How do you make milk paint?

Milk paint is easy to make with a few basic ingredients. To make milk paint, you need skim milk, a lemon, a sieve, cheesecloth, a large bowl, a safety mask, a container and acrylic paint or dry pigment.

1. Mix the base

   Juice one lemon. Mix the juice with 1 quart of skim milk in a bowl. Let the mixture sit overnight at room temperature.

2. Separate the curds and whey

   Strain the mixture into a container. Do this by placing cheesecloth over the bowl and slowly pouring the mixture into the container.

3. Add the pigment

   Put on a safety mask. Add one scoop of dry color pigment or one drop of artists' acrylic paint to the curd. Stir to evenly disperse the color. Continue adding small amounts of color until you achieve the hue you desire.

4. Use the paint immediately

   Milk paint spoils quickly. Use the paint within a few hours of making it. A sour smell is normal when working with the paint. This smell disappears once the paint has dried. Milk paint takes a bit longer to dry than average store-bought paint, so make sure to apply light layers. Because milk paint is semi-transparent, it may take several layers to achieve opaque coverage.