Forget self-adhesive stars pasted on the ceiling of your room. With this recipe, you will be able to create your own glow in the dark paint. You will find two options. Both will allow you to recreate your favorite designs on the surfaces that you like the most. The paint will be visible under ultraviolet light.
Option 1
Materials
– A highlighter: To test if your marker is suitable for the project, write something on a piece of paper and place it under a black light.
– Cornmeal
– food coloring (optional)
– A jar
– A container
– a clamp
Instructions
1. Open the highlighter and remove the tip with tweezers.
2. Place a pitcher under the sink faucet. Run the water over the tip of the highlighter so the ink falls into the jar. You are done when the tip looks white.
3. Put 1/2 cup of cornmeal in a bowl. This will be the base for your painting. The ratio should consist of equal parts flour and colored water.
4. Pour in 1/2 cup of colored water and stir until the flour dissolves completely.
5. Add food coloring if you want to change the color of the paint. You can also separate the mixture of flour and colored water into different containers, and create pigments of different shades.
6. Use your paint and let it dry. For a better finish, it is advisable to paint at least two coats.
Option 2
Materials
– Phosphorescent powder: You can buy it online or in some arts and crafts stores. These are small crystals that are marketed in different sizes and colors. The thicker they are, the shinier it will be, but it will also make the paint look grainier.
– Paint: will work as a medium. With it you will mix the phosphorescent powder. If you want your designs not to be seen with the lights on, you can choose a transparent paint, such as an acrylic gel. Otherwise, you can choose a painting of any type. Just keep in mind that for water-based paints you will need phosphorescent coated powder. With oil-based ones, you can use regular powder.
– A container
– A spoon or a stick to mix
Instructions
1. Place the phosphorescent powder in a container. Keep in mind that you will need one part of powder for every five parts of paint. Most glow in the dark paints need to be used immediately. This will depend on the material you have chosen. Prepare only an amount that you can use in an hour.
2. Pour the paint into the container. Do this gradually and stir carefully. If it’s too thick, you can add more paint. The powder won’t dissolve, so you’ll need to mix until there are no lumps.
3. Apply the paint on the surface you want.