Black glue art is easy to make, from beginning to end. Learn how to make black glue (it’s super easy!) and unleash your creativity.
Black glue art is easier to make than you think!
When I was a kid, I would fly through homemade black glue because there’s something really cool about drawing with glue.
The best thing about black glue art is that it comes together in minutes!
Homemade coloring pages with black glue art
If you’re here, you’ve probably seen our giant art banners and figured out that I have a thing for big, bold, black lines. (I think this could be why I own 700 million Sharpies).
I love black line coloring banners.
I love black line coloring pages.
And I also love black line glue art.
Other glue activities:
- Square Collage – Mess for Less
- Glue and Sand – Tinker Lab
- Match and Glue – Busy Toddler
Materials
The materials are super simple for this!
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Gather:
- School glue
- Black paint (we have used BioColor and acrylic, but we have also heard that tempera works well, too!)
- Paper (the thicker the better)
Optional materials if you want to add color to your art:
- Watercolors
- Cup of water
- Paintbrush
How to make black glue
It almost seems silly to write directions because it’s so simple!
Directly into the bottle of glue, add some black paint. There are no exact measurements to worry about, so add in a generous amount of black paint (about 1-2 tablespoons to start) and if you want it darker, add more.
If your glue bottle is full and there isn’t room for the black paint, pour some glue out first.
Once you have some paint in your bottle, shake, shake, shake!
Sometimes the paint doesn’t mix into the bottom of the bottle (as seen above), and that’s fine! Use the black glue up to that point, and add more paint once you’re closer to the bottom.
I made black glue. Now what?
Ooh, now it’s time to CREATE! We loved making apples and pumpkins here, but the sky is the limit.
Maybe you might want to write your name in glue.
Or maybe you might want to make a self-portrait in glue.
Or maybe you might want to make Fall Directed Draw with glue!
You can also sketch out your design first in pencil and then trace over it with glue.
How long does it take black glue to dry?
Whatever you choose, we know it will be lovely like you. Let it dry completely (we recommend overnight), especially in cooler months.
We never try to rush this part, especially if going over with paint, because sometimes the top feels dry but underneath it’s still wet. It can be frustrating to create a beautiful piece of art all to have to mush and smudge when you paint if you don’t want long enough.
Once dry, add in your color!
Watercolors just make everything better.
It is so cool watching how the black lines “pop” against splashes of color. Of course, this step is optional, but oh, is it pretty or what?!
Alternatively, you could also use different supplies for colors, such as crayons, markers, bingo daubers, or colored pencils.
Do NOT try to make black glue with this
I have tried making black glue over the years with all kinds of black dyes, but one absolutely does not work: ink.
What happens when you add ink to glue, you ask? It turns into what I can only describe as a sticky, clumpy, globby slime, and it won’t squirt out of the bottle.
Stick to paint, friends!
What black glue art are you going to make?
Whether you’re new to making black glue or you’re a black glue expert, getting to create with it is a joy.
Please share what you make with it!
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