Why are crayons called crayons and not oil painting sticks?

When it comes to crayons, they are undoubtedly familiar to everyone, as they are an essential drawing tool in childhood art classes. Even children who love watching cartoons may encounter "Crayon Shin-chan." Although it's a different type of crayon, the term "crayon" has left a lasting impression on many. It seems that in our minds, crayons have always been readily available since birth. So how did crayons come about? What is their evolutionary process?

According to a report by Fox News, archaeologists discovered crayons used for painting by ancient people in Britain, dating back approximately ten thousand years.

Firstly, let's clarify what a crayon is and why it's called a crayon. A crayon is a pen made by mixing pigments with wax, where the wax and pigment are fused and solidified, hence the name "crayon." Crayons are mainly used for children's painting, so they are often called children's crayons. Crayons lack permeability and rely on adhesion to fixate on the canvas, making them unsuitable for very smooth paper or boards, nor can they achieve composite colors through repeated layering.

The birthplace of crayons is Europe, where the first "crayons" were initially made from a mixture of carbon black and oil; later, various powdered pigments replaced carbon black, creating crayons of different colors. Strictly speaking, they are neither "crayons" nor oil pastels but rather tools for marking. Later discoveries revealed that using wax instead of oil in the mixture made processing easier and resulted in a more durable product.

In 1864, the Englishman Joseph W. Binney founded the Peekskill Chemical Company in New York, mainly producing products such as carbon black and rust-red pigments. In 1900, the company successfully developed slate pencils for students; shortly after, they developed dustless chalk, which was highly welcomed by teachers at the time, winning a gold medal at the St. Louis World's Fair. At this time, the company found that some industrial markers were very popular on campus, but these markers were made of carbon black and toxic substances harmful to children. Therefore, after much consideration, they decided to develop affordable, high-quality, and safe colored crayons for children.

In 1903, Edward Binney and Harold Smith jointly invented colored crayons. The first children's crayons were born. However, traditional crayons have always left the impression of being messy, crumbly, uneven in color, and poor in texture. With the advancement of technology and the increasing demand for materials over time, the production techniques for crayons have also continued to innovate.

Crayons have continuously undergone improvements with the progress of time, addressing various aspects such as softening point, strength, and texture, resulting in a smoother and more user-friendly feel. Material and ingredient advancements have made it easier to clean drawings off objects, reducing pollution to the body and the environment. Product updates and iterations are no longer confined to vertical improvements but are increasingly favored for cross-cutting compound updates.

As research progresses, the effectiveness of crayons will continue to improve, with reduced environmental toxicity, increased product personalization, and expanded functionality.