Make a Colour

Title: Make aColour

Overview: Create colours using natural materials

Themes: Colour and pigments

Artwork Photography Caption: Untitled Anthropometry (ANT 110)
Yves Klein, France,1960
©Department of Culture and Tourism-Abu Dhabi

Age Range: 6 -12 years old with parental support

Activity Timing: Over 2 days 

Materials: gloves, red cabbage, turmeric, spinach, beetroot, blueberries, hot water, serrated knife, strainer, small bowls, spoon, paintbrush and paper

Thinking Questions:

What do you see?
How does the colour blue make you feel? 
Why do artists make their own colours?

Instructions: 

1. The colour blue
Cut the red cabbage into pieces and place inside a bowl.
Carefully, pour hot water over it and leave to the side.

2. The colour pink
Place a couple of blue berries into a bowl. Pour hot water over them and leave to the side.

3. The colour red
Put on gloves. Slice the beetroot in half, remove the skin and cut into pieces.

Place beetroot into a bowl. Pour hot water over it and leave to the side.

4. The colour green
Crush some spinach into a bowl and add hot water.  

Use a spoon to release the pigment and leave to the side.

5. The colour yellow
Pour some turmeric into a bowl and add hot water. 

Stir the mixture and leave to the side.

6. Leave all the bowls overnight.

7. Use a strainer to separate the mixtures into new bowls and leave overnight.

8. Use a paintbrush to test the pigments and name the colours you have made. 

9. Paint your masterpiece using your very own colours!

Share your designs!
Tag us online @LouvreAbuDhabi #MakeandPlay