Make Your Own Paint Color
Mix primary paints and simple non-toxic pigments to create your own paint color, test shades on paper, and learn about color mixing.
Step-by-step guide to Make Your Own Paint Color
How to Make Homemade Paint 4 Ways
Step 1
Gather all the materials and bring them to a flat table.
Step 2
Cover the table with paper towels or a plastic sheet to protect it.
Step 3
Squeeze pea-sized blobs of red blue and yellow paint onto the palette leaving space between each blob.
Step 4
Put a tiny pinch of non-toxic powdered pigment into an empty well on the palette.
Step 5
Mix a pea-sized blob of one primary paint with the powdered pigment in the well until the color is smooth and even.
Step 6
Mix equal tiny amounts of two different primary paints in a clean well until the color is even to make a new hue.
Step 7
Use a clean brush to paint a small swatch of the first mixed color onto the scrap paper.
Step 8
Rinse your brush in the water cup.
Step 9
Dry your brush on a paper towel.
Step 10
Add a tiny extra drop of one color or a very small pinch more pigment to one mix and stir it well to change the shade.
Step 11
Paint a second swatch of the adjusted mix onto the scrap paper to compare the shades.
Step 12
Look at your swatches and choose your favorite shade.
Step 13
Share your finished creation on DIY.org.
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can I use instead of the non-toxic powdered pigment if I can't find it?
If you can't find non-toxic powdered pigment, use a tiny pinch of crushed soft pastel/chalk or a very small drop of concentrated liquid food coloring or extra paint in the empty well to create a concentrated tint before mixing with the pea-sized blobs of red, blue, and yellow paint.
My mixed color looks grainy or watery — what should I do?
If the color is grainy or streaky, stir the pea-sized blob and powdered pigment longer with the brush or a palette knife until the mix is smooth and even, then rinse your brush in the water cup and dry your brush on a paper towel before making another mix.
How can I adapt this activity for different age groups?
For toddlers, pre-squeeze the pea-sized blobs and tiny pinch of pigment and let them finger-paint supervised swatches, preschoolers can follow the basic mixing and swatching steps, and older kids can precisely measure tiny amounts, mix equal tiny amounts to make a color chart, record recipes, and prepare a photo to share on DIY.org.
How can we extend or personalize the project after choosing a favorite shade?
Extend the activity by painting a small artwork with your chosen shade on scrap paper, label swatches showing how a tiny extra drop or pinch changed the shade, experiment by adding a bit of metallic pigment or glazing medium for effects, then photograph and share the finished creation on DIY.org.
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Facts about color mixing and painting for kids
🖌️ Artists always test tiny swatches because just one drop of a new color can change a shade a lot.
🧪 Many historic pigments came from surprising sources like plants, minerals, and even insects (cochineal makes a brilliant red).
🎨 Mix red + yellow = orange, red + blue = purple, and blue + yellow = green — that's how secondary colors are born!
🌈 Your eyes can distinguish around 10 million different colors — so your custom paint could be totally unique!
🧑🎨 Isaac Newton created the first color circle in 1666 when he split light into a rainbow — it's the ancestor of today's color wheels.
How to mix your own paint color
Materials needed for paint mixing
What ages is this activity suitable for?
Safety tips and creative variations
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