Tools:
Cardstock Paper
Toothpicks or Skewers-depending on the thickness you want. I used the toothpick.
Glue-I use Tacky Glue.
Hole Punch
Paint-Black, Silver, Rust Color and various colors to add leaking paint if you like.
Clamp of some sort- I like to use forceps because they add ridges where the tube would have them.
2mm seed beads
tiny brushes
Some sort of label- I just used something I found on google images. By the time I shrunk it down small enough I could not see the writing so it didn’t really matter what it said.
Scissors or paper cutter
Ruler with millimeters. Helpful but not necessary.
- Cut a strip of cardstock the length you want your miniature paint tube to be. You will only need enough to wrap around the toothpick I cut mine at about 7/16″ so my tube will be 7/16″ long. Just relax! Paint tubes come in all different sizes so this does not have to be exact.
- I like to pre-roll my paper around the toothpick so it will have it’s curve already and be easier to work with.
- Roll your paper around the toothpick and glue. Hold until it has a grip and slide it off the toothpick and let it dry for a bit.
- Congratulations! You have a wee little paper tube.
- Now add a bit of glue at one end, AND I MEAN A BIT, and clamp it.
- For the other end you can either use a tiny hold punch or glue it to a piece of scrap card stock and trim it off once it dries.
- Now walk away! It should be good and dry before you trim or paint it. This is where I always wreck it.
- Once it is fully dry, trim the excess paper away.
- Now it is time to paint. I put on a layer of black and then a layer of silver.
- Once that is dry I dipped the top of mine in a rust color because I wanted it to look old and used. You can skip this part if you like.
- Glue your wee little black seed bead onto the end and glue you label around the tube.
- Voila! You are finished your wee little artist’s paint tube.