No t-shirt for tie dye? No problem! Plus, this tie dyed paper towel is a whole lot less mess! Find out how to make tie dye paper as a cool way to explore colorful process art with minimal supplies. In fact, I bet you can try it right now! Even learn a little about the science of how to tie dye paper towels and turn this into an easy STEAM project for kids!

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The Tie Dye Process

Tie dye is a way of producing fun, colorful patterns in fabric by tying parts of it to shield it from the dye. The dyes used for tie dye are called fiber-reactive. That means a chemical reaction occurs between the dye and cotton molecules.

The dye bonds with the cotton and actually becomes a part of the paper or fabric. That is why the dyes are so permanent and vibrant on fabric even after several washings.

Can you use food coloring to tie dye? Yes, you can! Add a few drops of food coloring to the water and mix well. Plus, tie dye with food coloring is much easier to get off your hands!

Once you master tie-dying paper, you could try actual clothing! It’s fun and beautiful!

You could also try tie dying with our DIY watercolor paint recipe!

Why Do Art With Kids?

Children are naturally curious. They observe, explore, and imitate, trying to figure out how things work and how to control themselves and their environments. This freedom of exploration helps children form connections in their brain, it helps them learn—and it’s also fun!

Art is a natural activity to support this essential interaction with the world. Kids need the freedom to explore and experiment creatively.

Art allows children to practice a wide range of skills that are useful not only for life but also for learning. These include the aesthetic, scientific, interpersonal, and practical interactions that can be discovered through the senses, intellect, and emotions.

Making and appreciating art involves emotional and mental faculties!

Art, whether making it, learning about it, or simply looking at it – offers a wide range of important experiences. In other words, it’s good for them!

Helpful Art Resources To Get You Started

Here are a few resources that will help you introduce art more effectively to your kiddos or students and feel confident yourself when presenting materials. You’ll find helpful free printables throughout.

Grab this free process art project right now!

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Tie Dye Art Project

Here’s another fun example of capillary action in action! Paper towels are made from trees, and the fibers help to spread the color through the porous material in a similar way to how water moves up a plant. However, here we see it as outward movement or the spreading of color!

Supplies:

  • White paper towels
  • Food coloring
  • Pipettes
  • Water
  • Small jars or plastic containers

How To Tie Dye Paper

STEP 1. Mix a few drops of food coloring with water in separate small shallow bowls.

STEP 2. Fold a paper towel in half and then in half again until you have a small square.

STEP 3. Quickly tip each corner of the folded towel into the colored water of your choosing.

TIP: Don’t leave in the water long or put it in too deep; the color will quickly travel beyond the dipped area. 

STEP 4. Unfold and refold your paper towel in a different direction to dip and color the middle if desired. You can leave some sections white or saturate the towel with different colored hues. Experiment with your tie dye design!

Make sure to check out the symmetry in your art too!

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What is Process Art?

Process art focuses on the creative process rather than the final product or outcome. The outcome can be one giant mess that you simply throw away. There is not always a takeaway art project to hang up on a wall with process art. It’s the experience of doing it that counts more!

Process art will…

  • Have few or no step-by-step instructions that can be loosely followed
  • Have no sample to follow or recreate (a sample may be created to show the concept but should not be used to duplicate outcome)
  • Have no right or wrong way to create.
  • Produce a unique final product.
  • Be child-directed.

More Fun Art Projects To Try

21 STEAM Art Activities For Kids

Click on the image below or on the link for more art activities that contain a bit of science!

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STEAM Activities