Joyful Mama's Top Powder Paint Tips!

I am always a little

surprised

when I come to the end of the month and discover what the top sellers for the past month was.

During April

POWDER PAINT

was a firm favourite!

 (See the end of this post for product information!)

 So to all the mothers of budding artists out there,

here are a few tips to enhance your child's creative endeavours this week!

ONE

Add a few drops of dishwashing liquid to the powder before adding the water. It will mix much better!

TWO

Make a nice thick finger paint by mixing water with about two tablespoons of cornflour to form a paste. Add one cup of water. Heat and stir until thick like custard. Spoon into containers and then mix in a little powder paint in the colours of your choice.

And here's an alternative recipe from my childhood - I remember my nursery school teacher making this for us during winter. It would still be slightly warm and it was lovely sticking our fingers into on cold, frosty mornings!
Dissolve one cup of laundry starch in cold water (slowly add the water until all the starch is dissolved). Add boiling water and cook until thick. Add some powder paint (or food colouring) to colour.

THREE

Another way to thicken powder paint is to add a little glue paste to the mixture. You can make your own paste by mixing1/2 cup of flour with 3/4 cup of water to make a thin paste. Boil over low heat until thick, stirring constantly. Adding a drop or two of oil of cloves will preserve the paste. You can thin it with cold water if you need to.

FOUR

Add interesting textures to your paint by adding one of the following to each of your colours
sand
sawdust
salt
wood shavings
(you can buy this at a pet shop)

FIVE

Use your powder paint to make a thin paint that you can use like watercolour. Draw a picture with white wax crayons and then paint over it - the wax will resist the paint!

SIX

Use non-spill paint pots when working with paint to prevent spills - remember that the pigments in powder paints can stain clothing.

SEVEN

One of Dad's old T-shirts makes an excellent paint frock that will cover more than a plastic apron will. Still, it is best to make sure your little Picasso is wearing old clothes under the T-shirt. 

EIGHT
Save the shallow plastic and foam containers your mushrooms and other veg are packaged in. They are brilliant to use when doing stamping or printmaking projects with thicker paint.

I have three products that will make rainy day painting a lot more fun, so be sure to send me an e-mail to order!

Edupaints powder paints- 6 colours

R60

Thick paint brushes (4 in a set)

R39

Non-spill painting cups

with rubber stoppers and a steady base

R55

Happy painting!!