Possible Clues:

• It's used in school
• Budding artist's medium
• Pencil of chalk or wax
• Artificial silk previously chosen primarily for colour
• Man, possibly, dipping into chapter about drawing
• Coloured rod, trick for catching fish
• What's drawing Raymond into the scam?
• Stick of wax for colouring
• See how synthetic it is for the artist
• Preschooler's writing tool