6 DIY Texture Paste Recipes

Would you like to save some money? I know I do... I am constantly looking for ways to save some money on art supplies. Today is no different!

This time I am bringing you 6 DIY Texture Paste Recipes (aka molding paste or modeling paste) that you can prepare at home for any of your mixed media projects. 

*Keep in mind that some artists have better luck with some modeling paste recipes than others, therefore, if you tried one and didn't like it, then try a different one! Each one has it's pros and cons.

Ok. Let's learn how to make homemade texture paste!

1. Texture Paste with Baby Powder

In this recipe you will learn how to make texture paste with baby powder. These ingredients are easily available at your dollar store, or at any pharmacy or grocery store!

This mixture has a nice smooth consistency. It does slightly shrink as it dries, however, you can definitely see and feel the texture.

INGREDIENTS:

1 part School glue

1 part Baby Powder

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Mix the school glue and baby powder together.
2. Add more baby powder if you want a thicker molding paste. 

Watch the following video from Creative Cat to see how she prepares the previous modeling paste recipe and each of the next 3 recipes mentioned below. See how they compare to each other.

2. Texture Paste with Baking Soda

Even though I like other recipes better than this one, this diy texture paste with baking soda is still a very good recipe that leaves a nicely raised texture.

The only thing I don't like about it is that it has a grainy feeling to it. But I really like that this recipe is inexpensive and uses readily available ingredients.

INGREDIENTS:

2 tsps Baking Soda

A little bit of water

A little bit of glue

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Mix the baking soda with a little bit of water until it gets moist.
2. Then add enough glue until you get the desired consistency.

Watch the video above for more details about this modeling paste recipe!

3. Texture Paste with Plaster of Paris

This recipe will teach you how to make texture paste using plaster of paris.

FIY... this mixture dries faster than other recipes, however, it doesn't shrink when it dries so it leaves a nicely raised texture.

INGREDIENTS:

1 part plaster of paris

1 part PVA glue or Elmer's Glue

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Mix the plaster of paris and glue together.

Check out the video above for more details on this plaster of paris recipe!

4. Texture Paste with Cornstarch

This next recipe is also very inexpensive and can be easily done with one ingredient you probably already have in your kitchen. Learn how to make texture paste with cornstarch.

The dimensional effects achieved by this modeling paste recipe are very similar to the one made with baby powder. 

Try both and see which one you like the best!

INGREDIENTS:

1 part cornstarch

1 part glue

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Mix the cornstarch and glue together until you can't see any lumps. 

Watch the video below to to see how I make this modeling paste.

5. Texture Paste with Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate)

This is a more professional type of texture paste that you can make at home. Learn how to make your own molding paste with some simple ingredients that you can get right on Amazon.

This is one of my favorite diy texture paste for canvas!

INGREDIENTS:

1 part cold water

1 part wood glue 

3 parts gypsum/calcium sulfate 

1 part white acrylic paint

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Mix the glue and water first until completely mixed.
2. Then add the powdered gypsum (also known as calcium sulfate) slowly into the glue and water mixture while mixing until everything is completely integrated. Make sure there are no lumps.
3. Add the white or black acrylic paint into your previous mixture and mix.
4. Your molding paste is now ready to use!

If you want a thinner paste consistency, use 2 parts wood glue, 2 parts gypsum/calcium sulfate, and 1 part white acrylic paint

Watch the video below to see the details of this recipe!

6. Texture Paste with Powdered Marble (Calcium Carbonate)

This recipe doesn't use any glue at all. Instead, it uses artist grade materials like acrylic medium and powdered marble.

This is another one of my favorite recipes for diy texture paste for acrylic painting!

INGREDIENTS:

1 part acrylic medium/acrylic binder

2 parts powdered marble (marble dust or marble flour) or calcium carbonate

splash of water

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Mix the acrylic medium with the powdered marble until completely integrated. Add a splash of water if needed.
2. Add more water if you need a thinner paste, or add more powdered marble if you need a thick texture paste.

Watch the video below to see details of this recipe.

In the video below, you can see how Petra Jongbloed modified the ratios of the previous recipe and added heat to create a crackle effect. 

Suggestions for Your Homemade Texture Paste:

Here are some extra suggestions 

• Homemade texture paste doesn't last as long as the store bought kind so don't make big batches. Put your leftover mixture in a tightly sealed container to preserve. 
• Adjust the amount of powder (baby powder, cornstarch, plaster of paris, etc) you use in your recipes to make a thinner or thicker texture paste.
• If you want to make colored modeling paste, just add a little bit of acrylic paint to your mixture (or substitute the white acrylic paint with a colored acrylic paint in the recipe that includes white acrylic paint as part of the recipe).
• Let your applied paste dry for at least 24 hours before painting on top of the textured surface.
• Lightly sand the textured surface before your start painting on it to remove imperfections. Wear a respirator when sanding.
• Wipe your painting surface with a cloth slightly wet with denatured alcohol to remove any texture paste dust before painting.

I tried to include homemade texture paste recipes for different budgets. Hopefully one of these recipes works for you. Let me know which one you like the best!