Some things are difÂfiÂcult to improve upon. Take crayons. The new genÂerÂaÂtion may be clamÂorÂing for shades like “manÂgo tanÂgo” and “jazzberÂry jam” but the actuÂal techÂnolÂoÂgy appears unchanged since Sesame Street detailed the process in the earÂly 80s, in the loveÂly, non verÂbal docÂuÂmenÂtary above. Not a prodÂuct placeÂment in sight, I might add, though few can misÂtake that familÂiar green and gold box.
Those who preÂfer a bit more explaÂnaÂtion might preÂfer Fred Rogers’ hypÂnotÂic step-by-step guide, playÂing in perÂpeÂtuÂity on PicÂture PicÂture.
By the time the indusÂtry’s giant gorilÂla got around to weighÂing in, the woodÂen colÂlecÂtion boxÂes and anaÂlog counÂters had been replaced, but othÂerÂwise, it’s still busiÂness as usuÂal on the ol’ crayÂon-manÂuÂfacÂturÂing floor. Don’t expect to find the recipe for the “secret proÂpriÂetary blend of pigÂments and othÂer ingreÂdiÂents” any time soon. Just know they’re capaÂble of crankÂing out 8500 crayons per minute. For those playÂing along at home, that’s enough to encirÂcle the globe 6 times per calÂenÂdar year, with a full third owing their exisÂtence to solar enerÂgy.
There’s a HomeÂland SecuÂriÂty-ish vibe to some of the diaÂlogue, but the Life of an AmerÂiÂcan CrayÂon, above, does our native assemÂbly lines proud. ProudÂer than the AmerÂiÂcan slaughÂterÂhouse, anyÂway, or some othÂer facÂtoÂry floors, I could name. The workÂers seem conÂtent enough to stay in their posiÂtions for decades, hapÂpiÂly declarÂing alleÂgiance to this or that hue.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
Philip Glass ComÂposÂes for Sesame Street (1979)
How AniÂmatÂed CarÂtoons Are Made: Watch a Short, CharmÂing Primer from 1919
Ayun HalÂlÂiÂday is an author, homeÂschoolÂer, and Chief PriÂmaÂtolÂoÂgist of the East VilÂlage Inky zine. FolÂlow her @AyunHalliday