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I'm Going To Make Some Paint!

Tuesday, 13. May 2008, 20:07:09

Here's a recipe to make your own watercolor paints!
w00t! :yes:
Materials
3 Tbs. baking soda
3 Tbs. corn starch
3 Tbs. white vinegar
1-1/2 tsp. light corn syrup
food coloring

Steps
1. Mix vinegar, baking soda, corn starch, and corn syrup together in a small bowl.

2. Divide the mixture into several lids from 2 liter pop bottles.

3. Add six to eight drops of food coloring to each lid, then mix.

4. Use the watercolor paints as they are or let them dry into hard cakes of paint. If you use them while they're dry, be sure to wet the paintbrush before painting!

Tips
• Use paste food coloring if you want especially vivid colors and lots of color choices. Some oil based food coloring will not stir in well, but it will blend perfectly by the time it's dry.

• Take the opportunity to teach little ones about color mixing. You can add colors together to come up with a new color...kids really dig that.

• You can prepare a larger batch and make the paints in an old ice cube tray. Other possible containers are empty watercolor kits and pill boxes. (the kind with a compartment for each day of the week)

• The more food coloring you add, the more vivid the paints will be! :D

• These take a long time to dry! (about 24 hours)

• You can store the dry paints in a plastic baggie or even tie a few of them in a small cloth with a ribbon as a sweet gift.

Freakin' Gross!You Know You Need A Life When...

Comments

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Amazing! Seriously, I have never seen something like this. Thanks for sharing!

By angel292005, # 13. May 2008, 20:29:55

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No problemo! Have fun! :yes:

By Nerak, # 13. May 2008, 20:43:22

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That's so cool! I'd have never thunk it! :D

By H82typ, # 13. May 2008, 21:18:32

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Now that you know, you will have to paint me a pretty picture! :D

By Nerak, # 13. May 2008, 21:22:06

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Wow. Very cool tip! Thank you!

By noah counte, # 14. May 2008, 00:00:34

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My pleasure! I'm sure the Princess would enjoy making paint! :queen:

By Nerak, # 14. May 2008, 00:03:30

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I'm think we might do this when her cousins are up this summer. The three of them could spend a full afternoon - more, if we let them dry. :D

By noah counte, # 14. May 2008, 01:08:54

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It should keep them busy...just remember that it takes 24 hours to dry unless you use it immediately. :wink:

By Nerak, # 14. May 2008, 01:11:26

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Yeah. I'm all over it! :D

By noah counte, # 14. May 2008, 01:17:26

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Wow, that is cool, Karen! :up:

By FXM256, # 14. May 2008, 01:36:30

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I thought so, too! :D

By Nerak, # 14. May 2008, 02:14:08

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Just one problem, corn syrup is only available from specialist catering suppliers. awww It's also very expensive. I know this because I've used it for sweet making. It's usually cheaper to substitute honey which is available from any supermarket. If I could find a reasonable alterative...
Another point, the only food colouring available on our shelves is the liquid kind. It should work well with this recipe as it's water based but oil based, powdered and paste colourings and flavourings aren't available. Not even from specialist catering suppliers. So please keep these things in mind when you post recipes. thanks. :up:

By qlue, # 14. May 2008, 04:39:51

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I always forget how different things can be from one place to another. I'm sorry about that. I will definitely keep it in mind the next time I recommend something. :smile:

By Nerak, # 14. May 2008, 05:05:07

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Actually, a full set of watercolours only costs about R5 here whereas corn syrup, (aka glucose syrup) costs about R20 for a 350ml jar. Unless you already have the ingredients, it's unlikly that anyone around here would bother to make thier own water colours.
.
Having said that, I quite like the idea of edible paints for kids. I might experiment to see if I can make some without the corn syrup. :smile: :idea:

By qlue, # 14. May 2008, 05:48:55

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Corn syrup virtually flows in the streets, here. Well, it did until ethanol production became so important.

By noah counte, # 14. May 2008, 13:06:28

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Bio fuels are going to make the price of foodstuffs skyrocket. Developing countries will be hardest hit as usuall. :rolleyes:

By qlue, # 14. May 2008, 14:50:19

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Yeah. It's a lousy solution to the fuel problem, and a real blow to expectations that we might solve the hunger problem.

By noah counte, # 14. May 2008, 14:57:45

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This might be a solution in disguise. If the fuel industry throws enough money at agriculture, there might be a significant increase in production that will eventually cause a dramatic reduction in both fuel and food costs. It depends just how much legislation gets thrown at it though. Nothing brings progress to a halt as quickly as red tape does. :irked:

By qlue, # 14. May 2008, 15:11:19

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It's so weird to me that something we consider cheap is so expensive some place else. I wonder if there's anything really cheap over there that's expensive over here. :confused:

By Nerak, # 15. May 2008, 01:06:09

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After serious scientific research, I'm happy to say...
.
EUREKA!!!!!!!
.
The perfect substitute for corn syrup is...
Glycerine.
(aka glycerol aka glycol).
unlike corn syrup, it contains no glucose, it doesn't doesn't raise blood sugar levels and can even be used to make candy for diabetics.
It's also the most common cosmetic product in South Africa. It's cheap.

By qlue, # 23. June 2008, 17:33:07

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w00t! Yay! Nice work. :yes:

By Nerak, # 23. June 2008, 17:34:43

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P.S: Glycerine is also an unwanted by-product of bio-diesel production. Thus it's availability will increase as bio-fuel becomes more popular.

By qlue, # 23. June 2008, 17:42:01

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Corn syrup is getting pricey here, too. Between flooding and pressure on the corn market from increased ethanol production, there is less corn available to food producers. The largest consumer of corn syrup is the soft drink industry, and they are looking for a substitute. Maybe glycerine will be their answer, too!?

By noah counte, # 24. June 2008, 13:38:46

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It's already used in some 'sugar free' soft drinks and candies. It doesn't reduce calories though. :smile:

By qlue, # 24. June 2008, 14:25:45

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Somehow, I don't think they care about calories. They are all about expanding the bottom line (without regard for the expanding bottom).

By noah counte, # 24. June 2008, 14:29:03

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I heard a rumour once that Greenpeace have shares in nuclear power production and major oil companies. Bear in mind that oil company profits tend to increase whenever There is a Greenpeace protest against them and it makes you wonder what thier real motivation is :left: .
Solar power can supply about 60% of the world's electricity needs if every building is decked out with solar panels. But, since there is no way for major electricity producers to charge for solar power, this is not promoted as a solution for the global energy crisis. :rolleyes: .
If governments were to legislate that all new developments must be kitted out with solar panels, our future would look a whole lot brighter. People will embrace solar power if it comes as standard. After all, when last did you buy a car that doesn't have a cigar lighter as standard, even if you don't smoke? :left: .

By qlue, # 24. June 2008, 15:01:41

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In my car, the cigarette light is lableled "Power Point." O can still give you a pretty good circular burn, even if it isn't a cigarette lighter anymore.

By noah counte, # 24. June 2008, 15:53:58

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My brother doesn't smoke, nor does he allow smoking in his car, but if he buys a new car, he insists on getting his cigar lighter just for the principle of it. He believes that since he paid for it, he must get it. :lol: .

By qlue, # 24. June 2008, 16:51:16

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