# Color Mixing Grids
> Paint rows of red, yellow and blue liquid watercolor on a gridded sheet of heavy paper, then paint the same colors across as columns while still wet so the secondary colors appear in the boxes. A simple, structured way to talk about primary and secondary colors.
- URL: https://www.funlittles.com/art-activities-for-kids-color-mixing-grids/
- Ages: 4–8 yrs · Difficulty: easy · Mess: medium
- Time: prep 20 min, activity 30 min
- Works for: one-on-one, small group, whole class
- Skills: color-mixing, primary-and-secondary-colors, art, fine-motor

## Materials (one batch)
- Liquid watercolors (red, yellow and blue)
- 1 sheet Watercolor paper or other heavy paper (e.g. card stock)
- 1 piece Good quality paint brushes
- 3 piece Small bowls or cups for the paint (household)
- 1 piece Pencil or marker for drawing the grid (household)
- Wax crayons (optional) (household)
- 1 piece Paper or plastic table cover (optional) (household)

## Substitutions
- Instead of liquid watercolors: Sax Liquid Watercolors (The author says they give more bang for the buck than Sargent.)
- Instead of watercolor paper: Card stock or any heavy paper (Named by the author as an alternative.)

## Safety
- Liquid watercolors can stain clothes, hands and surfaces. Cover the table and dress kids in old clothes or smocks.
- Watercolor paint is not food. Supervise younger children so paint and water stay out of mouths.

## Before you start
- Draw a 3x3 grid on each sheet of watercolor paper or heavy paper.
- Optional challenge: plan the grid and write the name of the color each box will make in wax crayon.

## Steps
1. Pour red, yellow and blue liquid watercolors into small bowls and set out a brush.
2. Paint the first line of the grid in one primary color.
3. Paint the next lines in the other primary colors until the paper is filled with primary-color rows (or columns).
4. While the paint is still wet, paint the same primary colors in the same order, but going the other way.
5. Make a secondary color with one sweeping stroke across the paper, like sweeping yellow to make green and orange.
6. Or mix the colors inside the boxes, one box at a time.
7. Load the brush with red and sweep through the other colors. Watch orange and purple appear in the boxes.
8. Let your color mixing grid dry.

## Tips
- The best effect is when you mix the colors while they are still wet on the paper. We tried letting them dry a bit first a couple of times, and the effect was different.
- This one is a bit structured and suits the 4+ crowd. It's more involved, but just as fun as open-ended art.
- For an easier version, give plain paper and have kids simply paint rows and columns with primary colors.
- Use it as a simple way to talk about colors, primary colors and secondary colors.
- We loved our Sargent Liquid Watercolors, but the Sax Liquid Watercolors give more bang for the buck.

## The original post by TurkeyMom (2014)

A fun way to explore color mixing. Color mixing activities never get old and in simple **[art activities for kids](https://www.funlittles.com/category/art-projects/),** color mixing fun can be introduced in multiple ways. Today we share a beautiful art activity with a dose of color mixing. { Check out our [**color mixing tic-tac-toe game**](https://www.funlittles.com/colored-water-play-ideas/)} **Materials**

- **[Liquid Watercolors](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005V9W9RM/?tag=blmemo-20)**
- Heavy Paper**/ [Watercolor Paper](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00251AIO0/?tag=blmemo-20)**
- **[Brushes](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B5F0ZJ0/?tag=blmemo-20)**

Draw grids (3*3) on watercolor paper or any heavy paper like card stock. Set our vibrant liquid water colors and good quality brushes. I can't get enough of our gorgeous liquid water colors { access all our [**liquid watercolor art activities**](https://www.funlittles.com/tag/liquid-water-colors/) here}

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This art activity is possibly a bit structured and will be suitable for the 4+ crowd. While it is more involved it is just as fun as all the other open ended art activities for kids we share here on the blog.

On a heavy paper, she started painting the grids by making her primary colors pattern. Alternatively you can just provide plain paper and have them simply draw rows and columns with primary colors. This is a simple way to talk about colors, primary and secondary colors { Access all our [**color activities here**](https://www.funlittles.com/tag/colors/)}



Those liquid watercolors, I got to tell you are beyond gorgeous. We recently purchased another brand and I have to say I'm torn. We loved our previous brand , **[Sargent Liquid Watercolors](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005V9W9RM/?tag=blmemo-20)** . But these **[Sax Liquid Watercolors](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0042SWTUU/?tag=blmemo-20)** ones give me more bang for my buck!



Once the paper is filled with primary colors in either rows { or columns}, continue with the same primary colors in the same order only you will paint them columns (or rows). So in our case, the next step was to draw rows of the same primary colors in the same order. While doing the second set, you can either create the secondary colors by one sweeping stroke of the brush or start mixing the colors inside the boxes - one box at a time.



Here we are making purple by going horizontally.



Here we are making green and orange by sweeping the yellow trough the paper ( vertically)



On a couple of instances we tried letting the colors dry for a bit before painting across and mixing the colors. The effect was different. But the best effect is when you mix the colors when they are still wet on the paper.



We also tried color mixing while doing vertical sweeping motions. As the brush traveled through the primary colors, you can see it make the secondary colors in each box. With a gorgeous watercolor brush loaded with red liquid water colors, as soon we started the vertical strokes, you can see the orange color on the top box (1.2) and purple in the bottom box(3,2)



We also tried different colors and did not just stick to RBY. Here is our attempt with magenta, turquoise and orange. My photography "skills" totally failed me here but the magenta+ orange is beyond beautiful!



Our completed color mixing grid.



Another simple idea to make creation time more challenging and interesting. Plan the grid ahead of time and write the names of the colors hence formed with wax crayons. Then invite your child to try to create those colors by following the grid. The color names will show through the water colors.



Thanks for reading

More [**Art activities for kids**](https://www.funlittles.com/category/art-projects/) on our category page

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