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How to Make Your Own Paint

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff
Last Updated: June 16, 2020 References

Instead of shopping for manufactured paint, make your own out of a few inexpensive
ingredients. Paint that is safe for children of all ages can be made quickly with flour or
corn syrup. More experienced artists can mix their own paint using raw pigment and a
medium. If you need to paint a DIY project, try making chalk paint for furniture or a flour-
based paint for walls. Make your own paint for a satisfying, yet entertaining project that
also saves you money.

Method
1 Making Flour-Based Drip Paint

Pour white flour, water, and salt in a bowl. Pour 1 cup, or 8 fluid
1 ounces (240 ml), of warm water into a large mixing bowl. Also add 12
ounces (340 g) each of white flour and table salt. Mix the ingredients into a
smooth liquid.[1]
This creates a quick-drying, non-toxic paint safe for children of any age.
Adjust the amount of each ingredient you use to create more or less paint.
Keep the ingredients in the same ratio.

Divide the paint into separate containers. Distribute the paint evenly
2 among a few small bowls or squeeze bottles. Resealable plastic bags
also work well with this kind of paint.[2]
 With a zippered plastic bag, you can cut a corner later to let out a steady
drip of paint. This eliminates overturned paint containers and reduces
messes.

Pour 2 drops of food coloring into the paint. Choose a paint color,
3 then squeeze 2 or 3 drops of food coloring into the paint. Give yourself a
color palette by mixing a different color into each container. You can add more
drops as needed if the paint’s color isn’t dark enough.[3]
If you can’t find a specific food coloring, mix drops of other colors. For
example, try adding 3 drops of red and 1 drop of blue to make purple.

Stir the paint to mix in the food coloring. If your paint is in open
4 containers, stir it with a spoon or another utensil. For bottles or bags,
close the container and shake or squeeze it. Keep doing this until the paint
becomes a consistent color.[4]
If you are using resealable bags, leave the bag open slightly so that
excess air can escape. Be careful to avoid squeezing the paint out of the
opening.

Add more water to thin the paint. Paint made using a flour mixture may
5 seem pretty thick at first. To thin the paint, gradually pour more water into
the container. Mix the ingredients together until the paint is exactly how you
want it.[5]
Since the paint is non-toxic, you can safely touch it with your fingers as
well as pour it from the container.
This paint tends to be a little thicker than traditional store-bought paints,
so it isn’t quite as easy to spread.

Use the paint on paper and refrigerate excess. The best paper to use
6 is watercolor paper from an art supply store. The paper is made of wood
pulp or cotton and may hold up better than regular printer paper. You can also
try similar flat surfaces such as cardboard, cardstock, or canvases. Store
excess paint in a closed container in the refrigerator.
The paint should be safe to use for about 2 weeks. However, it may
harden over time.
Method
2 Making Watercolor Paint

Boil sugar and water in a stovetop pot. Add about 8 fluid ounces
1 (240 ml) to a pot safe to heat on the stove. Stir in 16 ounces (450 g) of
white sugar. Turn the heat on the stove to high until the water boils.[6]
Instead of doing this, you can purchase light corn syrup from a grocery
store. You don’t need to boil anything. Simply mix the syrup in with the
other ingredients.
This creates a non-toxic paint safe for children. It’s easier to spread and
more similar to store-bought watercolors than flour paint.

Turn the heat down and stir the mixture into a syrup. Turn the heat
2 down to low after the water begins to boil. Stir the sugar mixture
continuously for about 3 to 5 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Once the
mixture becomes a clear syrup, remove the pot from the heat.[7]
Scoop up the mixture with a spoon to check for undissolved sugar
crystals.
The longer you boil the mixture, the thicker it becomes after it cools. If you
boil it too long, it may burn.

Mix baking soda, cornstarch, white vinegar, and corn syrup. Pour
3 about 1 ½ tablespoons, or .75 fluid ounces (22 ml) of corn syrup from the
pot into a mixing bowl. Add 1.5 fluid ounces (44 ml) of white vinegar. Also add
1.5 ounces (43 g) each of baking soda and cornstarch. Mix the ingredients
into a smooth liquid.[8]
You can find all of these ingredients at most grocery stores.

Pour the paint into small containers. Separate the paint into small
4 bowls, such as tea-light holders. Use a different container for each color
of paint you wish to make.[9]

Add 2 drops of food coloring to the paint. Pick out a few different dyes
5 to give your art plenty of color. Start with only a few drops of food coloring
so the paint doesn't turn too dark. You can add more drops after mixing the
 paint.[10]
If you can’t find a specific color, mix different colors to create it. For
instance, mixing 2 drops of yellow and 1 drop of red can create orange.

Mix in the food coloring using a toothpick. Stir the paint around in the
6 container until the food coloring is dispersed throughout it. Use a different
toothpick for each container in order to avoid crossing the colors. Then, you
can brush the paint onto paper. The best surface to use is watercolor paper,
since it holds up better to liquid paint than regular paper..[11]
Wash off your paint brush after using it to crossing colors.
This paint is like store-bought watercolors, so you can mix colors on
paper. The paint also dries slowly, drying faster under heat.
The paint can be stored in a covered container in a refrigerator. It will
usually last a couple of weeks. Throw it away if you notice mold growing
on it.

Method
3 Mixing Acrylic or Oil Paint

Wear a dust mask to protect yourself from the paint. Since you will be
1 working with paint pigments and a medium, protect yourself by wearing a
mask or respirator. You may also want to cover your arms by wearing long-
sleeved clothing.[12]
The paints are non-toxic unless you use metal-based pigments like
“cadmium red.” However, these paints are not meant for use on skin.

Pour raw color pigment onto a flat mixing surface. You will need dry
2 paint pigment in the color you wish to make. Pour about 1 tablespoon, or
1⁄ ounce (14 g), of pigment onto a mixing surface such as a paint palette or
2
slab.[13]
You can find dry paint pigment at art supply stores. Each pigment has a
visible color and is labeled appropriately, such as Titanium White or Red
Iron.
 Many artists use glass or stone slabs. You may be able to find plexiglass
at a home improvement store and use that to mix your paint.

Pour 2 drops of water if you want to smooth out the pigment. Adding
3 a little bit of water can help you get the paint to the proper consistency.
Spread the paint to create space in the center of the pigment pile. Using a
pipette or eye dropper, squeeze 2 or 3 drops of water into the space.[14]
If the pigment isn’t completely smooth, the paint may look grainy once you
use it later.

Mix the paint and water with a palette knife. Use a palette knife or
4 spatula to spread the water throughout the pigment. Mix the paint until it
has a smooth, sauce-like consistency. Try to eliminate any clumps of raw
pigment you see.[15]
You might not be able to remove all the lumps right away. This is okay,
since you will get another chance to thin the paint.
If you make your own paint often, consider purchasing a paint muller
online or from an art supply store. A paint muller grinds and disperses raw
pigment.

Add your paint medium to the pigment. Start with approximately 2

5 tablespoons, or 1 fl. oz., of your liquid paint medium. The medium you
choose depends on what type of paint you want to make. Art supply stores
sell different mediums for acrylics, or you can get a plant-based oil to make oil
paint.[16]
For example, you can use a gloss medium to make thin, transparent
acrylic paint.
For oil paint, use linseed, walnut, or poppy oil.

Mix the paint and add more of the medium for consistency. Use your
6 palette knife or spatula to combine the pigment and medium. When the
paint is at the proper consistency, it will appear smooth, firm, and a little
glossy. Adjust the paint by adding more of the medium as necessary until it
reaches the consistency you desire.[17]
Add the medium gradually while mixing it into the paint. Check the
consistency frequently so you don't add too much.