How to Color Sand
Colored sand is a very versatile and commonly used craft material. You can use it as a substitute for glitter, to enhance other art projects or even just as lovely decors. While the material looks pretty simple, the fact is it may cost more than you’re willing to spend for. Don’t worry, if you really need this material, you can make your own.
What You’ll Need:
Plain white sand
Water
Food coloring (whatever color or colors you want your sand to be)
Metal or glass bowls
Blender or food processor (optional)
Paper towel or cardboard
Plastic spoon
Glass container with cork
Procedure:
Get some sand. Brown or black sand would make the procedure ineffective, so you should settle for plain white sand. If there’s a beach nearby, just scoop up a handful, but if not, there are some craft stores that sell these. They are cheaper than the regular colored sand.
colored sand
Prepare the bowls. You’ll need as much amount as how many colors you plan to make. If you don’t have bowls and you’re making small amounts, just settle for small plastic cups.
Add water to the sand. You need to put just enough to submerge them, but not too much. Otherwise, the color won’t stick as well as you want it to.
Add a sufficient amount of food coloring to the bowls. Use a plastic spoon to stir it in completely. Let this sit for an hour, so the sand will soak in the color.
After an hour, check if the sand has reached the color you want. If not, let it stay submerged for another hour.
Another quick way of mixing the coloring in with the sand is by using a blender or food processor. Add the water and sand in, then put in several drops of food coloring. Blend until you get the color you want. Never use regular dye with this process, though, and make sure you wash and clean the blender or processor thoroughly after.
When you get the right color, drain the water. Afterwards, transfer the wet sand into paper towels or a cardboard and let them dry.
Use the colored sand as you please. If there are leftover ones, put them in glass containers, then cover with a cork. The cork keeps the sand from hardening.
Some Tips:
If you’re using craft glue with your sand, make sure you dry it completely before using it.
You can make natural dyes if you want. Just boil colored foodstuffs, such as blue berries or spinach, then use the liquid as the coloring. (More tips on how to make food coloring dye)
Shake the container every now and then to prevent the sand from turning stone-hard.
Colored sand is great, but you’ll appreciate it more if you knew you didn’t spend a lot of money for it. Just follow these tips and go ahead and complete that art project. If you enjoy reading this article, might as well learn how to build a sandbox.