Kids really enjoy painting! Learn what makes colors in nature and have fun making different colors with paints! Materials list and directions included.
Colors help make our world a beautiful place! There are colors all around us, wherever we look. Colors can be very bright in the daytime, but in the dark, they are dim and dull. If fact, when it is completely dark, we cannot see colors at all! We need light to be able to see colors.
Colors are made from white light. When we see a rainbow, we see the colors because the white light is "bent" by raindrops. The raindrops separate the white light into parts. Those parts are individual colors. So, the colors of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet create WHITE light when they are mixed together.
Things have color because parts of the white light bounce off them. The parts that bounce off are what we see, and some parts of the white light sink into whatever we are looking at. The light parts that bounce off an object reflect into our eyes and that is the color we see.
For example, when we see a red shoe, all the parts of the white light, except the red part, are being absorbed by the shoe. Only the red color part of the light is bouncing off and reflecting into our eyes, so we see a red shoe!
Look at a green leaf. The leaf is absorbing all the parts of the white light except the green part. We see the green.
If we have a crystal, we can see the light separate like it does to make a rainbow. Hold the crystal so outside light passes through it. Let the light shine through the crystal and onto the floor or wall. You will see all the colors, because the crystal separates the white light into its parts!
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Without a crystal, and because we can't put light colors into jars, we can use paints to see how colors behave. When we put all the colors together with paint, we do not get white paint. We get nearly BLACK paint! That is because paint colors don't work just like the colors of light, but we can use paint to see how colors work together.
Red, yellow and blue are the "primary," colors, because no other colors can be mixed to create them.
They are the paint colors we will use to see how colors work.
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Here is what we need:
1. Red, yellow and blue paints. White paint can also be used.
2. A small paint brush or stick to mix the paints.
3. White or light-colored paper.
4. A container of water for thinning the paints and cleaning the brush.
5. Newspapers to cover the work area.
6. Paper towels or something similar to wipe up spills.
Note: When mixing the paints, always rinse one color from the brush or finger before putting it into another color.
We have the primary colors of red, yellow and blue.
Now, we will make "secondary" colors, by mixing the primary colors together.
1. Dip the brush into one primary color and spread some of that color on the paper.
2. Rinse the brush in the water.
3. Dip the brush into another primary color and put it on the paper with the first color.
4. Rub the two colors around so they mix together.
When mixing two of the primary colors together, these are the colors that result.
RED + YELLOW=ORANGE
YELLOW+BLUE=GREEN
RED+BLUE=PURPLE
Orange, green and purple are secondary colors.
Next, mix the secondary colors together.
ORANGE+GREEN=BROWN
GREEN+PURPLE=BROWN
PURPLE+ORANGE=BROWN
Every time the secondary colors are mixed together, we get a shade of brown!
If we add white paint to any of our paint colors, we will get a lighter "tint" of that color.
Try adding white to red and get pink!
Add white to green and get pale green!
Now, try combining the primary colors of red, yellow and blue and get a color very near black. Add white and get grey!
Continue mixing different paints together and see the endless variety of colors!
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Have Fun with Colors!
