# Crayola expands the skin tones to 32 colors **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 21, 2022, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayola-expands-the-skin-tones-to-32-colors/971996 "2022-09-21T17:07:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2022, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayola-expands-the-skin-tones-to-32-colors/971996/41 "2022-09-23T23:52:15Z")
Other crayon companies may have continued with crayons labeled as ‘Flesh’ after Crayola changed the name. And crayons lasted a long time. I remember a lot of kids had a fairly new box of Crayola’s and an unmarked box containing a bunch of crayons of various makes and colors. ‘Flesh’ Crayola crayons were around in the early 60s, I don’t recall when they changed but I’m pretty sure Crayola and others had made the change by the middle of the decade. I don’t remember the details but I think it took Johnson & Johnson a lot longer to offer Bandaids in different colors. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayola-expands-the-skin-tones-to-32-colors/971996/42 "2022-09-24T01:02:25Z")
Hell, I have a box of unused thin-line colored markers from 2002 that are still well-inked, and they have norhing on the staying power of a box of crayons. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayola-expands-the-skin-tones-to-32-colors/971996/43 "2022-09-24T01:20:28Z")
Every school year we’d get a new box of Crayolas for our school supplies, and the old box went into the big crayon box at home. So there were always lots of Flesh crayons around long after Peach supplanted them. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayola-expands-the-skin-tones-to-32-colors/971996/44 "2022-09-24T15:20:28Z")
I remember that, at my elementary school, there was just this gallon ice cream bucket full of crayons. They were all Crayola, but who knows how old they were. I knew the color as peach growing up, but I do seem to remember that we stumbled upon some labeled flesh in that bucket. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayola-expands-the-skin-tones-to-32-colors/971996/45 "2022-09-24T15:52:13Z")
Been collecting Crayola crayons for over 25 years. I likely have one of the most complete collections of Crayola crayon colors out there, 1122 different color names at the last count, I have 1059. The names I don’t have are from the early days of Crayola when some names were used for a very short period or some custom named colors used in promotions. About a year ago Crayola re-released sets of crayons, Colors of the World, Colors of Kindness, Neon, Confetti, Metallic, Glitter, Construction Paper, and Pearl. Some new color names came from these releases and added 114 new color names but none of the colors are new to Crayola. The new color names used in the 32 count Colors of the world are 27 new names and 5 are color names used in the past. The rarest color is light yellow from a short lived artists set from the late 20’s. The colors in this set were not printed on the wrappers, there is a list inside the box lid. The only known example is owned by a friend that has by far the largest collection of Crayola items out there. We are holding out to see who decides to sell their collection first, we made a deal to offer it to the other when we do. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayola-expands-the-skin-tones-to-32-colors/971996/46 "2022-09-24T16:32:16Z")
Informative and impressive! Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayola-expands-the-skin-tones-to-32-colors/971996/47 "2022-09-24T16:56:18Z")
> [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](#): > > You’re a kid - are you really aware that your crayons are Crayola brand vs. Crapola brand? Absolutely. The Crayolas laid down the color nicely. The only time I recall off brands was perhaps crayons available as souvenirs or give-aways. They were mostly wax with little pigment and only made pale colors on the coloring book. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayola-expands-the-skin-tones-to-32-colors/971996/48 "2022-09-24T16:57:59Z")
Another Discourse bug? You’re replying to @Dr.Winston_OBoogie … not me. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayola-expands-the-skin-tones-to-32-colors/971996/49 "2022-09-24T17:36:45Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > > [@DPRK](#): > > > > In fact, I hope they are all pretty non-toxic, but in that case why would cadmium yellow (or lead white, anything like that) be in there in the first place? > > It’s descriptive. Cadmium-based pigments were invented in the 1800s and were popular throughout the century for their strong, brilliant colors. Cadmium yellow replaced an ancient yellow pigment called “orpiment,” an arsenic sulfide compound, ironically as “less toxic.” So, the “cadmium yellow” Crayon would presumably be an analog to that specific color. Update: the list of _original_ Crayola colors on Wikipedia > **[History of Crayola crayons | 1903: the original Crayola colors](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Crayola_crayons#1903:_the_original_Crayola_colors)** > > After several decades producing commercial pigments, Binney & Smith produced their first crayon, the black Staonal Marking Crayon, in 1902. The following year, the company decided to enter the consumer market with its first drawing crayons. The name Crayola was suggested by Alice Binney, wife of company founder Edwin Binney, combining craie, French for "chalk," a reference to the pastels that preceded and lent their name to the first drawing crayons, with the suffix -ola, meaning "oleaginous," ... includes ethnic names (English Vermilion(!!), Indian Red, Venetian Red, Prussian Blue… even van Dyck Brown 🙂 as well as chemical names, and it _does_ include Chrome Yellow, Chrome Green, Cobalt Blue and a few others. Were they also descriptive, or were they using the real thing back then, mercury in the Vermillion and so on? ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayola-expands-the-skin-tones-to-32-colors/971996/50 "2022-09-24T17:51:46Z")
Honestly, looking at available info online, Crayola is rather cagey about what exactly constitutes what they describe simply as “color pigment” citing propriety as the reason. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2022, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayola-expands-the-skin-tones-to-32-colors/971996/51 "2022-09-25T02:56:36Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > …Crayola has eliminated all ethnic names, including Indian Red and Prussian Blue, which is fine, as long as they are consistent about it… A careful perusal of the list of colors does, however, reveal both Burnt Sienna and Raw Sienna as still included in a box of 64 colors… ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2022, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayola-expands-the-skin-tones-to-32-colors/971996/52 "2022-09-25T04:41:34Z")
Agreed. The cheap crayon’s you’d get, say, at the restaurant to color you tablemat or the ones that were sometimes included in certain coloring books were utter crap. Even a 6-year-old me could figure that out. Like you said, mostly wax, not enough pigment. They also seemed to have a harder coloring feel to them, almost like you were coloring with a candle. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2022, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayola-expands-the-skin-tones-to-32-colors/971996/53 "2022-09-25T06:29:59Z")
TIL that there are crayon collectors! 🙂 I have a box of ‘flesh-coloured’ Crayola-brand _coloured pencils_. It’s called “Colors of the World” and contains 24 colours ranging from pale ivory to deep brown. It’s also notable for spelling the word ‘colour’ three different ways on the front of the box: ‘color’ (from the Crayola brand name), ‘colour’ (standard Canadian English), and ‘couleur’ (standard Canadian French). ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2022, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayola-expands-the-skin-tones-to-32-colors/971996/54 "2022-09-25T07:54:42Z")
Huh, where did you get those colored pencils? I’m thinking of expanding my colored pencil collection. (Not as a collection, per se, but as something to draw with ) ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2022, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayola-expands-the-skin-tones-to-32-colors/971996/55 "2022-09-25T14:33:03Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Huh, where did you get those colored pencils? Staples office supply store: [https://www.staples.ca/products/2994214-en-crayola-colors-of-the-world-skin-tone-coloured-pencils-24-pack](https://www.staples.ca/products/2994214-en-crayola-colors-of-the-world-skin-tone-coloured-pencils-24-pack) ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2022, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayola-expands-the-skin-tones-to-32-colors/971996/56 "2022-09-25T19:09:33Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > A careful perusal of the list of colors does, however, reveal both Burnt Sienna and Raw Sienna as still included in a box of 64 colors… I would consider those names to be geographic rather than ethnic. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2022, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayola-expands-the-skin-tones-to-32-colors/971996/57 "2022-09-25T19:43:32Z")
They’re neither ethnic nor geographical. As stated in [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sienna): > Sienna is an earth pigment containing iron oxide and manganese oxide. In its natural state, it is yellowish brown and is called **raw sienna**. When heated, it becomes a reddish brown and is called **burnt sienna**. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2022, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayola-expands-the-skin-tones-to-32-colors/971996/58 "2022-09-25T19:50:08Z")
Well, _geological_ then, but the name is geographic. Sienna earth was named after the Italian city of Sienna. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2022, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayola-expands-the-skin-tones-to-32-colors/971996/59 "2022-09-25T19:54:52Z")
Til Discourse ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2022, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayola-expands-the-skin-tones-to-32-colors/971996/60 "2022-09-25T20:01:31Z")
Still, it’s associated with that particular location (presumably it’s mined near there?), not with the people who live in that location. Which is probably also true of some of the other retired color names, but there was the perception otherwise, and they wanted to avoid that perception. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayola-expands-the-skin-tones-to-32-colors/971996.md?page=2)