1. How Are Crayons and Craypas Different if the Materials Are the Same?
In Japan, the term "crayon" refers to stick-shaped drawing tools made by melting waxes such as paraffin, fatty acids, and wood wax, then mixing in pigment. [6] The word itself comes from the French "crayon," which originally referred to pencils. [6] On the other hand, what is commonly called "Craypas" is generally known elsewhere as "oil pastels" or simply "pastels." One explanation states that both are made from pigment, wax, and oil. However, crayons contain more wax and are slightly harder, while pastels contain more oil and are softer. [4] It is not that crayons lack oil entirely; rather, the difference is in which ingredient is more abundant.
If the materials are so similar, why was it necessary to create a new art supply? The clue to this question lies in school art classes from about 100 years ago.
2. What Problems Did Crayons Cause in Art Classes 100 Years Ago?
At that time, art education focused mainly on copying models. [5] Then, a movement arose encouraging students to sketch exactly what they saw and felt. This was the Free Drawing Education Movement. The Western-style painter Kanae Yamamoto was one of the people who promoted this movement. [2] It is explained that Yamamoto considered crayons to be suitable art materials for lower-grade elementary school students. Along with this movement, crayons spread across the country as a drawing material for children. [6]
However, the crayons of that era were hard. While they were good for drawing lines, they were poor at filling in large areas. [5] When children tried to draw their feelings across the entire page, a tool that could only draw lines was not enough. Consequently, another art material that could handle both lines and areas, as well as color mixing, was conceived.
3. How Did Craypas Combine the Strengths of Crayons and Pastels?
Craypas were invented in Japan in 1925 (Taisho 14) as an art material combining the strengths of crayons and pastels. [1] They were created by Nihon Crayon Shokai, a company founded to manufacture crayons, which is the predecessor of today’s Sakura Craypas. [3] It is said that Kanae Yamamoto provided guidance and advice during the development. [2]
Look closely at the name. It is said to be a combination of "Cray" from Crayon and "Pas" from Pastel. Crayons have the strength of firmly fixing color when drawn, while pastels have the strength of being easy to mix. This product was born to possess both of these qualities, which explains the name. [3] When placed alongside the previous chapter’s problem, the answer connects neatly. Crayons could draw lines but struggled with areas. Powder pastels were easy to mix but remained powder. The soft, oil-rich Craypas spread smoothly, can draw both lines and areas, and allow color mixing like pastels, according to explanations. [5] However, the new art material did not become a finished product immediately.
4. What Difficulties Did Early Craypas Face After Their Invention?
Early Craypas suffered from quality changes due to temperature fluctuations, specifically cold and heat. [5] Consequently, the manufacturing method was improved so they could be used throughout the year. [5] It is easy to imagine that stick-shaped art materials, made from wax and oil, change hardness with temperature. Because Craypas were a new material designed to be softer by adjusting the ratio, creating stable quality that worked across seasons likely became the next challenge. This is speculation; the sources only state that quality changed with temperature and was later improved.
Thus, Craypas solidified as a tool usable in children’s classrooms. However, their users were not limited to children.
5. How Did Craypas Come to Be Used by Artists?
Craypas allow various drawing methods, such as thick application, mixing, and scratching. In the period immediately after World War II, when oil paints were difficult to obtain, many painters took notice of Craypas, and they were gradually incorporated into artistic expression as a unique material. [1] A tool born for children began to be used for adult expression as well.
Craypas are said to be the only Western-style drawing material invented in Japan. [3] Counting from 1925, they reach 100 years in 2025. Sakura Craypas is introduced as exporting to more than 60 countries and regions worldwide. [3] Incidentally, "Craypas" is known as a product name for Sakura Craypas, and they are generally called "pastels" or "oil pastels." In schools, the term "pas" is also used alongside crayons.
So, how can you verify the difference in character between these two materials with your own hands?
6. How Can You Test Lines, Areas, and Mixing with Crayons and Craypas?
If you have crayons and pastels (Craypas or oil pastels) at home or school, try testing lines, areas, and layering on the same sheet of paper. Place newspaper underneath to keep the desk clean.
There are three tasks. Draw a line with the same color. Fill in a wide area. Layer two different colors and lightly rub them with your finger. Observe which is easier to fill, whether colors mix, and the texture. Check if the explanation that "crayons are hard, pastels are soft" matches the feeling in your hands. [4] If you only have pastels or only crayons, use what you have. Simply testing lines, areas, and mixing in order allows you to try out the differences. For those who want to learn more, explanations of the Craypas origin are available in the National Museum of Art’s Art Commons and the Kobe Shimbun’s corporate series.