How to Do Something Your Don Know: How to Paint with Squirt Guns

Squirt gun painting is a fun and easy art project. Be sure to select a handful of reliable squirt guns. You'll also need to purchase or make your own washable paint. Finally, plan the specific project you're envisioning ahead of time, carefully load the squirt guns, and fire away.

EditSteps

EditSelecting a Squirt Gun

Get reliable squirt guns. There’s nothing that will interrupt the fun quite as quickly as a dud squirt gun. Accordingly, avoid the cheapest squirt guns, as they tend to break (not to mention leak). You don’t need to get the fanciest guns on the market, but look for options that feel solid to the touch and have triggers that are easy to pull.^[1]
- If you do go the dollar store route, be sure to get extra in case a few don't work out.
- Generic options from large retailers are often just as good a name-brand options.
Consider a pump squirt gun. Depending on the age of your children and the specific activity you have planned, squirt guns that fire by way of a pump instead of trigger may be preferable. For instance, young children may struggle with a trigger, but be able to pump a small squirt gun.^[2]
- Whether trigger or pump-powered, simple pistol-style guns will be sufficient for most projects.
Choose based on the gun’s reservoir. The reservoir that will hold the liquid paint is important for two reasons. Second, the reservoir closure is a good indication of the quality of the gun.
- Smaller reservoirs, of course, will be better for stationary art projects, in part because the guns will be lighter and easier for children to aim.
- Be sure to check the seal on the reservoir's closure. Cheap plastic plug closures are unreliable, and indicate that the toy is low quality in general. That said, these may work fine for a one-time project or party, especially if you get extra.

EditChoosing and Making Paint

Default to washable paint. Whatever the specific type of paint you use and how much you water it down, you probably want to choose a washable option. This is true even if you’re hoping your kids will focus on painting a canvas instead of one another.
Try tempera paint. Washable tempera paint works especially well. It often comes in liquid form already, but you can also get it in powdered form to be mixed with water. If you get the liquid type, mix it with at least equal parts water. Follow the directions on the packaging of powdered tempera paint, and use roughly twice as much water as they call for.^[3]
Make your own liquid watercolors. You can purchase washable liquid watercolors, but they’re also very easy to make. You’ll save money by making your own too. Simply purchase a small plastic tray of different watercolor paints. Pop out the colors you want to make into liquid paint and add them to individual containers of water that is just below boiling.^[4]
- Use as much water as you want. The more you use, the less bright the color of the paint will be. For an art project, start with about a half a pint of water for each color.
Store paint in recycled condiment containers. Plastic condiment containers with a flip-top lid and small opening are ideal for storing your liquid paints. Not only do they facilitate easy dispensing, they are also the hardest to spill.^[5]
- If you don’t use all of the paints, store them out of the direct sunlight. Shake them before their next use.

EditFilling and Shooting Paint

Provide funnels for filling. Unless you have storage bottles with nozzles that can fit into the squirt guns’ reservoirs, funnels will be necessary to help fill the guns. Direct children to take their time while filling their squirt guns, and not to overflow the funnel.^[6]
Submerge squirt guns that are hard to fill. If the hole to the squirt gun’s reservoir is especially small, there may be trouble filling it. In these cases, put the paint and liquid mixture into a plastic container that is slightly larger than the gun. This will allow users to submerge the gun, and allow water to replace the air in the reservoir.^[7]
- Food storage containers such as Tupperware work especially well.
- Note that this filling method is more likely to lead to paint all over everyone’s hands, etc.
Use watercolor paper or canvas panels for paintings. For art projects, prop a canvas panel on an easel or suspend a piece of watercolor paper from a similar apparatus. Be sure to do so ahead of time, so there's something to shoot at as soon as the kids get their hands on the arsenal.^[8]
Experiment with the way you shoot. For instance, the squirt guns will have a different effect upon the canvas when the shooter is standing closer or further from their work. In general, shots taken near the canvas will be easier to aim, and paint will disperse less before it hits the canvas. Meanwhile, shots from further away will provide a sprayed effect.^[9]
Use painter's tape to make shapes on the canvases. Before painting, block off a section of the canvas in whatever shape or pattern you want. When the tape is removed, the shapes will be preserved within the splashes of color.^[10]
Dye t-shirts with older kids. Consider using clothing dye in squirt guns to make custom t-shirts or other items with older kids. Since the dye will be permanent, make sure everyone understands that they shouldn’t spray one another, or anything other than the intended target.^[11]
- Clothing dye is available in powder and liquid forms at many grocery stores and other large retail stores.
- Follow the directions on the dye’s packaging.
Allow the paintings to dry. Once everyone is finished painting, carefully take down the canvases and store them horizontally to allow them to dry. Allowing the works to dry vertically is also an option, but be aware that the paint will likely continue to run downwards and may saturate the bottom of the canvas.^[12]