Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Edible Home-made Finger Paint (with recipe)

Today the boys had a friend over to play and they all wanted to make something artsy. So we whipped up a batch of homemade finger paints and they went to town! If you do decide to give this recipe a try PLEASE BE CAREFUL if your little ones help you make it! This recipe involves boiling water, and cooking on the stovetop! This is not a recipe for children to follow without lots of close grownup supervision. The paint dries semi-transparent and has a very glossy, durable finish. It is very pretty and lots of fun to use. One of the things I like about it is the easy availability of all of the ingredients, no special ordering and waiting for delivery, and it’s cheap too (always a plus in my book!!) You can refrigerate the unused portions for a few days at least. We’ve never had left-over paint for more than a few days (so I’m not sure exactly how long it will last without spoiling), as it disappears quickly around here!



Homemade finger paint recipe tutorial

Ingredients:

• ½ cup cornstarch
• 2¾ cup cold water
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• ¼ cup cold water
• Small jars with lids for storing your paint (we find it easier to dip the paint out of teacups)
• Food coloring

How we make it:

• Mix cornstarch with 2¾ cups cold water to make a smooth paste in a saucepan until no lumps remain
• Meanwhile soak the gelatin in ¼ cup water to soften until it’s needed
• Cook cornstarch mixture over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture boils and turns clear(ish)
• Remove from heat and stir in gelatin mixture
• Cool and divide into several different jars for various colors. Stir in food coloring until you have a pleasing color that is well blended.

This recipe makes about 3 cups of paint.

We didn't have any finger paint paper on hand but it works nicely with card stock paper as well. Overall everyone was pleased with the outcome! I hope you enjoy using this recipe with your little ones!

*Update February 17, 2014 This is thick finger paint. We like it that way! If you make it like exactly as the recipe states you will have nice thick paint. If you want it a bit runnier, please feel free to add water a little bit at a time until it is the consistency YOU want it to be! Super Easy fix right?  Of course you are still welcome to send vituperative emails about how I wrote the recipe wrong, and I promise I will always answer you nicely, just the way I'd want to be treated, but please ask yourself before you send me an email like that...what good would it do? Surely you are not so unhappy with your life, (or my finger paint recipe) that you want to try and ruin a perfectly nice stranger's day? Surely all you nice crafty mamas out there who want to make a safe fun recipe to use with your adoring little ones can treat me and all of the other mamas who are out here online and in real life nicely right? Let's all try to remember what Thumper's mama  told him "If you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all!" She sounds like a very smart bunny indeed!
Love and hugs to you ALL*! ~Rachel 
(Even to those of you who do send those vituperative emails...especially to you! I imagine you could really use some loving and hugs!)

46 comments:

  1. Just great, and what fun. terrific pictures, cheers Marie

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    1. This is a great DIY! cant wait to see more!

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  2. Oh, we are going to have to try this. I can imagine all three of my children enjoying it. Very tactile and a picture at the end.

    Looks like you had a beautiful day.

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  3. I think I'll try this soon. Thanks!

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  4. i want the spanish recipe please
    it looks great !

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  5. Aqui lo tienes en Español! Disfrutenlo!!!
    ~Rachel

    Ingredientes:

    • ½ taza de maicena
    • 2 ¾ taza de agua fría
    • 1 sobre de gelatina sin sabor
    • ¼ de taza de agua fría
    • frascos pequeños con tapa para el almacenamiento de la pintura
    • Colorante de comida o pinturas temperas (no toxico!)

    Como hacerlo:
    • Mezcla la maicena con 2 ¾ tazas de agua fría para hacer una pasta suave en una sartén hasta que no queden grumos
    • Mientras tanto, remoja la gelatina en ¼ taza de agua para ablandarla
    • Cocina a fuego medio la mezcla de maicena, revolviendo constantemente hasta que la mezcla hierva y se vuelve casi transparente
    • Retira del fuego y agregua la mezcla de gelatina
    • Deja enfriar y se dividen en varios frascos, uno por cada color que planeas tener. Añade colorante de comida o temperas hasta que tenga un color agradable que esté bien mezclado.

    Esta receta rinde aproximadamente 3 tazas de pintura.

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  6. New follower, from hands on as we grow.
    This is great I love this idea cause my 19 month old puts everything in her mouth. Going to try this with her.

    Thanks
    Momma's Fun World

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  7. Hello! I really like your creative ideas. Yesterday made ​​of paint on your recipe, but it went wrong, they just froze. Maybe a lot of gelatin.
    I transferred to the program, check whether these proportions?
    ½ cup (100gramm) cornstarch
    • 2 ¾ (575 ml) cups of cold water
    • 1 envelope (10 grams) unflavored gelatin
    • ¼ (50 ml) cups of cold water

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  8. Hello Милания, I believe the problem may be the amount of corn starch (corn flour) you used. I think it should be 60 grams instead of 100. Also an envelope of unflavored gelatin contains 7 grams of gelatin. The paint will be very thick when finished if made how I have written the recipe, but if you feel like it is too think for your children to use you can add water a little bit at a time until the desired consistency is reached. I hope that helps! Thanks for visiting!
    Rachel~

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  9. Can I make ahead and storage? in the refrigerator?

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    1. Hi Tatiana, Yes you can make this a day or two ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. Just be sure to store it in an air-tight container so it doesn't dry out.
      Thanks for visiting!
      ~Rachel

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    2. Thank you! I can't wait to make it and play with it...I mean, have my kids play with it LOL

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  10. this is an awesome idea! im definitely going to try this with my eighteen month old. she gets bored with her toys, so I was looking up online some new things to do with her. this seems awesome! thank you!!!

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  11. I tried this recipe and it didn't work for me. It was runny and the colors were blah. I used a natural food coloring from Whole Foods. My sister tried it too with standard food coloring and had the same problem - lacking color and so watery it just soaked the paper. When I put in the fridge it got lumpy. Disappointed cause I loved the idea.

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    1. So sorry you had this problem Shell! I've never had it get lumpy in the fridge, we always use it up within a week or so of making it, so maybe that had something to do with it. And as far as the colors go, I've never used natural food coloring from Whole Foods...maybe if you tried adding more drops of coloring to your batch it would work better. I know that with only one or two drops of conventional food coloring the paint itself looks bright, but on paper the color is still pretty diluted. I just added coloring until the colors showed up nice and vibrant on paper! Hope these hints help.
      Rachel~ At the Butterfly Ball

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  12. does the paint mold on the paper? can you keep them as keepsakes? i would love to try this with my little girl and hang it in her room but scared it will end up going moldy!

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    1. Hi there! I've never had a problem with this paint getting moldy. Once it is dry, it acts just like any other paint (stays right there on the paper looking painty!) I still have several of the paintings my boys made that are pictured above and they look as adorable as they did the day they painted them almost 4 years ago!

      So enjoy! And I'd love if you email me a picture of your little girl's art work ♥

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  13. I just made a batch so I can have my daughter use it tomorrow. Then I just read the comments. Why would you write the recipe with 1/2 cup of cornstarch if that is too much???

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    1. Hi there! We always make ours with 1/2 cup of cornstarch. I actually made some last night for my 2 toddlers to use today as well :-) And with a half cup of cornstarch it turns out perfectly for me every time. (it should be thick, finger paint usually is. I'm not sure which comments you are referring to.... If you find the recipe is too thick for your liking, you can always water it down a a bit~ easy peasy! And problem solved! ♥ I hope you enjoy art time with your daughter, I'm sure she'll be thrilled to play and paint with you no matter what. Kids are pretty wonderful like that!

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  14. Thank u so much for this i just made some now i cant wait for my boys to try it

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  15. Just made this today with my 4 year old and had a blast! Thanks for the recipe. Just curious, have you tried any coloring besides food coloring? Is there food coloring that won't stain? (this may be a stupid question) I just used what I had at home and was wondering what I could maybe substitute so my 2 year old could join in next time (he will get it everywhere!). Again, thanks! Oh, and I loved your update;)

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    1. Hi Jenny! Thanks for the sweet comment. I have used kids tempura paints as the coloring in this recipe on occasion when I was out of food coloring, but I think they would probably stain clothes as well. With my 2 year old (who is also a bit "wild" with his art) I just strip him down to his diaper and let him make his art with abandon. Then it's straight into the tub! I have one of my big kids watch him while I wipe down the table. Sometimes I spread freezer paper over his play area so it makes much more of a contained mess for me to clean! Hope that helps♥

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    2. Thanks! Your reply helps a lot:) Can't wait until warm weather so we can be outside for these projects too. Just thought I'd let you know a quick update on my end as well... I found liquid watercolors(sax) and tried them out as they stated "will wash out of most clothing". They actually worked pretty well if you're looking for something else to try and they are going to be fun for some other projects as well. I can tell they're still not 100% stain proof though (it didn't wash right off of skin), but we did the tapioca water beads with them and there was no permanent staining with the 2 year old... oh and they are non-toxic (that's always good too:)). Going to try your recipe again soon with them and see! Thanks again:)

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  16. Haha! You go mama!!! Kill'em with kindness! Best offense and defense is always LOVE. Great job!!!

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  17. I am so excited about this Rachel...it has been on my "to do" list with my 15-month-old for months now! I am making it as I type and can't wait to spend a windy afternoon (where both my daughter and I are going stir-crazy) painting and crafting it up! Thanks for sharing your great recipe and joyful attitude! :)

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  18. We chinese cook corn starch a lot.. Your paint may get lumpy if you did not let the starch completely dissolve before you heat it up.. Hope that helps..

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  19. They're all cute, but the red swirly one is really great.

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  20. I suppose, since it uses gelatin, this is a no-stain recipe, correct? (Please say yes lol)

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    1. Well, I'm not sure it is a no-stain recipe. I will however say that my darling children are not the world's neatest artists (Haha- major understatement) and we've never had anything ruined with this paint. But since it is food coloring I am imagining it will stain. I guess we've been really lucky so far! When in doubt use a old t-shirt that's at least 3 sizes too big to cover their clothes or as Emmett loves to do, paint naked!! ;-)
      Hugs~Rachel

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  21. I tried this recipe a few weeks ago as an art project for my 11 month old and 2.5 year old. I followed the recipe as written and the paints came out wonderfully! They went solid in the fridge over night but as soon as we started painting with them they became easily spreadable and had a lovely texture. It took more food colouring than I was expecting but the colours were bright both wet and dry. We had more success making "prints" than we did getting the girls to actually paint pictures. To do this we had them smear,squish,smack,spread,etc paint on a tea tray and then laid a piece of paper on top and gently pressed down to transfer a thin layer of the paint. These pictures dried a bit better than the ones where we painted directly on the paper (large globs of paint made the paper wrinkle as it dried). Thanks very much for sharing the recipe - we will make this paint again in the future!

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    1. I love the idea to make a "print"...why didn't I ever think of that? lol So great to learn from other Moms!

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  22. Perfect just what I needed :-) my little girl loves to get messy and at least with this it is not a major issue if it gets onto her face on in her mouth :-) can't wait to give it a go x

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  23. Can't wait to try this! So happy I was lead to your blog! Excited to sit and read!

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  24. heya, just made this but haven't used it yet with my little one (napping), but looks great! excited to use it. however i'm just curious: the cornstarch itself made the whole thing quite thick. what is the point of the gelatin then? can you just use water and cornstarch without the gelatin? or it that what holds the color? thanks!

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    1. The gelatin makes the paint glossy when it dries (like commercial finger paint) Cornstarch alone, does thicken it, but it is quite chalky when it dries and dusty. So that's "why" the gelatin in the recipe! Hope you have fun with your little one! ~hugs!

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  25. Might be a stupid question but.... would this still work if I used orange Jell-O?

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    1. Well, no, I don't think it is a stupid question. I've never tried it so here is what I *think* would happen. If you use orange jello first it's not going to have nearly as much food coloring as what I used in this recipe to make it very bright, so you would probably still need to add more. Second I imagine it will smell yummy like orange jello! :-) which could be a good or bad thing, I only used food ingredients so that way little ones *could* eat it, but honestly I wasn't planning on them eating it, my idea was to make sure there wasn't anything that would harm them if they did get some in their mouths. If it smells like dessert, I think my toddler would probably devour it! Plus it would have sugar in it...so smells yummy, and has sugar, I think it would get eaten and not painted! It would also have a very sticky feel because of the sugar, shich the original recipe really doesn't have. As long as your jello has about the same amount of gelatin as one envelope of plain gelatin, I believe the recipe should work! I probably won't do it, because like I said I really don't want my kids eating it. (We have 2 migraine sufferers in our house, so I try to avoid food coloring being ingested by any of them as it can trigger an attack!) But if you try it I'd love to hear what you thought!
      Hugs~ Rachel

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  26. Thank you for posting this. I don't understand why people post mean comments either. Or are mean in anyway over the internet. Let's presume they had a series of bad days and nights. Thanks again

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  27. YAY!! I almost asked for the recipe today but found it here, your blog is delightful :-)

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  28. I tried this yesterday. The consistency is great, but it dried pretty much clear. How much did coloring do you add to yours?

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    1. Hi M! Well, I just made some last week, and I didn't have a set amount of food coloring I added to each jar. I just added a good squirt of each of my colors. (More than just a few drops, I am guessing probably half a teaspoon...but I don't honestly know exact amounts, as I always just add coloring until the paint is VIBRANT! ) Sorry, but I hope my answer helps you next time! Hugs~Rachel

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  29. Before I try this I'm just wondering if the food colouring doesn't stain everything it touches?

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    1. HI Cathy! Thanks for asking!! I have not had a staining problem on my kids' skin with this paint, we just wash hands normally afterward and they look as good as new. They often get paint on the table when using this but a quick wipe with a damp cloth gets almost everything up immediately. If there is any color left on the table after that I just use some non-toxic counter top cleaning spray and and the damp cloth again and there is no color left at all. I've not had anyone else mention problems with permanent staining using this recipe either. I hope you and your little ones enjoy it!! ♥ Hugs~Rachel

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  30. Do you know if this would work on pumpkins or anything besides paper?

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