making liquid watercolors

                                                 

I have a very long art supply wish-list. And it is continually growing as I discover new projects and ideas that we just must do. One of the supplies at the top of the list are liquid watercolors. They look fabulous. And they are expensive. If I was to purchase them, I would buy these.

But for now, I made our own with something that I would have thrown away! Score! 

I got this brilliant idea from Happy Hooligans.

Here are just a few ideas that I'm interested in using them for:

Watercolors and Oil

Salt, Glue, and Watercolor

Soap Foam Printing

Rubber Cement Resist

Painted Salt Sculpture

Gelatin Streaking

Here's the surprise ingredient! Old, dried up markers.
First, I had my little assistant sort the markers into groups of color.

Then we added the markers, bottoms down, into about 2 inches of water in glass mason jars.

And sealed the lids TIGHTLY.

Here they are after sitting in the jar for about a week.
I threw the markers away at this point, and kept the liquid watercolors in the jars to use as we wanted.

They are so wonderfully pigmented!

I can't wait to try these out in many different and colorful ways this winter!

Happy painting!