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Turn Used Up Markers into Vibrant Paint

by pop tug

As the school year starts winding down, I have been collecting all the dried up and nearly dried up markers from the art closet. Normally I would throw them away, but after seeing this amazing use for dried up markers, never again.

Dried up markers can be turned into vibrant paints if given a little time. It is best to wait until you have a decent stock of old markers before starting this project. Since I am an art teacher, my collection is fairly large by the end of the year, but a dozen or so markers would be a good start.

Supplies needed to turn dried up markers into paint:

  • Old markers
  • Containers
  • Water

Steps to make marker paint:

  1. Separate the markers into colors. Two or three of each color will create a brighter color.
  2. Pour water into small containers. Disposable containers are best. For my markers I used plastic cups.
  3. Take the lid off and stick the marker in the water. If you can take the marker apart, the colors will bleed much faster.
  4. Set them in an out of the way place for a week or so. The more time it has to soak the better.

Projects to do with marker paint:

Magic painting is a good use of the unknown colors. Start by using a crayon to draw a picture on a piece of paper. Paint right over the crayon drawing with the marker paint. This can be a good way to create a night scene with dark blue or purple paints. The colors will blend nicely, so you can also use horizontal stripes of different colors to make a sunset, or sunrise scene.

Black line drawings are another fun way to incorporate the marker paints. Use a black felt tip marker to draw cartoon animals, plants, trees or people. Now use a small paintbrush or cotton tip to color in the drawings with the marker paints.

Salt paintings always create interesting effects. Kids will be intrigued with a project that involves salt from the kitchen and paint from what was essentially trash. After painting a scene, sprinkle salt over the areas you want to change and see what happens!

3-D salt painting starts by drawing with glue. On a piece of card stock, write your name by squirting glue directly from the bottle to the card. Now, sprinkle with a heavy layer of salt. Brush off excess and then paint over top with the marker paint.

Clean up tips:

When working with marker paints be sure to protect surfaces and keep a box of baking soda nearby. Sprinkling baking soda on stained fingers can help scrub the colors off better than soap and water alone. Shaving cream is another good clean-up helper for not only hands, but chairs and floors!

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