Making paint with plants

Paint is basically color in a liquid solution that has something to help it stick to the paper/painting surface. Ink is more like a stain and may not need the sticky factor. To play it safe with children (and avoid allergens like egg) we keep it simple and use gum arabic, honey or nothing at all.

Every year the second graders use plant paints in addition to earth pigments (from rocks) to paint portraits of people who have changed the world. Our fourth grade uses plant paints for plant studies, the sixth grade makes inks to create value studies and the seventh grade makes watercolors to use during an intensive week spent in Joshua Tree National Park.

In order to get a good range of colors (and to give kids a chance to think about different places that colors can come from) I use plants from the garden, foodstuffs from the kitchen and rocks from California with the second grade.

The kitchen and garden colors made from plants have a lot of overlap: leaves or flowers can be soaked and/or boiled to create color in water. Colors can sometimes be strengthened or altered using salt, vinegar, baking soda or alum- it's always worth it to check. 

I also use instant coffee mixed with a little water for brown, and turmeric to make an incredible yellow. This year I found a brand of beet juice that stayed super pink when dried! Experiment, keep good records and take pictures, as some of the colors fade over time. 

Red cabbage is particularly fascinating to use. I have found that if you can use the darkest exterior leaves you can get a really blue color- I only cut up one or two leaves and bring them to a quick boil. Sometimes with interior or old leaves the color is washed out lavendar. The best part about cabbage is that it is a dramatic acid indicator, turning bright pink with vinegar! Once dry it reverts to a blueish shade. 

Use an eyedropper of vinegar for drama