Hi everyone! Today, we’re going to learn how to make our own watercolors. It’s a fun and easy project that you can do right in your kitchen. Let’s get started!
Before we begin, let’s gather all the ingredients and tools we’ll need:
Let’s start by mixing our ingredients. Use a tablespoon to measure and combine 4 tablespoons of baking soda with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in a bowl. Once mixed, add 3 to 4 tablespoons of vinegar. Watch as it gets fizzy! Stir the mixture until the fizzing stops and it becomes a liquid.
Next, spoon the mixture into six sections of your ice cube tray, filling each about halfway. Now it’s time to add some color!
We’ll start with the primary colors: red, yellow, and blue. Add a few drops of each color into separate cubes and mix them in with your spoon. Remember to wipe your spoon between colors to keep them from mixing.
Want more colors? Let’s make green, orange, and purple! To make green, mix yellow with a little blue. For orange, mix red with yellow. And to create purple, mix blue with red.
Once you’ve mixed all your colors, set the ice tray in a spot where it can dry. The watercolors might be ready overnight, or it could take a couple of days. Once dry, they’ll look like this!
Now that your paints are dry, grab a piece of paper, a paintbrush, and some water, and you’re ready to create your masterpiece! What colors will you make?
If you make your own painting and want to share it, ask a grown-up to help you send an email to [email protected]. We’d love to see your artwork!
Thanks for joining us, and happy painting!
Color Mixing Experiment: Use your homemade watercolors to explore color mixing further. Try mixing different amounts of the primary colors (red, yellow, and blue) to see what new colors you can create. Can you make a lighter shade of green or a darker shade of purple? Record your findings by painting swatches of each new color on a piece of paper and labeling them.
Nature’s Palette: Go on a nature walk with a grown-up and collect small items like leaves, flowers, or rocks. When you return, try to match the colors of these natural items using your homemade watercolors. This will help you observe the variety of colors in nature and practice mixing colors to match what you see.
Storytime Painting: Think of your favorite story or fairy tale. Use your homemade watercolors to paint a scene or character from the story. As you paint, consider what colors best represent the mood or setting of the story. Share your painting with someone and explain why you chose those colors.
