How to Make Glow in the Dark Paint

DIY Glow in the Dark Paint

Painting with kids is fun, but DIY glow in the dark paint turns it into an extraordinary crafting experience. Kids love glow-in-the-dark anything and being able to use it in their artwork levels up the fun and the creativity. What better time to pull out this special activity than at Halloween? Goblins, ghouls, pumpkins, and witches come to life with a little DIY glow paint.

Our team at Five Star Painting has a simple DIY glow in the dark paint recipe for you to try for your upcoming Halloween projects. Keep reading for the ingredients list and the steps you need to get your glow on—plus a few fun DIY glow paint craft ideas you can try!

How to Make Glow in the Dark Paint

Start by gathering the materials you need for the best DIY glow paint:

• Phosphorescent powder: You can purchase this online or at local craft stores. For a paint that is slightly rougher in texture but glows brightly, choose a powder with larger grains. For a smoother paint that doesn’t glow as brightly, choose a powder with smaller grains.
• Paint: For best results, choose a paint that is water-based, oil-based, or latex-based.
• Acrylic gel (optional): If you prefer an invisible design that only becomes visible in the dark, you can use an acrylic gel as the base instead of paint.

To mix up the paint, combine one-part powder to five parts paint or gel and stir to blend thoroughly. Now you are ready to glow crazy with some art projects.

Inspiration for Your DIY Glow Paint Halloween Projects

Now that you are armed with plenty of glow paint, it’s time to make the magic happen with your kids. It’s fun to watch them put their creativity to work and then to see the look of amazement in their eyes when the projects start glowing.

Here are some ideas for how to use your freshly-made DIY glow paint:

• Monster Rocks: Collect rocks of any shape or size and use glow paint to turn them into spooky or silly monsters. Paint on eyes, mouth, and hair, or turn the rock into a single eyeball. Add teeth for some extra frightening flair. Simply paint the desired design and then allow to dry.
• Wall Art: Let your kids create their own designs on paper to give your home some new Halloween wall art. Anything from polka dots and squiggles to pumpkins and witches becomes an intriguing piece of art when it glows in a darkened room.
• Glowing Jars: Use clean mason jars or other glass jars you have on hand and paint dots of glow paint all over the inside of the jar…or paint traditional Halloween designs like bats, pumpkins, or ghosts. Allow to dry and enjoy the glowing jars when the lights go out.

While we don’t recommend glow-in-the-dark paint for your residential painting projects, at Five Star Painting, we love to encourage the creative spirit. Remember to call on your local experts at Five Star Painting for professional painting services for your next home improvement project. Schedule your estimate online or call (888) 261-3633 to learn more or to schedule services.