1981 Crayola Colorubs: A Vintage Rubbing Kit with Plenty of Charm

Some vintage Crayola products are less about judging performance and more about documenting the experience. My 1981 Crayola Colorubs kit was a perfect example.

Colorubs was a rubbing art kit built around textured plates, themed designs, and crayons. The idea was simple: place paper over the textured surface, rub with a crayon, and watch the hidden image appear.

It is the kind of hands-on art activity that feels very early 1980s in the best way — no screens, no batteries, just paper, texture, color, and a little bit of patience. ✨

Testing a 40+ Year Old Art Kit

Because this set is more than 40 years old, I knew going in that it might not behave like a brand-new product. And it definitely did not.

The rubbings came out extremely faint. They did show up, but they were difficult to see on camera. The crayons were also very dry, and the pigment was lighter than expected.

But that is where vintage testing gets interesting.

I do not think this was a quality issue with the original product. It felt more like an age dilemma. Crayons, paper, packaging, and materials change over time. A product that may have worked beautifully in 1981 is not always going to perform the same way decades later.

Making the Artwork Visible

So I made do. After creating the rubbings, I went back over the designs with a black Crayola Pip-Squeak marker so the artwork would be easier to see. It was not the original intended effect, but it helped preserve the experience for the video.

And honestly? I still loved it. 🖍️

Why Colorubs Still Feels Special

There is something sweet about a kit like Colorubs. It invited kids to slow down, experiment with texture, and reveal a picture through movement.

Even with faint results, the concept still feels charming and creative. It also gives us a small glimpse into the kinds of activity kits Crayola was exploring in the early 1980s.

Would this exact vintage set work perfectly today? Not quite.

But as a piece of Crayola history, it still has plenty to offer.

Final Thoughts

That is what I love about documenting vintage items. Sometimes the product does not perform exactly as expected, but the story is still there — in the box, the materials, the design, and the little bit of wonder that survives.

Here is a TikTok video I made about the kit...check it out!

Documenting the history, nostalgia & wonder of Crayola, one item at a time.