The main substance used to make a crayon is wax, usually paraffin wax. Manufacturers heat the wax, mix in colored pigments, and pour the blend into molds, where it cools into the familiar solid stick.
Paraffin wax is derived mainly from petroleum and is useful because it melts when heated but becomes firm and durable at room temperature. It also holds pigment well, allowing crayons to produce smooth, brightly colored marks. Other ingredients may be added to adjust hardness, texture, shine, or washability, but wax remains the primary base of an ordinary children’s crayon.
The idea of combining wax and pigment is ancient. Encaustic artists in the ancient Mediterranean used heated beeswax mixed with pigments and then fixed the artwork with heat. Modern classroom crayons developed much later, especially in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In 1903, Binney & Smith introduced Crayola crayons, helping popularize the familiar wax crayon worldwide.
A common mix-up is confusing crayons with pastels or oil pastels. Traditional pastels use dry pigment and a gum-like binder, while oil pastels contain oil along with wax. Specialized art crayons can also use different materials, but standard wax crayons are primarily made from wax.