What Is Poster Paint Used For?

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We all are familiar with Poster paint from childhood and have a set of Poster paint at home. Some of us get it as a gift but still wonder, what is Poster paint used for.

Poster paint is water-based, non-toxic distemper paint, also known as Tempera paint in the USA, and it is suitable for artists of all ages. This paint is a popular choice for school art projects and different craft projects which are temporary because this paint is not permanent. Poster paint is suitable to use on paper, but you can use it in craft projects as well if the durability of the paint is not intended. 

Read the following article to learn more about Poster paint and how you can use them on different projects. 

Poster Color

What is poster paint? 

Poster paint is a cheap, water-soluble paint made with cornstarch, cellulose, and gum water binders. You can mix the paint with water before you start painting, and after you finish painting, the paint will redissolve even if it dries.

Poster color comes mainly in liquid and powder forms. Nowadays, they also come in makers, allowing you to draw thicker lines than the usual markers.

Poster paint is the cheapest in the market, and that’s why this paint is a popular choice for temporary projects. You can use it on white and colored paper and also on polymer clay. You can use poster paint same as acrylic paint.

Poster paint dries faster than acrylic paint. This paint is ideal for kids’ school projects, and if you want to bring the Artists like Leonardo out of your kids, it will be the right choice for them. 

Washable poster paints pose no threat to your clothing. Also, with this paint, you can keep your surroundings mess-free when working on your art piece. Even if you drop some color on the floor or clothes, you can wash the stains easily with regular soap. 

What is Poster paint used for? 

Poster paint is commonly used for school art projects and for crafting small amateur projects such as polymer clay models and gift cards. You can primarily use it for scanning, reproductions, and testing colors. You can use poster paint for having a fun time with paint rather than displaying art as it has a short longevity. 

This paint is predominantly suitable for paper projects and boards. You can use Poster paint on any paper, whether it’s regular writing paper or paper dedicated to artwork. But you must be careful putting too much paint on a thin piece of paper because that will make the paper watery and rip when moving from one place to another. 

Keeping that in mind, use a proper set of paper so that your art projects don’t go astray. When using paper medium for poster paint, some people get confused about the size of the paper. Can you use A4 paper for Poster paint? Yes, you can because paper size doesn’t have to do anything with the painting. 

So, what other surfaces can you work on with Poster paint? 

You can use it on surfaces such as wooden photo frames, canvas, polymer clay, etc. Experts usually don’t suggest using poster paint on such surfaces if you intend to keep the color on these surfaces for a long time.

  • Wooden Frame: To make the paint stick to the wood, you must follow some necessary precautions. Could you not make the mistakes that I did? Don’t put the paint directly on the wood. If you put the poster color on the wood without any sanding or applying primer, then there is a high possibility that the paint will chip and flake off. Sanding the paint will remove imperfections, dents, bumps, and old paint(if the surface is previously painted). After sanding, apply primer on the surface. It will help the paint to stick on the surface. 
Poster paint on wooden frame
  • Plastics: You can apply poster paint on the plastics as well. The preparation is pretty much the same for the wood and plastics with poster paint. You need to sand the surface and before applying any paint, use a primer. The primer will give the paint a vibrant finish and stick for longer. But if you want to paint your plastic plant pot, we suggest not using poster paint because poster paint will peel off if exposed to water.
  • Terracotta Pot: You can use poster paint also on the terracotta pot. Painting a terracotta pot with poster paint is pretty easy, but after you finish painting on the pot make sure to apply a sealer to help prevent the paint from peeling off.
  • Polymer Clay: You can use Poster paint for polymer clay projects. Poster paint is not permanent; hence you might face trouble sticking the paint to the surface.
  • Canvas: Again, this is not the ideal paint if you want a permanent art piece. But you can use it with your budding artists and help them learn how to draw on the canvas with paint. But avoid using poster paint if you intend to use it for display. 

Why will you choose Poster paint?

You will choose Poster paint instead of other paints for your art projects because this paint is the cheapest one. Moreover, this is a water-based paint; hence it is not toxic as oil paints. This non-toxic paint is a perfect choice for kids and school art projects, and also, if you are an amateur, using poster paint is the safest and most straightforward option. Children in school will get no issues using poster paint because it is non-toxic and washable. 

Professional artists can use poster paint if they want opaque colors or scan your art. You will get a flat surface and achieve significant gradients using poster paints. Artists use Poster paint for reproduction. If you intend to display your art piece, avoid using poster paint.  

Poster Paint

The Bottom Line

Now, you know what Poster paint is used for and when to choose poster paint. Our recommendation is not to use Poster paint on those surfaces where there is a possibility of water exposure. And also, poster paint peels off the surfaces if you rub it with your hands. 

So, if you intend to scan your art and test the color, poster color is the best option, but not for any permanent projects. And poster color can make a difference for amateur and kids’ projects. Choose your paint wisely and get the maximum benefit out of it.