Paint Tips
Mix tempera paint with:
Water & soap flakes to make it easier to wash out. Detergent to prevent cracking. Condensed milk for a glossy look. Alum as a preservation. Sawdust, salt, crushed eggshells, or coffee grounds to give texture.
Finger Paint
½ cup cornstarch
3 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups cold water
food coloring
Mix ingredients in pan. Cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes until mixture is thick and smooth. Stir while cooking; let cool after thickening. Add food coloring as desired. Cover tightly to store.
Finger Paint 2
2 quarts water
1 cup
1/3 cup soap flakes
Few drops of glycerin
Food coloring
Gradually add water to cornstarch (instead of liquid starch). Cook until clear and add soap flakes. Add glycerin to keep paint fresh. Add food coloring to color.
Finger Paint 3
cornstarch
water
unflavored gelatin
In a sauce pan, mix 1/2 c. cornstarch and 3/4 c. water until it becomes a smooth paste. Soak 1 pkg. unflavored gelatin with 1/4 c. water. Set aside. Pour 2 c. boiling water slowly over cornstarch mixture and stir. Cook mixture over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture boils and becomes clear. Remove from heat. Stir in gelatin mixture. Let cool and store in small
Fluffy Paint
2/3 cup soap flakes
1/3 cup water
powdered paint or food color
Whip until fluffy and paint! (Be careful that children do not get in eyes, it will hurt!)
Bath Paint
2 Tbsp. Liquid soap
Food coloring
Portion the soap into several containers & add food coloring to make paint shades. Let kids paint the tub & themselves as they bathe. These paints rinse easily off the children, the tub, the walls & you!
Cornstarch Art
3 Tbsp. Cornstarch
1/4 Cup Cold water
2 drops Dishwashing liquid
1 Cup Boiling water
Food coloring
Combine cornstarch and cold water. Stir until smooth. Add dishwashing liquid. Pour boiling water into the bowl and stir until the mixture thickens. Add food coloring and let cool. Use, as you would finger paint.
Cornstarch Paint
1 Tbsp. Cold water
2 Tbsp. Cornstarch
1 Cup Boiling water
Food coloring
Combine cold water and corn starch. Stir until smooth. Add boiling water and stir again, until smooth. Add food coloring until paint is desired color. Let cool. Store this paint in a covered container. If the mixtures dry between uses, add water to thin it.
Hint: To reduce messes have children work on old baking sheet or tape paper to the work surface. Try different textures of materials to paint on (freezer bags, paper bags, or aluminum foil).
Egg Yolk Paint
1 Egg yolk
1/4 tsp. Water
Food coloring
Mix egg yolk with water and lots of food coloring. Use a paintbrush to paint on baked sugar cookies. Return cookies to oven until egg has solidified.
Finger-paint I
3 Cups liquid Starch
Powdered Tempera
Add tempera to starch till desired color.
Finger-paint II
3 Cups liquid Starch
1 Cups Ivory Snow Soap Flakes
Powdered Tempera
Mix starch and soap under medium heat till it boils. Add tempera.
Finger-paint III
1 Cup liquid Starch
1 Cup Ivory Snow Flakes
1 Cup cold water
3 Cup Boiling Water
Mix starch and cold water till smooth paste. Add boiling water and cook until thick & glossy, stirring constantly. Add soap flakes & beat with eggbeater until smooth.
Finger-paint IV
2 Cups Flour
2 tsp. Salt
2 1/2 Cups Cold water
2 Cups Boiling water
Food coloring
Mix flour with salt. Add cold water. Stir until smooth. Gradually add this mixture to boiling water. Boil until smooth and thick. Add food coloring, then stir until smooth.
Finger-paint V
1 Cup Flour
1 Cup Cold water + 3 Cups Cold water
Food coloring
In large saucepan combine flour and cold water. Stir till smooth. Add 3 cups additional cold water. Cook and stir over medium heat till mixture thickens and bubbles. Reduce heat. Cook and stir 1 minute more. Remove from heat and pour into three heatproof bowls. Use food coloring to tint desired colors. Cover with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature till cool. Spoon paint on paper; paint!
Finger-paint VI (Soapy Finger paint)
1 Cup Soap Flakes
1/2 Cup Water
Food coloring or dry tempera
Whip soap flakes with water. Tint with food coloring or dry tempera. Paint on white shelf paper or waxed paper. Make sure all of above are covered in airtight containers.
Jell-O Finger Paint
Jell-O
boiling Water
Use enough boiling water to make it goo consistencies for finger-paint. Use you normal finger-painting material or glossy paper. Kids love the smell and the feel of it.
Kool-Aid Finger Paint
2 Cups Flour
2
1/2 Cup Salt
3 Cups Boiling water
3 Tbsp. Oil
Mix wet into dry. The kids love the color change. Then finger-paint away.
Oil Paint
1 Tbsp powdered paint
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
Mix powdered paint with vegetable oil. To use, place water in a pie tin or other container. Using a spoon, children drop oil paint onto water, which will float. Place a piece of paper (any kind will do, I prefer finger paint paper) on top of water and paint, then lift! That’s it! Continue to place new paint on top of old, change water as needed.
Powdered Milk Paint Medium
1/2 Cup powdered nonfat milk
1/2 Cup Water
Powdered Paint Pigments
Mix milk and water. Stir until milk is dissolved. Combine only as much solution with powdered pigments as you intend to use in one sitting. Makes about 3/4 cup. For a large group, combine any amount of powdered milk with an equal amount of water. This paint dries quickly to a glossy, opaque finish. It does not dust, chip, or come off on your hands the way poster paint does. Mix a small amount of the solution with powdered pigment in a palette pan. Work smooth with a brush. Use water to thin paint and to clean your brushes. Store this medium in a tightly capped jar in the refrigerator.
Pudding Finger Paint I (Edible)
Any type of instant pudding
Water
Old paper bags or anything you use to finger-paint on…tray or wax paper, etc.
Mix pudding and water together until you have a good consistency for finger paint.
Pudding Finger Paint II (Edible)
Instant Vanilla Pudding
Food Coloring
Mix pudding according to directions. Add food coloring for desired color. Finger paint on paper plate.
Puffy Paint
Flour
Salt
Water
Tempera paint
Mix equal parts of flour, salt and water in a bowl. Add a small amount of tempera paint to the mixture and pour into a small plastic squeeze bottle. Repeat the procedure making as many colors as you wish. Squeeze onto heavy paper or cardboard to make designs. Mixture will harden into puffy shapes.
Salt Paint
1/8 Cup liquid Starch
1/8 Cup Water
1 Tbsp. Tempera Paint
Mix together and apply to paper with a brush. Keep stirring mixture. Paint will crystallize as it dries.
Sand Paint
Tempera paint (powder)
Sand
Mix dry tempera paint with sand. Let kids spread glue on picture and sprinkle on sand.
Shiny Paint
White glue
Tempera paint (liquid)
Dish detergent
Pour glue into small cups. Mix your choice of liquid tempera paint in each. Use to paint on wood, paper, or cardboard as you would with any paint. Paint will dry shiny as if glazed.
Variations: Paint pine cones, driftwood, rocks or glass. Try painting with sponge brushes for a very smooth finish. To help paint adhere to shiny, smooth surfaces, add a few drops of dish detergent.
Snow Paint
Food Coloring
Water
Place water and food coloring in empty spray bottle. Let children spray colors on the snow to make designs.
Soap Paint I
1 Cup Laundry Soap Flakes
1/2 Cup Cold Water
Food Coloring
Mix together. Beat with an eggbeater until fluffy. Finger paint.
Soap Paint II
1 Cup Laundry Soap Flakes
1/4 Cup Water
1/3 Cup Liquid Starch
Mix together. Beat with a whisk for 3 minutes.
Starch Finger Paint
Liquid starch (in plastic squeeze bottles)
Liquid Dish Soap
Dry Tempera Paint in salt shakers
Use the detergent sparingly and the liquid starch generously. Colors are shaken into the liquid mixture and spread around to suit the child’s taste. Some caution must be given to children about not using too much tempera or the finer paint mixture will be too dry.
Watercolors
1 Tbsp. White vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp. Baking soda
1 Tbsp. Cornstarch
1/2 tsp. Glycerin
Food coloring
Mix vinegar and baking soda in small bowl & allow foaming. After foaming stops, add cornstarch and glycerin. Stir well (up to a couple of minutes). Portion the mixture into a paint palette, muffin tin or similar container and add food coloring. Make the colors dark since drying & use will lighten them. Allow watercolors to dry in a warm place for several hours or overnight. Makes 1 set of Watercolors.