Family Best Time >> Home & Garden

How to make your own watercolor paints

You guys! Home paints are where it is. If you've already tried DIY painting and finger painting, find time to add these watercolors to your collection. DIY watercolors will truly change the way you store your art supplies, made with ingredients you probably already have and personalized in a saturated, soft palette and sheer joy to put on paper.

How to make your own watercolor paints From:Emily Fazio

Emily Fazio

This is what you will need

  • 4 tablespoons of baking soda
  • 4 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 4 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon corn syrup
  • small mixing bowls
  • Food coloring
  • Spoons or spatulas to stir.
  • Paint palette with deep wells or ice cube trays.
How to make your own watercolor paints From:Emily Fazio

Emily Fazio

Start by stirring the baking soda and cornstarch together in a bowl. Add the vinegar right on top and mix right away as it interacts with the baking soda. Add the corn syrup last, stirring slowly until all clumps and lumps are removed from the mixture.

How to make your own watercolor paints From:Emily Fazio

Emily Fazio

Pour the mixture into small bowls, one for each color you want to create.

How to make your own watercolor paints From:Emily Fazio

Emily Fazio

Add food coloring to each bowl. Perfect opportunity to teach children about the magic of custom color mixing.

How to make your own watercolor paints From:Emily Fazio

Emily Fazio

At this point, mix up each color of paint and transfer directly to your palette – ice cube trays work great, but you can also find reusable palettes with small wells at the craft store. I left our center very empty as a container for the water..

How to make your own watercolor paints From:Emily Fazio

Emily Fazio

Notice how all my reds look poorly mixed? I don't have a good answer for this! Maybe it was my own dye, or maybe the red dye breaks down a little differently, but I can assure you it didn't affect the final product at all.

How to make your own watercolor paints From:Emily Fazio

Emily Fazio

Now it's time to wait:leave the watercolors alone for several days and let the mixture harden. When it does, it's good to use. Use your watercolors as you would any store-bought product, and enjoy the ability to make something just as crafty on your own at home.

These are not archival quality watercolors and are bound to fade over time (but the same can be said for most of the watercolor paints we buy for our kids at the craft store). They are also suitable for dyeing fabrics as food coloring is an ingredient. Please use it carefully, but have a lot of fun playing with these DIY paints.

Continue reading