How to Make a Liquid Sand Picture

Written By
Lindsay Howell
Lindsay Howell
Published: Aug 16, 2011
Updated: Feb 23, 2021
1 minute read

Liquid sand, also called aqua or magic sand, is created by coating sand particles with a hydrophobic compound. This compound causes the sand particles to stick together when they are exposed to water; taken out of the water, the sand turns completely dry. You can create works of art with liquid sand and preserve them once you are done.

Things You'll Need:

Things You Will Need

  • Plastic Wrap
  • Water
  • Toothpicks
  • Small Canvas
  • Shallow Glass Baking Dish
  • Glue
  • Place a small canvas in a shallow glass baking dish. Pour cold water into the dish so that it covers the canvas completely.

    Pour the liquid sand onto the canvas in the patterns and designs you desire. Use a toothpick to create swirled patterns and to move the sand where you want it to be on the canvas.

    Add details to your painting using the toothpick. Outline objects, animals and people with black liquid sand to make them pop out.

    Remove the canvas from the baking dish carefully, since the sand will become dry and fluid once the air hits it. Place the canvas on a flat surface. Spray the picture with a glue and water mixture to help adhere the sand to the canvas; use equal parts glue and water to form the mixture. Press a piece of plastic wrap tightly across the canvas to keep your picture preserved.

    Lindsay Howell

    Lindsay Howell has been writing since 2003. Her works have been featured in "Bittersweet," her campus literary magazine. Howell has a Bachelor of Arts in English literature from Frostburg State University.

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