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How to “Tie-Dye” Paper

by on Mar 28, 2007

“Tie-dying” paper is a fun and easy project. And, chances are, you already have everything on hand you need to do it.

The Props

Four popsicle sticks and a few sheets of paper hanging on the edges of a cookie sheet.

Food coloring

Foaming shaving cream

Cookie sheet, or any large shallow pan

Something to stir with

Paper (For this project, I used plain laser printer paper)

Paper towels

The Procedure

Squirt the bottom of the pan with shaving cream as shown.

Some sort of dough is arranged in strings on a tray.

Spread the foam around evenly. I’d suggest using your hand for this step because it feels cool!

Frosting somewhat evenly spread out on a rectangular cookie sheet.

Drip several drops of food coloring into the foamy mess, like so. Don’t be afraid to experiment with color!

Shaving cream interspersed with red dye dots in a metal tray.

Stir food coloring through cream, making far out swirls. (If you over stir, you’ll get more of a marbled effect to your paper rather than tie-dye, but that looks groovy too.)

Paint has been smeared all over a grey tray.

Place your piece of paper into your colored foam. Press slightly with the palms of your hands.

A person holds a white piece of paper on paint on a tray.

Lift out, or rather, peel off paper from foam.

"A Wrapper with different colored painting"

Now, using a paper towel, dab the paper. You can disperse color this way too, putting color where your paper didn’t pick up any foam. It’s sort of like sponge painting.

Person blotting paper with paint and paper towel.

Finally, wipe off the remaining residue with a paper towel. Rinse towel, wring out well, and swipe paper again, if necessary. Note: your paper will smell like shaving cream, but the scent will fade after a few days. As I will be using my paper for origami, after it dried, I ironed it with a hot, dry iron.

Several sheets of tie-dyed paper in blue, red, green, and orange.

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