hating on the only remaining yellow, but it does not have the depth & versatility that Dandelion possessed.  I'm not hating on Bluetiful.  It is a fine blue, though be it a bit redundant in the box of 24.  We already have blues, and Bluetiful does not have a huge distinction from some of the others included.  It is a bit darker than the others, but with 5 blues in a box of 24...we could have done without.  Why could they have not gotten rid of green-yellow (the extremely bright color that colors more like the bright yellow than any type of green).  Crayola, I love your crayons....you truly are the only brand for me, my own children, and my students.  However, this was a terrible mistake on your part.  There is no shame in changing your mind!  You can bring back Dandelion.
The whole art education community would thank you!!

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT IF YOU AGREE!!  IF YOU ARE ON TWITTER...RETWEET MY POST ABOUT THIS!!! ( @ArtWithMrE )

COLORED PENCIL: CRAYOLA vs FABER CASTELL

I know elementary art teachers that are not fans of colored pencils in their classrooms.  I however...LOVE THEM!!!  This year I purchased some 12 Pack Faber-Castell & some 12 & 24 Pack Crayola.  Lets look at the two brands side by side.

We see some differences right away between Faber-Castell & Crayola.  Faber-Castell uses a triangular design for their pencil...which is nice for preventing pencils rolling off the table(common elementary issue).  The other difference you notice quickly is the colors in their 12 packs.  Faber-Castell does not include white(totally good with that!!).  It also includes peach & silver.  Crayola does have white, and includes a red orange.  Both companies(ARE YOU READING THIS???)....WHY DON'T YOU INCLUDE GRAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I could do without silver & white...the need for them is not great.  Elementary kids want gray!!  THEY NEED GRAY!!!!  Lets count the ways we need gray...rocks, buildings, old people's hair, kitties named Smokey, gray houses, sidewalks...and on and on!  PLEASE HEAR MY PLEA FOR GRAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is the Crayola 24 Pack....and it has GRAY!!!  I actually really like the color options in this pack of colored pencils, but my budget doesn't always allow for me to purchase the bigger pack.  I do wish it had a light version of gray...this one is on the dark side.  

This is the side by side for the 12 packs.  I found it interesting that the only major difference was between the violet in the two brands.  Faber-Castell is clearly a red violet & Crayola is clearly a blue violet.  I'll also say that Faber-Castell's red & Crayola's red orange are closely related.

SO THERE YA GO!!  I like both brands...I feel they hold up about the same  & the color is about the same richness.  You know how some of the cheaper brands have harder leads which equal a lighter color.  We all have our favorites...but with color pencils...I like both!!!

Crayola Dry Erase Crayons

Our "arts" director sent us a video link that showed that you can use Crayola's new Dry Erase Crayons on aluminum foil.  After doodling this flower on the foil...I starting thinking about the classroom application of such a project.  I think creating a medieval unit....with a coat of arms as one of the lessons...would be a great use of the product.  The major problem is that they are pricey.  The ones I found were just under $4.  Obtaining a class set would be a pricey venture.  Maybe they price will come down?!