Paint facts for kids
- If you're looking for the computer program, see Microsoft Paint.
Paint is a colorful liquid. We use it to add color to things by covering their surface. When you put paint onto something, it's called painting. A person who paints is known as a painter.
Paint is made from a colored powder called a pigment. This powder comes from different chemicals. Some pigments are natural, like those from clay. The pigment is mixed with a liquid called a "medium" or "vehicle." This liquid helps the paint stick to surfaces. Some paints mix with water, while others use oils or special chemicals. Most people buy paint that is already mixed. House painters use large cans of paint. Artists buy paint in tubes. Some artists even mix their own paint from dry pigments.
We usually put paint on with a paint brush. House painters also use rollers or spray-guns. Modern spray paint comes in pressurized cans. Some artists use spray paint too. In factories, machines spray paint onto objects, like cars.
Paint needs time to dry. Some paints, like watercolour, dry in minutes. Others, like artist's oil paint, can take days or even weeks. Most paints dry somewhere in between. Often, it's best to put paint on in several layers. First, the surface must be smooth, clean, and dry. The first layer is often an "undercoat." This layer is smooth and helps the colored paint stick well. A house painter might use three layers of oil paint on a wooden window frame. This protects the wood from weather. Some modern house paints only need one layer, especially indoors. Artists often use many layers to get the right look.
Uses of Paint
Paint has four main uses. It helps to protect things, make them look nice, create art, and give information.
Protection
Paint helps protect buildings and other structures from water and sun. Wooden buildings, like houses, are often painted. This stops water from getting into the wood and making it rot. Paint also keeps the wood from drying out in hot sun.
Metal objects and structures are painted to stop them from rusting. A very large steel bridge needs a team of painters. They work to keep the paint in good condition all the time.
Decoration
Paint makes many objects look attractive. Since ancient times, people have painted the inside walls of their homes. This made their homes more beautiful. Painting and decorating homes is a big job in many countries. There are many types and colors of paint to choose from.
Other objects are also painted to make them pretty. This includes furniture, toys, tools, and street items. Sometimes, wooden things like furniture are painted with patterns. In some countries, people enjoy decorating furniture and small items like trays. This is a type of Folk Art. In places like Japan, painting furniture is a very skilled job. Old, decorated furniture can be very valuable. Other people enjoy painting small models, like planes or soldiers, as a hobby.
Art
Paintings are pictures made with paint. Artists use many types of paint for their works. These include tempera, oil paint, gouache, watercolours, and acrylic paints. Paintings are usually done on board, canvas, or paper. Many famous paintings are on walls and ceilings. A great example is the Sistine Chapel ceiling, painted by Michelangelo.
Many artists are famous for their painted pictures. Old, beautiful, and famous paintings can be very valuable. They sometimes sell for millions of dollars. Famous painters include Giotto, Leonardo da Vinci, Titian, and Rembrandt.
Information
Paint is a great way to share important information. This is done using painted signs. Examples include lane markings on roads and street signs. We also see painted advertising signs and warning signs.
Related pages
Images for kids
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A charcoal and ochre cave painting of Megaloceros from Lascaux, France
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Paint used in every day - white paint on a wall
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Watercolors as applied with a brush
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The "painter's mussel", a European freshwater mussel. Individual shell halves were used by artists as a small dish for paint.
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A collection of cans of paint and variants
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A huge collection of different kinds of spray cans, markers, paints, and inks in the underground graffiti shop. Russia, Tver City, 2011.
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Blue color paint smears
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Peeling
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Polyurethane paint progressively chalking
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Cracking
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See also
In Spanish: Pintura (material) para niños
