For no reason the other day, I had a momentary flashback to…
fingerpainting?
What’s that, you ask?
If you are of a certain age, you should recall this curious but fun “art project,” where your grade school teacher would hand out oversized sheets of paper to hand-craft, or finger-paint a scene.
The paint was a liquified goo, oozing and swishing as you ran your fingers and hands, creating images that had to be dried.
And yep, you got to take this art home for your parents’ gallery of childhood creativity.
I recall the paint had a special smell and pasty texture.
Then today, I got an errant email about making-your-own paint for fingerpainting.
The scent must be from corn starch and sugar, yielding the oozy quality.
I don’t remember if the teacher made the paint – or it was a staple product back in the day –but an attached recipe (that showed up in my email) shows you can revive this art form for your child or grandchild.
The colors come from food coloring. Of course, the primary hues, when mixed, result in new colors. Like red and blue yields purple; blue and yellow, green.
The painting style may vary, using your hands and fingers to swish amid blobs of several colors; or single finger to paint, create, with you digits as brushes, to create still-life flowers or landscapes.
Suggestion: when the dry out, you can create note cards covers by cutting the art to card size and securing with rubber cement or double-sided tape.
If nothing else, it’s a silly but fun stroll down memory lane.
What a fun read and taking a trip back to finger painting days! The easel was so big and as a little kid I felt important. I’ve decided that I’ll give it a try as a Senior now. Oceans waves, here I come! Thanks, Wayne Harada!
– Dianna
Mahalo for sharing the finger paint recipe-yes, indeed, LOTS of fond memories from small kid time in school!
Very often, those olden days were fun times. Not sure if kids today experience this quaint “art” form. Thanks for sharing your memory!