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everyone knows kids love to color.
everyone knows kids love to color.
Globally, 18.9 million kids under 15 are visually impaired.
And yet, a quick search for accessible art supplies yields hardly any results.
pre-design notes, September 2022
first iteration process
a colorful solution...
a colorful solution...
Crayons can be tough for all kinds of visually impaired kids.
According to Colour Blind Awareness, most people with moderate red/green color blindness can only correctly identify 5 colors from a standard 24-pack of crayons.
Ocular albinism causes blurred vision and difficulty reading small text.
Amblyopia, the leading cause of decreased vision for children, develops blurred vision in one eye.
And crayons always have teeny-tiny text. Yikes!
The mission was to create an accessible tool–one that would modify the standard crayon to become more universal.
Everybody deserves to discover their inner artist!
features
1: large, color-contrasting text
2: braille color label
3: identifying tactile symbol
4: roll-safe flat surfaces
BONUS: flexible, durable TPU material
the process
the process
material
One of the very first prints of this project was a tiny cap made of flexible filament. It was decided that the final prototype would be made of this material, but tests were printed with standard eco-friendly filament.
size tests
Sizing corrections took multiple iterations. A sleeve can’t have the same diameter as the object it goes around–between prints, measurements were adjusted to test different fittings. Some prints were so tight, they broke the crayon coming off! (Crayons were harmed in the making of this project.)
"red" first design
Initial designs of the red crayon topper included an apple graphic as the tactile symbol. This design was to be printed in several varied colorways, ex: black text on white base, red text on white base, white text on black base, etc. The design was also completely rounded–a feature that changed in later iterations.
first iterations
The pictured print was intended to have a black base, white font, and a red apple with a brown stem. It contained errors: the extruder was programmed to pause one layer early, resulting in red text and a layer of white on the base. Temperature issues likely caused the melted look, and a color change to the apple stem failed. This design did not yet include the braille label. The final print had textured lines and was a little tight on the crayon.
"technical difficulties–please stand by"
Some designs, being completely round, rolled off the build plate during printing! The next few iterations were printed with supports. This was an issue logistically and aesthetically. Each print had to be cut off of its supports when finished, and the resulting crayon topper was rough around the edges–literally. These concerns were accounted for in the next design: future iterations of the crayon topper had a flat bottom, which turned out to be a happy accident.
design changes
Eventually the stem was removed from the apple symbol as it printed too sharp and posed a hazard. Then the apple was nixed altogether, replaced by the more recognizable heart symbol. The text was also made larger. The next batch was printed at a scale of 93% (a near-perfect fit) with flexible filament to prepare for feedback. A new and improved design meant smooth prints, with a uniform texture and appearance. Braille was printed vertically for better quality. Several different colorways were taken to St. Joseph’s School for the Blind for feedback.
feedback + final prototypes
Students at St. Joseph’s tested prototypes and had lots of helpful suggestions! Students enjoyed the texture of flexible filament and the flat bottom, which prevented rolling. The most popular colorway was dark text on a white base, but any variations can still be printed with ease to accommodate different conditions and preferences. Many students also requested a slightly looser option. These comments were reflected in the next batch. A design for a yellow topper was also finalized–the symbol is a rounded star to avoid sharp edges.
to be continued
This is just the beginning! The crayon topper design can always be adjusted to include specific accommodations. One person who is completely blind has requested a version with the braille tile positioned on top. Others have shown interest in adaptations for elderly people and a grip design for people with mobility issues. A crayon topper could also function as a learning tool and could potentially include ASL graphics for hearing-impaired students. And these ideas don’t have to be limited to crayons–new prototypes can be designed for other art supplies and even cosmetics! For now, tactile crayon toppers come in red and yellow, with much more on the way. Keep a lookout!
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