How to Make Finger Paint
Read all of the steps before starting.
- In a small saucepan, stir 3 tablespoons (45 grams) cornstarch into 3 tablespoons (40 ml) cold water.
Stir to make a smooth paste with no lumps.
- Add 1 cup (250 ml) boiling water, stirring quickly to prevent lumps.
Adult or teens only!! Caution: hot water and boiling water can burn.
- Continue to stir until mixture starts to thicken and turns somewhat
translucent. If needed, place the pan
on the stove over low to medium heat, stirring continuously.
- Mix in ¼ cup (60 ml) cold water. Place mixture in a screw-top jar and set aside to cool.
- Color is mixed into the liquid starch by adding poster paint
or acrylic paint on the wet paper. While you can pre-mix finger paint
colors in jars,
you will get better shading results by mixing the colors into the
starch on the paper. For more details, see
Basics of Finger Painting.
- Tips:
- You can add a few drops of oil of clove or oil of spearmint as a preservative. The liquid
starch mixture will keep longer with it. Add oil with the cold water in the last step.
- Any liquid starch mixture will work as a basis for finger paint. A flour and water mixture,
laundry starch, or arrowroot may also be used.
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