Preceden

History of Crayons Timeline

(Ancient history–Present)

The history of crayons traces the development of colored drawing materials from early pigments and chalks to the familiar wax crayons used in classrooms and homes today. Less

Build a timeline like this one in minutes, for free. Start Yours →

Go to: Event List | Key Facts | Directory

Effects and themed crayons

Fluorescent crayons introduced

1972

Binney & Smith introduced eight Crayola fluorescent crayons designed to fluoresce under black light.

Fluorescent crayons expanded and renamed

1990

The original eight fluorescent crayons remained unchanged until 1990. That year, all eight were renamed and eight additional colors were introduced, creating a 16-color fluorescent set.

Fluorescent colors join the No. 96 box

1992

In 1992, the fluorescent colors were added to the new No. 96 box, making them part of Crayola's standard lineup.

Fluorescent crayons labeled neon

1993

Beginning as early as 1993, packs of fluorescent crayons were regularly labeled “neon” or “neons,” giving the fluorescent products a more consumer-oriented name.

Scented crayons released

1994

In 1994, Crayola produced a 16-pack of crayons that released fragrances when used.

Glow in the Dark Crayons released

1994

Crayola released Glow in the Dark Crayons in 1994 as a pack of eight crayons designed to produce a glow after exposure to light.

Scent changes follow complaints

1995

In 1995, Crayola changed some fragrances after parents complained that crayons such as Cherry, Chocolate, and Blueberry smelled good enough to eat.

Changeables crayons introduced

1995

Crayola introduced its Changeables crayons in 1995, adding color-changing behavior to the company's specialty crayon offerings.

Crayons with Glitter released

1997

Crayola released Crayons with Glitter in 1997 as part of a Special Effects crayons package.

Color Mix-Up Crayons released

1997

In 1997, Crayola released a 16-pack of Color Mix-Up Crayons. Each crayon contained a solid base color with flecks of two other colors.

Color 'n Smell crayons released

1997

Following the earlier issues involving scented crayons in 1994 and 1995, Binney & Smith released a new scented line called Color 'n Smell crayons in 1997.

Gel FX Crayons released

2001

Crayola produced Gel FX Crayons in 2001, adding a gel-effect product to its specialty range.

Confetti Crayons released

2020

Crayola released a set of 24 Confetti Crayons in 2020.

Image source: Crayola

Specialty crayon releases

Fabric Crayons released

1976

Crayola released a pack of eight Fabric Crayons, expanding the product line beyond ordinary paper-based coloring.

Metallic Crayons released in Canada

1987

Crayola released a Canadian pack of 16 Metallic Crayons in 1987.

Silver Swirls released

1990

In 1990, Crayola released Silver Swirls, a pack containing 24 silvery colors.

Multicultural Crayons released

1992

Crayola released an eight-color Multicultural Crayons set in 1992. The colors came from the standard Crayola palette and were presented as skin hues for realistic depictions of people. The set was largely well received, although it also attracted criticism.

Gem Tones released

1994

Crayola released Gem Tones in 1994, a pack of 16 crayons modeled after the colors of gemstones.

Pearl Brite Crayons released

1997

Crayola released a 16-pack of Pearl Brite Crayons in 1997.

Star Brite Crayons released

1997

Crayola released a 16-pack of Star Brite Crayons in 1997.

Construction Paper Crayons introduced

1998

Crayola introduced Construction Paper Crayons in 1998, creating a product specifically associated with coloring on construction paper.

Metallic FX Crayons released

2001

Crayola produced Metallic FX Crayons in 2001, a set of 16 metallic colors whose names were selected through a contest open to residents of the United States and Canada.

Happy Halloween 3-pack released

2001

Crayola released a “Happy Halloween” three-pack in 2001.

True to Life Crayons released

2007

Crayola released a set of eight True to Life Crayons in 2007.

Early assortment changes

Light Blue replaced by Black

1980

In 1980, Crayola discontinued Light Blue from the relevant assortment and replaced it with Black.

Magenta renamed Red

1981

Crayola renamed the color Magenta to Red in 1981.

Crayon names removed from wrappers

1999

Starting as late as 1999, Crayola crayon names no longer appeared on the crayon wrappers.

No. 96 assortment changes

2003

When four new crayons were added to the No. 96 assortment in 2003, four existing colors were discontinued, including two fluorescent colors.

Modern product milestones

Blue Ribbon commemorative crayon

1996

In 1996, Crayola celebrated the creation of its 100 billionth crayon by publishing a commemorative crayon called Blue Ribbon.

Fun Effects Mini Twistables released

2004

In 2004, Crayola released a 24-pack of Fun Effects Mini Twistables crayons.

Mini Twistables crayons released

2004

Crayola released a set of 24 Mini Twistables crayons in 2004.

Metallic Crayons updated

2019

In 2019, an updated version of the metallic set was released under its original name, Metallic Crayons. The update added eight metallic colors, bringing the total to 24.

Pearl Crayons released

2019

A 24-count box of Pearl Crayons was released in 2019 alongside updated versions of Metallic Crayons, Neon Crayons, and Crayons with Glitter.

Neon Crayons updated

2019

Crayola released a new 24-count assortment of Neon Crayons in 2019.

Colors of the World announced

May 21, 2020

Crayola announced Colors of the World Crayons on May 21, 2020.

Colors of the World Crayons released

Jul 2020

Colors of the World Crayons were released in July 2020 in boxes containing 32 and 24 crayons.

Build a timeline like this one in minutes, for free. Start Yours →

Key Facts

  1. Ancient civilizations used natural pigments, charcoal, and colored earths as early forms of drawing materials.
  2. The word "crayon" comes from the French word craie, meaning chalk.
  3. Modern wax crayons emerged in Europe during the nineteenth century as manufacturers combined pigments with wax.
  4. In 1903, the Binney & Smith Company introduced Crayola crayons, initially offering eight colors.
  5. Crayons became important educational tools because they were inexpensive, portable, colorful, and safer and cleaner than many earlier art materials.

Source

This History of Crayons timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

We work hard to keep these timelines accurate, but mistakes do get through. If you spot one, email us at [email protected] and we'll fix it for future visitors.

Want a timeline like this one?

Generate yours with AI or build it from scratch, for free.

Try It for Free