Colored salt has long been used by craftsmen and needlewomen in all kinds of crafts. Often such material is not found on store shelves. Then the question arises: how to color the salt at home? In fact, this is simple and is done in several ways. We will talk about this in the article.
Salt and Dye Selection
As pigment substances, materials that probably almost everyone has at home are suitable. These are food colors, watercolors, gouache, crayons and pastels. It is worth noting that for most crafts fine salt is suitable. It can be processed with any of the listed dyes. But coarse salt is more moody. You can turn it into color using watercolors, gouache and food colors.
Color saturation
How to color the salt in different colors so that they turn out to be bright and saturated? This can be done with food pigments and gouache. Moreover, the more paint you take, the more intense the color.
When using the watercolor palette, the salt acquires softer, lighter and translucent tones. But with the help of colored crayons you can get pastel colors, but no less saturated.
Making Colored Salt with Food Coloring
All you need is salt, food coloring and a plastic bag. To obtain a bright and saturated color, experienced craftsmen have already calculated the necessary proportions of substances. For one hundred grams of salt you need to take four drops of dye.
We sorted out the materials. Now let's move on to how to color the salt. Pour our sodium chloride into a plastic bag. Then we drip food coloring there. We tie the bag and begin to wrinkle it. In the process, you need to try to evenly distribute the salt. We do this until a uniform color is obtained. The package can be untied and the resulting material can be used for its intended purpose.
What is this method good for? In colored salt there is practically no liquid, so it can be used right away.
How to color the salt with gouache in stages (or watercolor)
1. Pour the right amount of salt into a plastic bag.
2. Prepare the paint. If you have watercolor or new gouache, take a separate container. Mix paint and water in it. Consider: the more liquid, the less bright the salt will turn out. It is most convenient to work with dried up, almost expended gouache. Pour some water into a jar of paint and stir until completely dissolved.
3. Pour the pigmented liquid into a bag of salt. To paint evenly distributed, use a brush or a teaspoon.
4. Tie the bag and remember well that the colored water covers all the particles.
5. Pour colored crystals into another container.
5. It is not enough to know how to color the salt with gouache or watercolors. The resulting mixture now needs to be dried. There are three ways to do this:
- On battery. Put salt on it and let it dry completely.
- In the microwave. Dry for three to ten minutes at the highest capacity. The exact time depends on the characteristics of the microwave, so check the salt status periodically.
- In the oven. Heat it to one hundred degrees, put a baking sheet with salt. You need to dry for about one hour.
6. After heat treatment, salt lumps are obtained. They need to grind. Just crush the lumps in the same bowl with a fork or pestle. Or pour the salt into a bag and go over it several times with a rolling pin.
7. The final touch - sift the colored crystals through a sieve.
Now you know how to color the salt with watercolors or gouache. The method is easy, but you need to bother with drying. If there is a microwave, then this minus will not be so critical.
Coloring salt with crayons
Pour a small amount of salt onto a piece of paper, in a plastic bag or other suitable container. Now white crystals need to be literally painted with colored chalk. Rub them with salt in a circular motion until the desired result. It is worth saying that the lesson is rather troublesome and requires patience. Salt will constantly creep, so you have to collect it in a pile again and again. According to the same scheme, we paint the next batch.
How to color the salt in another way? If you don’t like the idea of rubbing and want to get colored material faster, then grind the chalk first, and then mix with salt. You can use a grater, mortar or coffee grinder. The crayon is soft and will crumble quickly. But this method of grinding is quite dusty. Where it is better to break the chalk, put in a plastic bag and grind with a rolling pin. Now pour the colored dust to the salt and mix thoroughly.
Of course, you need to tinker with the grinding of chalk, but this method has its advantages. The mixture can be used immediately, without drying. Particles of chalk only envelops the crystals, and do not penetrate into them. Therefore, you know in advance what color the salt will be.
How to color pastel salt for crafts
The pastel is similar to ordinary crayons, but it is softer compared to them. Pour salt into a small saucepan. Grind the pastel on a grater or in another way, which was described above. The resulting powder is added to the salt and mixed well. Keep the saucepan over hot steam or put in a water bath for ten minutes. Do not forget to constantly stir, otherwise the mixture will burn. Colored salt can be used when it dries a little.
Why is it necessary to involve a child in the painting process?
If you have children, be sure to invite them to join you. In the process of painting, the child learns and repeats colors, receives a pen massage, which means that he develops fine motor skills. In addition, you will instill hygiene skills. The child will understand that some dyes are washed well, while others are poorly washed, so it’s better not to touch them. And even about a joint pastime and say no. You know how to paint salt in different colors, now tell and show your children how to do it right.
It is known that salt has 14 thousand ways of application. Of these, a considerable part is devoted to the field of creativity. You can draw salt, decorate panels, children's crafts, craft decorative bottles, create rangoli, and much more. It is up to you to decide whether you buy ready-made bulk material or make it yourself.