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Make Raised Salt Art

Make Raised Salt Art
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Make raised salt art by drawing glue lines, sprinkling salt, and painting the textured patterns with watercolors to explore color mixing and texture.

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Step-by-step guide to Make Raised Salt Art

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Easy Raised Salt Painting for Kids | Fun & Creative Art Activity!

What you need
Adult supervision required, cup of water, paintbrush, paper towel, pencil, small tray or plate, table salt, watercolor paints, watercolor paper, white school glue

Step 1

Lay a protective sheet like newspaper or a paper towel on your table.

Step 2

Lightly sketch a simple picture or pattern on your watercolor paper with a pencil.

Step 3

Squeeze a steady line of white school glue over your pencil lines to make raised patterns.

Step 4

Sprinkle salt generously over the wet glue until every glue line is covered.

Step 5

Gently tap the paper so extra loose salt falls into the tray without touching the glued lines.

Step 6

Let the glue and salt dry completely for at least one to two hours.

Step 7

Fill a cup with clean water for rinsing your brush.

Step 8

Dip your paintbrush into the cup of water to wet the bristles.

Step 9

Lightly blot the brush on a paper towel to remove extra water.

Step 10

Touch the wet brush to a watercolor pan to pick up one color.

Step 11

Paint inside the salt-lined areas with that color so the paint meets the raised salt lines.

Step 12

Paint nearby areas with different colors so the colors touch and mix at the edges.

Step 13

If paint pools, gently dab the extra water with a paper towel to soak it up.

Step 14

Let the painted artwork dry completely and then gently shake off any leftover loose salt into the tray.

Step 15

Share a photo of your finished raised salt art on DIY.org.

Final steps

You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!

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Help!?

What can I use if I don’t have white school glue or watercolor paper?

Use any clear-drying PVA or craft glue instead of white school glue and heavyweight cardstock or mixed-media paper in place of watercolor paper, but squeeze thinner glue lines and allow extra drying time so the salt adheres as described in the glue-and-salt steps.

My salt keeps falling off after drying—what should I do?

That usually means the glue dried before the salt was fully embedded, so reapply fresh white school glue over the affected pencil lines, sprinkle salt again as in step 4, gently tap off excess per step 6, and let it dry the full 1–2 hours to create sturdy raised edges.

How can I adapt this activity for a 3-year-old versus a 10-year-old?

For a 3-year-old, pre-draw bold shapes on the protective-sheet-covered table and pre-squeeze thick glue lines for them to sprinkle salt and dab paint with a blotted brush, while a 10-year-old can sketch finer designs on watercolor paper, use a smaller paintbrush to blend multiple watercolor pans, and experiment with controlled wet-on-wet mixing at the raised salt edges.

What's a fun way to make the finished raised salt art more special?

Try sprinkling colored table salt or fine glitter over the wet glue before drying, add diluted liquid watercolor to the pans for brighter washes, or cut and fold the dried paper into handmade cards to photograph and post on DIY.org.

Watch videos on how to Make Raised Salt Art

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Raised Salt Painting with Kids | Fun & Easy Glue and Salt Art Activity

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Facts about mixed-media and sensory art for kids

🎨 Glue lines act like tiny dams — when watercolor meets them it beads and dries into raised ridges you can touch.

🌈 Mixing just two watercolors can make dozens of new shades — try blue + yellow to explore many greens!

🧂 Table salt soaks up water and pigment to make sparkly, starburst 'salt blooms' in wet paint.

🧪 The salt used in this craft is plain table salt (sodium chloride) — it's simple and safe for kids with supervision.

🖌️ Watercolors are transparent, so layering washes builds glowing color depth instead of hiding earlier colors.

How do you make raised salt art?

To make raised salt art, draw designs on thick paper using white school glue in continuous lines. While glue is wet, sprinkle salt generously over it and shake off the excess. Let the glue-and-salt dry completely (several hours or overnight). Use diluted watercolors or a dropper to touch paint to the salted lines — the pigment will spread and create textured color. Let paint dry and optionally seal with spray varnish.

What materials do I need for raised salt art?

You'll need white school glue (PVA), table salt or fine sea salt, watercolor paints or liquid watercolors, thick paper or watercolor paper, paintbrushes and/or droppers, a tray or newspaper to catch spills, scissors or toothpicks for detailing, cups of water and paper towels, and optional sealant like spray varnish. For younger kids use washable glue and non-toxic paints. Avoid loose salt near small children who might ingest it.

What ages is raised salt art suitable for?

This activity suits children about 4 years and up with adult supervision. Ages 4–6 benefit from guided help with glue control and salt sprinkling; ages 7–12 can plan detailed designs and explore color mixing independently. Toddlers (2–3) can join but need hands-on adult help and close supervision because salt is a choking hazard. Adjust complexity and supervision based on each child's fine-motor skills and attention span.

What are the benefits of raised salt art?

Raised salt art builds fine motor skills, teaches cause-and-effect as watercolor spreads along salted glue, and encourages color mixing and creativity. The textured result adds sensory interest and helps children observe absorption and capillary action in a simple science moment. It's low-cost, adaptable for different ages, and yields a satisfying finished piece to display. For extra learning, discuss why paint travels along salt and try mixing new color combinations.
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Make Raised Salt Art. Activities for Kids.