The real title of this post should be “If You’re Not Making a Mess, You’re Not Having a Good Time” since this project is about making a mess and having a good time. Summertime is great for doing art activities outside, and anything that involves squirting is sure to be a hit.

I got the idea to make this paint while browsing the inspirational dollar store. They offer reusable plastic squeeze bottles for ketchup and mustard this picnic time of year, one each per package. These bottles make perfect, hefty containers for Homemade Puffy Paint. They even have little attached stoppers that you can put on the tips for storing in the refrigerator, if by some wild chance you have any leftovers.

Kids, and used to be kids, go crazy with this paint. Everyone can help mix it all up and everyone just loooooooves to squirt it. I‘ve seen some robust results with two handed painting, one color in each hand. This puffy paint brings new meaning to food fighting in bathing suits, birthday suits!, or whatever suits you. Just make it clear not to squirt on anyone’s face. The salt in it can really burn the eyes. After the fight simply hose off.

All the ingredients are available in the kitchen. To whip up six colors, you will need 6 yogurt containers to mix each color in, spoons, plus 1 cup of flour, 1 cup salt and 1 cup of water for each color, food coloring and six squeeze bottles.

Pour 1 cup of water, 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of salt into each yogurt container and stir it well, then add a drop of one color of food coloring to each bowl, stirring and adding until the color has good strength. Food coloring comes in four colors so use them directly for four of the colors. Mix two colors together for the remaining two (red and blue to make purple, etc.)

The consistency of the paint should be one that will successfully pass through the size hole in your squeeze bottle, not too thick and not too runny, Add water or flour sparingly as needed.

Squeeze the sides of each yogurt container into a funnel and pour each color into their own squeeze bottles, screw the tops on tight and let the rumpus begin.

The paint is a bit heavy so use strong poster board or cardboard to paint on.  Keep your hands and the paint flowing so that it dries properly puffy. Leave your pictures in the sun to dry before picking them up. It takes about a day to dry. The paint will become very puffy because of the flour and water, and sparkly because of the salt.

When the paint runs out, make sure you clean the containers well so they can be used again. If you are highly imaginative you could even use them for mustard and ketchup!

Please email any pictures of your creations to artistvo@artypantz.com and I will happily post them in my next article.

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