Make Your Own Watercolors

This past month we have been working on the Art Merit Badge. One of the ways to paint or draw your subject is with watercolors. Most of the time you can purchase inexpensive watercolors at the dollar store… but where is the fun in that?! For half the cost you can make your own watercolors using 5 ingredients found around your home.

Recipe:

• 8 tbsp baking soda

• 4 tbsp white vinegar

• 1 tsp Light Corn Syrup

• 4 tbsp cornstarch

• Food coloring

The Mix:

• First, in a large bowl, take the 8 tbsp baking soda and mix with the white vinegar. (yes, this will cause a chemical reaction and start bubbling, use a bowl that will not allow the mixture to bubble over.)

• After the baking soda and vinegar has calmed down, mix in the cornstarch and corn syrup. Blend well.

• If making large batches of colors, add the food coloring directly to the mix. If breaking out the mixture into many colors, spoon into a separate container and mix your colors. The paint tray shown in the video was purchased for only a dollar. You can also use an old ice tray, egg carton, or any other container you think would hold paint for you.

• Allow the mixture to fully dry out before your first use