Crafty Mom: Make your own 3D paint for arts, crafts project

While this recipe is often called snow paint because it makes a fabulous white 3D paint that resembles snow and can be used for your winter arts and crafts projects, I wanted to show you how you can really use this paint recipe all year long by adding color! It’s easy to find projects to do each season that can be enhanced by using this paint, so you’ll probably find yourself making this again and again!

food coloring, finger paint, other paint, etc. (optional, for coloring)

I never measure, but the idea is to mix roughly equal amounts of white glue and white shaving cream together. If you want white paint, you’re already done! That's why it’s often called snow paint!!

If you want colored paint, all you have to do is add a little bit of food coloring, finger paint, or other paint in the color you want, and stir. Start with just a little and add more until you get the color you desire. The paint dries pretty much true to color, perhaps just a touch darker when dry.

We’ve always used this as finger paint, and we’ve found that it dries puffier if you kind of dab it on rather than smear, as you want it to go on somewhat thick. What it looks like wet is what it will look like when it’s dry!

The paint will have a puffy, 3D texture when dry. It looks great on display, and feels squishy like foam to the touch. Just be sure to note this paint will not stand up to a lot of touching, and any scratching or rough handling will certainly damage it.

So far we’ve used this simple recipe to paint various paper crafts: Snowmen, treetops on trees, and pumpkins! My preschool-aged children love the way the paint feels on their fingers.

See what creative ways you can think of to use this easy-to-make 3D paint! Have fun!