Sometimes, creativity comes along and you are compelled to paint. If you don't have paint at home, you can go to the convenience store and buy paint for painting. However, making your own paint at home is a quicker, easier, and more affordable option. There are various methods you can follow to easily make paint using products you already have at home. Even better, you can make a wide variety of paints, including chalk paint, watercolor, and tempera paint!
Step
Method 1 of 6: Making Paint from Powdered Milk
Step 1. Mix powdered milk with water
You need powdered milk and water in a 2:1 ratio. For starters, prepare 250 grams of powdered milk and 125 ml of water. Pour the powdered milk into a bowl first, then add the water.
This paint is similar to tempera paint which produces a chalky texture
Step 2. Pour the mixture into small jars if you want to make multiple colors
The number of jars that need to be provided will depend on the number of colors desired. Keep in mind that the more you divide the mixture, the less paint there will be for each color.
Step 3. Add a few drops of liquid food coloring
Start with 2-3 drops of dye, stir, then add more dye if necessary.
You can also use powdered tempera paint instead of food coloring. You can get this paint from arts and crafts supply stores
Step 4. Apply paint and refrigerate when done
You can use this paint with a brush or fingers. Put the paint in a jar with a tight lid and store it in the refrigerator when the paint is not being used. This paint lasts for four days before it expires (due to the powdered milk content in the paint).
Method 2 of 6: Making Watercolors
Step 1. Prepare 5-10 dry markers in the same color
If you don't have enough markers for one color, use colors from the same family. For example, you can use red, pink, and burgundy markers to make red paint.
- You can also use new markers, but this method is a good choice for using old markers.
- Erasable child markers (eg Crayola, Artline, and the like) are suitable for this method. You can also use a permanent marker (eg Snowman).
Step 2. Fill a small glass jar with water until it is half filled
The temperature of the water is not a problem because in this method, you will have to let the marker sit in the jar for a few days. Baby food jars can be a great storage medium, but you can also use small glass jars (125 ml).
Step 3. Open the marker and put it in the water
You can see that the color will instantly spread and mix with the water. If not, stir the water to mix it with the marker ink.
Step 4. Leave the marker in the water for a maximum of one week
Over time, the markers will emit more color into the water. It doesn't matter if the water evaporates because the color of the marker will last.
Step 5. Take out the marker and dilute the paint if desired
Test paint with a brush on a piece of white paper. If the resulting color is too dark, add enough water until the paint color reaches the desired brightness level. If the color is too light, place the paint next to a window in direct sunlight for 1-2 days. The water will evaporate and leave more paint pigment.
Step 6. Apply paint on white paper with a watercolor brush
Painting paper can be the most effective medium, but you can also use printed paper or heavy cardboard. Store the paint in a tightly closed jar after you're done using it.
If the paint starts to dry, add a little water to thin it back so that the paint can be used
Method 3 of 6: Making Tempera Paints
Step 1. Separate the yolk from the white
Hold one egg over a cup or glass and break it. Move the egg yolks from one part of the shell to the other back and forth until all the egg whites are accommodated in the glass. Transfer the egg yolks to another glass or jar.
- Save the egg whites for use in other recipes (eg foam cakes).
- You only need to flip the yolks once or twice to remove or remove the whites.
Step 2. Add a few drops of food coloring to the egg yolks
Keep in mind that the egg yolk will add a yellow tinge to any color you add. The red color will turn orange, and the blue color will turn green. You can prevent this discoloration by adding more food coloring.
- Food coloring is a strong ingredient. Start with 2-3 drops of dye first. You can always add more dye if necessary.
- Make sure you use liquid food coloring.
Step 3. Beat the egg yolks until smooth
Use a fork or spoon to stir in the egg yolks and food coloring. Make sure the paint texture is smooth and doesn't have lumps, smudges, or color residue. If the resulting color is not quite right, add a few more drops of dye and mix all the ingredients. The more dye you add, the darker the paint will be.
Keep in mind that some dyes will not produce a pure color. For example, purple food coloring may turn brown, regardless of how much paint is added
Step 4. Make more colors if you want
You will need one egg yolk and one cup/cup for each color to be made. Keep in mind that you may not be able to create every color in the rainbow using this method. However, you can get black or brown by mixing each color in the right amount.
You can transfer all the egg whites to the same glass or container
Step 5. Use the paint in a few days
You can use this paint as you would any other tempera paint. When you're done using the paint, close the jar tightly and store it in the refrigerator. Try to use up the remaining paint in a few days. Because it is made of eggs, paint can rot.
Method 4 of 6: Making Paint from Corn Starch
Step 1. Place 6 tablespoons (45 grams) of cornstarch in a jar
This amount is enough to make paint in one color. Even if it doesn't contain chalk, it will look like a chalk painting after the paint dries.
- If you don't have corn starch, use cornstarch. Both are actually the same material, but have different names.
- The look and texture of this paint is similar to chalk paint, but it's easier to make.
Step 2. Pour 60 ml of cold water
Add the water to the cornstarch a little at a time while stirring the two ingredients each time the water is added. The mixture should have a fairly thick texture as it drips from the end of the egg beater. Therefore, adjust the amount of water as needed. You may end up using less than 60 ml of water.
Step 3. Add a few drops of liquid food coloring
Start with 2-3 drops of dye. Keep stirring all the ingredients until the color is even and there is no dye residue. The more dye you add, the darker the final color will be. Keep in mind that the color of the paint will become lighter as it dries.
Skip this step if you want to make the paint white
Step 4. Apply paint to your sidewalk, yard, or driveway at home
You can apply paint directly from the jar with a brush. You can also pour it into a plastic pressure bottle and then pour it out onto the painting medium. Sidewalks and driveways are usually the most popular “media” for this type of paint. However, you can also use plain paper if you prefer.
Method 5 of 6: Making Paint from Wheat Flour and Salt
Step 1. Combine flour, salt and cold water in equal proportions
Pour 125 grams of flour and 125 grams of salt into a bowl. Mix the two ingredients, then pour 125 ml of cold water.
- You can make the paint in a glass, bowl, or jar. Choose the most practical container to use.
- The result of mixing has the final texture of the paint. If the texture feels too thick, add another 125 ml of water.
Step 2. Pour the mixture into several containers
You will need one container for each color you want to create. You can also keep all the mixture in one bowl if you only need to make one color. Keep in mind that the more you divide the mixture, the less paint there will be for each color.
You can paint in as many colors as you want. Two or three colors should suffice, depending on the amount of flour, salt and water used
Step 3. Add 2-3 drops of food coloring to each glass
Use a different color for each glass. If the resulting color is not bright enough, you can add more dye. You can also skip this step if you only want to paint white.
Step 4. Use the paint in a few days
You can use it directly from the container previously used to mix the ingredients. The paint may be too thick to apply with a paintbrush, but works well with fingers. You can also pour thicker paint into a plastic pressure bottle and use it as a spray or spray paint.
Store the paint in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Discard the paint once it looks moldy
Method 6 of 6: Making Paint from Chalk
Step 1. Put 1-2 sticks of colored chalk in a sealed plastic bag
For best results, use special drawing chalk (or sidewalk chalk) instead of regular chalk. Lime like this has more pigment. The more chalk you use, the more paint you'll get.
Use two different colors to come up with a new color
Step 2. Crush the chalk with a hammer until it becomes a powder
Place a plastic bag filled with chalk on a hard surface (such as a plank or even a sidewalk). Crush the chalk with a hammer several times until it becomes a fine powder.
- Take advantage of this stage to create more colors. Use one color of chalk for one bag.
- If you are using a thin plastic bag (e.g. the sealed plastic bag used to pack soy sauce or wasabi), place a paper towel under it and another sheet on top. That way, the bag won't tear when you crush the chalk with a hammer.
Step 3. Pour the lime powder into the jar
Make sure the jar is large enough to hold at least 250 ml of water. If you are preparing several bags to make more colors, use separate jars for each color.
Step 4. Add 125-250 ml of water to the lime powder
If you are using one stick of lime, use 125 ml of water. If you are using two sticks, pour 250 ml of water. Stir the two ingredients until the lime powder dissolves. If necessary, close the jar tightly and shake to mix the water and lime evenly.
- If you are preparing several extra bags of lime, use 125-250 ml of water for each new bag.
- You can thicken the paint by adding 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of white glue. Keep in mind that once the glue is added, the paint color will become permanent.
Step 5. Apply paint to the sidewalk or driveway
Apply paint to the painting media using a brush. When you're done using the paint, close the jar tightly. If the paint starts to thicken, add a little water to thin it out again. You can thin it 5-10 times before the paint becomes too runny to work with.
- Lime may settle to the bottom of the water. If the chalk settles, stir or shake the paint again to mix the chalk and water.
- If you're adding glue to chalk, use paint on paper, unless you don't mind the painting or work made with paint sticking to the media permanently.
Tips
- If you can't find the right color of food coloring, try mixing a few colors together. Usually, on the food coloring packaging there are suggestions for color mixtures that you can follow.
- Liquid food coloring is a more suitable material. However, you can also use gel food coloring. Keep in mind that gel food coloring produces a more intense color.
- Not all home-made paints produce colors as bright or as intense as commercial paint products.
- The paint will dry. You can add a little water so that the paint can be reused. However, in the end the paint will not be used anymore.
- The paint from eggs (tempera) and flour will rot. Store paint in the refrigerator and throw it away when it smells fishy or looks rotten. Paint like this usually lasts for several days.
- Add glitter powder to the paint to make your painting or work look more sparkly.
- As another quick method for making liquid watercolors, add 1-2 drops of liquid food coloring to the water.
