| This is a fun craft to do with a group of moms and | | | | their fingers from touching, the more still they keep |
| their kids, one child per adult works the best. Each | | | | their hand, the better the clarity. A good print will |
| mom will need:---One soft brush, any size but 1/2" | | | | show fingerprints! But if it smears, it usually does, it's |
| works the best---One jar of "One-Stroke Ceramic | | | | all for fun anyway. If it starts to become a battle |
| underglaze", either Duncan E-Z Stroke or Gare | | | | with the child, let him go, when he sees the other |
| One-Stroke. (Of course they can share these, but it's | | | | kids having a good time he will offer his hand to be |
| best if they have at least 3 colors to choose from. | | | | painted. (I say "he" because it is usually the boys that |
| The best are a dark green, a dark blue or a dark | | | | wimp out, the girls are more adventurous. lol)Make |
| brown. One jar of each color will do 50 hands | | | | sure the paint goes all the way to the ends of the |
| altogether)---One pint jar of "clear gloss glaze", which | | | | fingers and thumb and press the hand straight down |
| all can use.---A sponge---Paper towels and a | | | | onto the surface of the tile, quickly but gently and |
| washcloth---One blank UNglazed ceramic tile, 4-1/4" | | | | firmly, rolling the fingers slightly so the print doesnt |
| (for kids 2 or 3 yrs. old or so) or 6" (for kids over 3) | | | | look like skeleton fingers lol. Lift the hand straight up |
| Unless you know someone who does hand-painted | | | | and see how cool! Wash their hands with soap, the |
| tile as a career, these would have to be ordered in | | | | paint is water soluable and non-staining, but dont let |
| cases of 100 or so. The best thing is to call the | | | | them lick it. With a fine brush, write the child's name |
| hobby ceramic stores, where you will get the | | | | and date or birthday or age right on the tile. Set it in |
| underglaze and clear glaze, and ask if they have a | | | | a safe place to dry well.If you are nervous about |
| "molded greenware or bisque tile they sell", and order | | | | smearing the dry glaze, have them fired at "cone 04" |
| the quantity you need. Tell them you would like them | | | | before painting the clear gloss on top. This is the |
| "fired to bisque."The most important thing is that the | | | | proper way, but if the underglaze is good and dry |
| childrens' hands are scrubbed with soap and water, | | | | and you are very careful, it is ok to put the clear |
| then dried well. Salt, sugar or oils on the hands will | | | | glaze on unfired underglaze and fire the tile once at |
| prevent the glaze from bonding with the tile. Make | | | | "cone 06" and the results will be the same. Either |
| sure to wipe the tile well with a clean sponge in plain | | | | way, get the large floppy brush again and paint 3 thin |
| water. Allow to dry a few minutes.Tell the kids that it | | | | coats of clear gloss on the tile and fire to "cone |
| is like hand-painting only without wiggling their fingers. | | | | 06".You can buy frames from most ceramic stores |
| Make it fun, some get scared. Hold their clean hand | | | | that sell the tiles. They will last forever. Have fun!Dy |
| gently over a tile to make sure their hand will fit, | | | | Witt used to display and sell at street fairs, and |
| fingers spread out a little. Pick the right size tile and | | | | painting kids handprints was always a fun thing. Her |
| paint one wet coat of glaze across the flat of their | | | | 21 years experience painting with ceramic glaze is |
| open palm, not too runny but not too dry, follwing | | | | obvious when you view her murals and tiles here on |
| the instructions for mixing on the bottle. Try to keep | | | | her website. |