The Crayon Man
By Linda Williford
Todd Alan, also known as Crayon Man, creates fine art using crayons. He gained the nickname "Crayon Man" after visiting students at Gulf Shores Elementary School. While there, he helped kids and inspired them to do their own creative artwork with crayons. After that, he became known as the Crayon Man. He was also known as the Crayon Man by the people at the Crayola manufacturing plant. He frequently would go there to pick up crayons for his artwork. Alan said, “Crayola is the best crayon to use.”
It may appear that Alan’s art is done by acrylic or oil. But Alan assures people that it is only Crayola crayons. He first begins by researching the subjects that he will be drawing. Then he does freehand drawing, which usually consists of animals and landscaping. Alan says, “I like to go into my imagination and draw anything that comes to mind.” He added, “If you’re willing to experiment with art, anything is possible.”
He primarily uses textures and blends of colors from self-learning. He figures out formulas for layers to create specific colors, allowing him to reuse those colors. He uses hundreds of crayons and spends many hours creating and completing his masterpieces. Some of his fine art pieces have sold for as much as $25,000.
Many of his coloring techniques he has learned from the famous Master Crayola Crayon Artist, Don Marco. Alan said, “My mom always believed in me and saw me as an artist in her eyes. She provided for me to study under Don Marco.” Alan said, “I was stunned by Don Marco’s artwork. My brain exploded when I started studying his techniques with crayons.”
When Alan was growing up, he said that when his parents would have parties, he would "dress to impress and charge the guests a dollar to come to my room and see my artwork.” As a child, Alan also loved using finger paints, markers, sidewalk chalk, and playdough.
Now, as an adult, Alan has numerous crayon creations that have been displayed in many museums, including Elberta Heritage Museum and Foley Art Center. Many people around the world have enjoyed Alan’s artwork. Alan says, “Sometimes it is a challenge getting his art shipped across the seas without running the risk of damage from temperatures affecting his crayon work.” Alan says that his crayon creations are the perfect therapy that calms him down when he is experiencing high anxiety.
Alan is originally from Minnesota and moved to Foley in 2005. His uncle lived in Orange Beach and told Alan that he should move down here because this was a very artsy area.
His creations are generally done on 10 lb. brown paper, which is a good texture for crayons. On one of his turtle art pieces, it took him a 64-piece box of crayons to complete, and it is now hanging at Sunset Golf Carts in Foley. Depending on his artwork, it can be very large and can take up to 3 months for completion. Other pieces of his art are displayed at Tin Top, Texas Roadhouse, and Ruby Slipper. He doesn’t do commission work any longer. He says, “I have a hard enough time pleasing myself.”
He said that he donates his artwork to fundraisers. “I see my artwork as a tool to help people.” Every year, he has donated prints worth $300-$500, or if framed, $ 1,500 for fundraiser auctions benefiting Children’s Autism at the Flora Bama International Frank Brown Songwriter’s Festival. He also gives prints for other fundraisers, including the Children’s Cancer Society. Alan’s ambition is for his original pieces to be featured in the artist section of Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museums are located all over the world.
You can view Alan’s gallery of artwork on his Facebook page at Todd Alan, Crayon Man.
