Painting With Ice Cubes

We painted with ice cubes that had tempera paint mixed in them! I saw this idea in the most recent issue of Parents Magazine.  It looked like fun, but it did not turn out the way I expected it to!  Here is one of our paintings halfway through the process.  The ice cubes look like colorful crayons!

The day before we followed the recipe to make the paint ice cubes.  First,  you put one teaspoon of tempera paint in each section of an ice cube tray.

Then you fill the rest of the section with water and stir with a toothpick.  We used the back of a spoon to mix because it seemed to mix up better.

After they sit 10 minutes,  stir the paint in again.  Now your ready to freeze them!

We popped the painted cubes out and were ready to begin.  C thought the cubes were cool.  She wanted to try every color.

C was more amused with her hands getting painted and said she was done! She wanted to hop in her pool since it was a 90+ degree day here! I don't blame her!

I encouraged her to paint more and then I gave her a larger paper to put handprints on!

Then I gave her the idea of just setting the painted ice cubes on paper and to let them melt! Cassie liked that idea immediately!

After the cubes melted a bit, C moved them around on the paper by lifting up the edges of the paper.  This started creating these fabulous speckles of tempera paint!

More melting of the ice cubes and moving around the paper was creating a wonderful painting!

Ice Cubes were almost melted at this point!  I love the painting even more!

A finished painting here! Still wet, but beautiful!

Another painting and very pleased with these unexpected results!

What Do You Think?

What projects have you tried that have given you unexpected results?