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    Home » Valentine's Day Activities and Recipes

    Published: Jan 9, 2025 by Vicky · This post may contain affiliate links · 21 Comments

    Valentine's Day Craft: Hearts with Black Glue

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    Looking for Valentine's Day activities for kids? These Hearts With Black Glue and watercolors that we made when my kids were little are the perfect activity! The combination of black glue and watercolor mimics a stained-glass effect, creating beautiful, eye-catching designs!

    This Valentine's activity is simple to set up as it uses materials you probably already have. Whether you're a crafty parent, homeschooler, or teacher, you will love this simple craft. If you haven't made black glue before, you'll be thrilled with the eye-popping results.

    A child is painting a heart design, complete with black glue outlines on a white sheet. Various vibrant paints bring the artwork to life. The text Hearts with Black Glue is prominently displayed, alongside the website name MESSFORLESS.NET.

    We have experimented with black glue in the past when we made Fall Leaves using Black Glue and Black Glue and Salt Watercolor Rainbow.

    Heart-Themed Crafts and Activities

    Valentine's Day is the perfect opportunity to get creative and make something special! These hearts made with black glue and watercolors are a fun and unique way to celebrate the season of love. If you’re loving these heart designs and want even more heart-themed crafts to try, check these out:

    • Valentine Glitter Hearts
    • Valentine's Day Mobile using Tissue Paper Hearts
    • 15 Heart Activities
    • Bubble Wrap Hearts
    • Valentine’s Day Cards Printables.

    Materials For Black Glue Hearts

    • White glue: Used for making black glue and adding texture to your art.
    • Black paint: When mixed with the glue, it creates black glue.
    • Watercolor paints: Add vibrant colors to the hearts.
    • Thick white paper: Sturdy paper holds up well to paint and glue.
    • Paintbrushes: To use with the watercolor paint.
    • Scissors: For cutting out the hearts.
    • Construction paper - This is optional for mounting the finished hearts. It adds a colorful background to the art.
    bottle on white glue and bottle of black tempera paint

    Valentine's Bookmarks To ColorValentine's Bookmarks To ColorValentine's Bookmarks To ColorValentine's BookmarksValentine's BookmarksValentine's BookmarksValentine's Lunch Box NotesValentine's Lunch Box NotesValentine's Lunch Box NotesPrintable Bunny ValentinesPrintable Bunny ValentinesPrintable Bunny ValentinesValentine's I SpyValentine's I SpyValentine's I SpyValentine's BingoValentine's BingoValentine's Bingo

     

    How To Make Hearts With Black Glue

    You will want to start by preparing your black glue. Empty your glue bottle so it's only half full. Then add some squirts of black paint. Use enough black paint to fill up an additional quarter of the glue bottle. Shake the mixture until it is totally combined.

    Use the black glue to draw your heart design on a thick piece of white paper. You will be adding watercolors later, and I always find that they work best on thicker paper. This requires a while to dry. I just did it the day before we wanted to paint,t and it worked out fine.

    When the designs are dry, you will notice that the glue has a hard raised texture that will really stand out when you add paint.

    black glue hearts

    Once the glue is dry, use watercolor paints to fill inside and around your shapes. The black glue acts as a border, keeping the colors from blending and creating a stained-glass effect.

    using watercolors with black glue

    Experiment with different color combinations to make your design unique.

    child painting a heart with Black glue using Watercolor paint

    After the painting has dried, you can decide how to display your art.

    hearts with black glue

    You can cut out the heart and put it in the window to get this pretty sun catcher or stained glass effect.

    Hearts with Black Glue taped to a window

    Or you can cut them out and glue them on colorful construction paper for a decoration or a card.

    hearts with black glue on red construction paper

    Skills Learned While Painting

    Painting with black glue and watercolors isn’t just fun - it’s also a great learning opportunity for kids! While making these black glue hearts, kids practice fine motor skills as they paint and outline the hearts with the glue bottle.

    Kids will also learn color theory by picking their color palettes and experimenting with designs. Working with dried black glue, which is raised, is perfect for sensory engagement.

    Tips For Valentine's Day Craft

    Tip 1: Be patient while the black glue dries. It can take several hours, so consider doing this as a two-day project.

    Tip 2: Test your glue and paint mixture on a scrap piece of paper first to get the consistency right.

    Tip 3: Encourage kids to use plenty of paint as bold colors bring out the stained-glass effect.

    Hearts with Black Glue - Black glue is easy to make and can be used with watercolors to create this eye catching hearts.

    FAQs For Hearts With Black Glue

    Can I use other types of paint besides watercolors?

    Yes, other types of paint, such as tempera or acrylic, can paint the inside of the hearts. However, those paints are thicker, and they might not have the same blending effect as watercolors.

    What age group is this Valentine's day craft for?

    This craft is great for children ages four and up with some adult supervision. Younger children will enjoy painting but may need help making the glue and designing the hearts. Older kids can do the entire project and experiment with more intricate designs. You know your child best.

    Best Supplies For Black Glue Hearts

    You don't need fancy materials to make these, so you might already have everything you need at home. A set of watercolors is important, as is a bottle of white glue and some black tempera paint. Stock up on anything you need at Amazon and have them sent straight to your door.

    Watercolor Paint, 48 Colors Washable Watercolor Paint Set with a Brush a Refillable Water Brush Pen and Palette, Non-toxic Water Color Paints Sets for Kids Adults Artists Children Students BeginnerWatercolor Paint, 48 Colors Washable Watercolor Paint Set with a Brush a Refillable Water Brush Pen and Palette, Non-toxic Water Color Paints Sets for Kids Adults Artists Children Students BeginnerWatercolor Paint, 48 Colors Washable Watercolor Paint Set with a Brush a Refillable Water Brush Pen and Palette, Non-toxic Water Color Paints Sets for Kids Adults Artists Children Students BeginnerPrang Oval Pan Watercolor Paint Set, 8 Assorted Colors, 1 CountPrang Oval Pan Watercolor Paint Set, 8 Assorted Colors, 1 CountPrang Oval Pan Watercolor Paint Set, 8 Assorted Colors, 1 CountElmers Liquid School Glue, Slime Glue & Craft Glue | Washable, 4 Ounces Each, Great for Making Slime, 12 CountElmers Liquid School Glue, Slime Glue & Craft Glue | Washable, 4 Ounces Each, Great for Making Slime, 12 CountElmers Liquid School Glue, Slime Glue & Craft Glue | Washable, 4 Ounces Each, Great for Making Slime, 12 CountSchool Smart Washable Tempera Paint, Black, 1 Quart BottleSchool Smart Washable Tempera Paint, Black, 1 Quart BottleSchool Smart Washable Tempera Paint, Black, 1 Quart BottleCrayola Construction Paper, 120 SheetsCrayola Construction Paper, 120 SheetsCrayola Construction Paper, 120 SheetsFiskars 5Fiskars 5Fiskars 5

     

    Making these Valentine’s Day black glue heart designs is a fun and easy way to get in the Valentine's spirit. You can use them as decorations around the house as you get ready for the season of love!

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    Valentine's Day Craft: Hearts with Black Glue

    Make Valentine’s Day even sweeter with this Hearts With Black Glue craft! It’s a fun and easy activity that gives a cool stained-glass look using black glue and watercolors!
    Author: Vicky

    Materials

    • White glue pre-made or mix black paint with white glue
    • Black Tempera paint
    • Watercolor paints
    • Paintbrushes
    • Thick white paper or watercolor paper
    • Colored construction paper

    Instructions

    • Make Your Black Glue: Start by preparing your black glue. Take a bottle of white glue and empty it until it’s about half full. Add black paint to fill up an additional quarter of the bottle. Shake well until fully combined.
    • Create Your Design: Use the black glue to draw heart shapes or patterns directly onto a thick piece of white paper. Allow the glue to dry completely—this can take several hours, or you can do it the day before you plan to paint.
    • Add Color: Once the glue is dry, fill in the spaces with watercolor paints. Experiment with blending colors for a stained-glass effect.
    • Let the paint dry, and your beautiful black glue heart is complete!
    • You can cut it out and glue it to colored construction paper if you wish.

    Notes

    • The black glue needs time to dry, so don’t rush it! It can take a few hours, so this might be the perfect two-day project.
    • Before you jump in, try out your black glue and paint mixture on a scrap piece of paper to make sure it’s just right.
    • Encourage the kids to use lots of paint! Bright, bold colors really make that stained-glass effect pop.

    More Valentine's Day Activities and Recipes

    • Valentine's Day Cards Printables pin
      Valentine's Day Cards Printables
    • free printable valentine's placemats
      Free Printable Valentine's Placemats
    • Valentine's coloring pages pin
      Valentine's Day Coloring Pages
    • glitter-hearts-valentine-idea
      Valentine Glitter Hearts

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Sugar Aunts says

      February 10, 2013 at 3:01 am

      This is so cute! I can totally see us doing this soon. I would love to invite you to join us at Share It Saturday. We have lots of wonderful contributors each week, linking up educational play, tips, crafts, and more. We would love to see this post and more from you...

      Reply
    2. Diana - FreeStyleMama says

      February 10, 2013 at 1:04 am

      I love it as a sun catcher!

      Reply
    3. RedTedArt says

      February 09, 2013 at 4:01 pm

      The hearts really look great! We have some of that black glue.. i need to get it out.

      Thanks for sharing on Kids Get Crafty.

      Maggy

      Reply
    4. Jodi D. says

      February 09, 2013 at 6:25 am

      Really cool idea. I'm going to remember this great technique. I feel like I'm too busy to do it before Valentine's day, but there is no reason I can't do it in the future.

      Reply
    5. Ana Dziengel says

      February 08, 2013 at 1:12 pm

      I love the contrast of the black glue. These turned out beautifully! Pinning it!

      Reply
    6. Carla at Preschool Powol Packets says

      February 07, 2013 at 2:08 am

      These are awesome!! I'm going to pin it and share it on my PreschoolPowolPackets Facebook page!

      Reply
      • Vicky @ Mess For Less says

        February 09, 2013 at 2:27 am

        Thanks so much! I really appreciate it!

        Reply
    7. Rebekah P says

      February 05, 2013 at 3:07 am

      So Pretty! I love this idea, and I am sure my kids will too!

      Reply
      • Vicky @ Mess For Less says

        February 06, 2013 at 11:05 pm

        Thanks Rebekah! I hope they enjoy it!

        Reply
    8. Kirstylee says

      February 04, 2013 at 11:40 pm

      I'm surprised at how much that paper looks like stained glass. They are beautiful!

      Reply
      • Vicky @ Mess For Less says

        February 06, 2013 at 11:01 pm

        Yes, it looks fairly close considering it's juts glue, paper and watercolors. Thanks for stopping by!

        Reply
    9. Melanie @ Raise A Boy says

      February 04, 2013 at 10:58 pm

      Love this! We were playing with glue the other day but it was hard to see. Next time I'll add paint.

      Reply
      • Vicky @ Mess For Less says

        February 06, 2013 at 10:58 pm

        I like how it looks like the leading on stained glass.

        Reply
    10. Lorie K says

      February 04, 2013 at 5:20 pm

      They look so beautiful! We haven't tried this before, so it's on our list. Better pin it so I don't forget!

      Reply
      • Vicky @ Mess For Less says

        February 06, 2013 at 10:56 pm

        Thanks so much Lorie! Really appreciate the pin!

        Reply
    Newer Comments »
    Vicky from Mess for Less

    I'm Vicky, the founder of Mess For Less, which I started in 2011 to share easy, family-friendly recipes. With over a decade of experience as a home chef and recipe developer, I love creating meals that bring people together. I also design play and learning activities for kids, using my background as a former teacher with a Master’s degree in education. Learn more about me.

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