While many people might prefer an old-fashioned paint brush, why not try painting with one of these items:
- cotton swabs
- feather
- fingers
- marbles
- spray bottle
- straw
- toothbrushes
And, while a painting made using watercolors or oil paints would suit many tastes, you are sure to raise a few eyebrows if you use one or more of these suggestions:
- egg yolk
- food coloring
- kool aid
- milk
- pudding
- shaving cream
- water
- Shoe Polish (suggested by Paul)
The fun thing about painting is that you can use just about anything! The ideas above will get you started; can you think of any other items you can make paint with?
If you prefer, you can try making your own paint. Here is a collection of paint recipes you can test out. You will find recipes to make everything from dimensional paint to face paint. You can also make a paint palettes.
To get you started, try out some of these painting projects:
- Bread Painting
These instructions will teach you how to make a piece of bread into a painted masterpiece you can actually eat. - Fingerpainting with Pudding
Learn how you can have fun fingerpainting with a variety of pudding flavors. - Flyswatter Painting
Forget painting with a paint brush, try your hand at painting with a fly swatter. - Marble Painting
Place a marble, paper, and some paint in a cake pan and see what you can create. - Painting with Ice Cubes
Try painting with ice cubes! This would be a fun painting project for the summer or winter. You can also check out this video that shows how to paint with an ice cube. - Painting with Shaving Cream
Learn how to paint with shaving cream, just make sure younger kids don't put their fingers in their mouth! - Resist Painting
Learn how you can make a masterpiece using resist painting techniques. - Salad Spinner Painting
Follow these directions and learn how you can make spin art using an old salad spinner. - Toothbrush Painting
Follow these instructions and learn how you can use an old toothbrush to paint.
Have fun painting, and don't forget to wear a smock! If you make any of these crafts, make sure you send in a photo to be included in this collection. You can also get your painting crafts published. If you want to be one of the first to know when new craft projects are posted, take a few moments to sign up for the Family Crafts Newsletter and you can also chat about painting and crafts with others in the Family Crafts Forum.
