For my last post, I marbled paper with food coloring, today I'm going to create a spray paint with it. I had no idea that food coloring could be used so easily with paper--the possibilities seem endless. This project is a super cheap and easy way to create that misty air-brushed look.
You'll need:
Liquid food coloring
Small spray bottle
Water
Paper
Put about one inch of water into your spray bottle (you can find these for about a dollar in the travel section of most big box stores). Add several drops of food coloring and shake. About 3 drops will create a water pastel, 5 or 6 drops will create a more saturated color. I used white cardstock on a cookie sheet to help with overspray. You'll want to wipe down your table after every few sheets (or put down some newspaper). As long as the food coloring is still wet, it wipes up easily. Be sure to run clean water through the sprayer before switching to new colors.
After you've experimented with color intensity and patterns, try making some stencils out of your card stock. In the picture above you can see a grass pattern at the top of the photo and a wave pattern at the bottom.
My favorite pattern was created with blue spray that I then added a few drops of green to and layered on top of the blue spray. It created a sort of aqua ombre effect. I used it to create the thank you card below.
FAQs
Don't: Dump in a ton of color at once.
Most types of food coloring are very powerful, so you want to start small, adding a few drops at a time.
How do you make easy spray paint? ›
Don't aim the nozzle at just one spot. Also, make sure to overlap each of your passes slightly to ensure that you do not have gaps in between the areas you spray paint. Hold the can of paint about 8 inches (20.3 cm) away from your object, and move the can back and forth slowly at a rate of about one foot per second.
How do you make sprayable paint? ›
To thin down emulsion ready for spraying, the best ratio is 70/30. That is 70% of paint and 30% water. Some painters prefer an 80/20 ratio, but this greatly depends on the paint you are using and how thick it was, to begin with.
Is edible paint the same as food coloring? ›
Edible food colorings are safe to consume colors, majorly available in two variants - Poppy Paints and Edible Art Paints. Both can be used to add interesting colors to any food, even the savory ones. The poppy paints dry way faster, In like 30-60 seconds, compared to the edible art paints that can take upto 24 hours.
Can you paint with water and food coloring? ›
I added one drop to my paint pallet and some water. The more water you add the lighter the color will dry on the paper. It's very runny since the 'paint' has the same consistency as water and drips easily. It's not suitable for fine art but it's great as an abstract art painting medium.
Can you use too much food coloring? ›
Consuming too much food dye containing contaminants could pose a health risk. However, with the exception of Red 3, there is currently no convincing evidence that artificial food dyes cause cancer. Nevertheless, note that most of the studies evaluating the safety of food dyes were performed decades ago.
What brand food coloring do professional bakers use? ›
Chefmaster Liqua-Gel® food coloring is one of the highest quality Liquid Gel food coloring available to both professionals and home-bakers. Also referred to as Gel Paste coloring, Gel food color is much thicker than liquid gel food coloring and highly concentrated, resulting in more vibrant, richer, deeper colors.
What food coloring is best for rainbow cake? ›
I used gel food coloring to color these rainbow cake layers. Liquid food coloring can work too, but you won't be able to get the same vibrant colors. You also can throw off the consistency of the cake batter if you add too much liquid food coloring. I highly recommend using gel food coloring.
How do you make washable paint with food coloring? ›
Make Your Own Washable Paint
With just 2 parts dishwashing liquid, 1 part cornstarch, and food coloring, you probably have everything you need already at home. Start by mixing the ingredients together and pour into individual bowls.
How do you make spray dye? ›
In your spray bottle add dye powder and just enough plain tap water to wet the dye. This will help dissolve the dye so clumps don't clog up the spray bottle. I used a straw to help mix up the dye. Add more dye for bolder colors or less for more pastel.
