How to Make Watercolor Paint with Inexpensive Kitchen Items

If you have children or if you baby-sit for multiple children you have probably discovered, just as I have, that the expense of art supplies such as markers and paint can add up quickly.

The cost climbs higher during Winter because children trapped indoors frequently amuse themselves by creating artwork. If you have multiple children cooped up indoors your art supply stock can be decimated before you know what happened. Dashing out to quickly restock crayons or paint, while an option during Summer, is often not an option due to icy roads and frigid temperatures.

One way to save money and replenish art supplies on the fly is to make your own. The following project involves making water color paint from inexpensive items commonly found in most kitchens.

There is no cooking or other heating required and no tools are necessary to make the paints. Older children can make these paints without adult supervision, however you may still want to supervise as this project can get messy.

You will need the following items for mixing and holding the paint: a small bowl for mixing, a large wooden or plastic spoon, one baby food or other small jar for each color of paint that you wish to make.

You will also need the following ingredients:

4 Tablespoons Baking Soda

4 Tablespoons Vinegar

4 Tablespoons Cornstarch

2 Teaspoons Light Corn Syrup

12 drops of food coloring for each color paint that you wish to make

Begin by warming the corn syrup until it is runny, it will be much easier to mix this way. To easily warm it simply hold the corn syrup bottle under hot running water for a minute or two. Then gently mix the baking soda, vinegar, cornstarch and corn syrup together in the mixing bowl.

It is normal for the mixture to fizz this is caused by the vinegar reacting with the baking soda in the mixture. However allow the fizzing to subside before you take the next step otherwise the process will become messy and the color of the finished paint will not be as bold.

After the fizzing has subsided, spoon some of the mixture into each jar that you plan to use. After you have divided the mixture between the jars you can add color to the paint. If you wish to use the primary colors red, yellow or blue you can just add 12 drops of food coloring to each jar of paint you plan to make. Then stir the jar contents carefully until the mixture is uniform. If the color is not as bold as you would like you may add a few more drops of food coloring.

If you wish to use secondary colors you should mix them in a separate container before adding them to the paint. For example if you wish to use purple you will achieve the best result if you mix the red and blue food coloring in a separate container and then add the mix to the jar of plain paint. The box that variety packs of food coloring come in usually has a handy chart on the back that will give you instructions for making a wide variety of colors.

You are free to use the paint immediately if you wish. Otherwise allow the paint to harden; when you wish to use it use a wet paintbrush just as you would with commercially prepared water color paints. It is not necessary to have an air tight lid on the jars but I suggest that you cover them to keep them free of dust.