DIY Vegetable Paints

This PowerPoint is part of the Science Projects Series

Pigments

• A pigment is a substance that gives color to another substance.

• Pigments can be found throughout nature in clays, herbs, berries, fruits, vegetables, etc.

Pigments

• For this DIY project pigments of organic materials will be responsible for color of the paints.

Advantages of Organic Paint

• There are many advantages of organically made paint including:

– Non-toxicity and even edible in some cases

– Sustainable because they are made from renewable resources and require less energy to be produced

Materials

• Boiled Water• Small containers• Tablespoon• Powdered Sugar• Organic Materials (in this case

beets, lemons, purple cabbage, & instant coffee)• Strainer• Baking Soda• Flour (optional – adding flour to the paints will

give them a thicker consistency)

Magenta

1. Chop beets up into small cubes2. Place cubed beets into a Ziploc bag3. Mash beets in Ziploc bags until flattened4. Take two tablespoons of mashed beets and place it

into a small container5. Pour two tablespoons of boiling water into container

with beets and let it stand for 10 minutes (do not use too much water as the color will not be as concentrated)

6. After 10 minutes strain the mixture into a separate container

7. Combine the strained beet juice and three tablespoons of powdered sugar

8. Begin painting a masterpiece!

Purple

1. Finely chop cabbage

2. Take two tablespoons of the chopped cabbage and place it into a smaller container

3. Pour two tablespoons of boiling water into container with beets and let it stand for 10 minutes (do not use too much water as the color will not be as concentrated)

4. After 10 minutes strain the mixture into a separate container

5. Combine the strained beet juice and three tablespoons of powdered sugar

6. Begin painting a masterpiece!

Blue

1. Follow the same directions for making purple paint

2. Once your purple paint is made mix in two teaspoons of baking soda

3. Voila! Begin painting a blue masterpiece

Fun Fact!

• Scientific theory: Cabbage juice is an indicator of pH therefore it can reveal whether a substance is an acid or a base. Cabbage juice will turn pink when you add an acid, such as vinegar and blue when you add a base, such as baking soda.

Yellow

1. Grate half a cup of lemon skins.

2. Take two tablespoons of the grated lemon skin and place it into a smaller container

3. Pour two tablespoons of boiling water into container with beets and let it stand for 10 minutes (do not use too much water as the color will not be as concentrated)

4. After 10 minutes strain the mixture into a separate container

5. Combine the strained lemon skin juice and three tablespoons of powdered sugar

6. Begin painting a masterpiece!

Green

1. Mix the yellow paint made from lemon skins and the blue paint made from the baking soda cabbage paint mixture.

2. Voila, you have green!

Brown

1. Take one tablespoon of instant coffee and place it into a small container.

2. Dissolve the powder coffee in a two tablespoons of hot water. (You can add more coffee to achieve a stronger hue).

3. Combine the coffee and water mixture with three tablespoons of powdered sugar

4. Begin painting a masterpiece!

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