Make Rainbow Magnets Using Watercolors!

Make these cool rainbow magnets using acrylic shapes and Mod Podge. They’re so easy to make with watercolor and look great on the fridge.

Skills Required: None. Even if you’ve never crafted before, you’ll be able to make these magnets. You’ll be painting with watercolor and then Mod Podging the rainbow magnets.

Hello, it’s Rachel of Lines Across here again sharing a fun Mod Podge tutorial with you. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably noticed my recent obsession with watercolors.

I just love their vibrant colors, and I think that there are so many beautiful things that even people who wouldn’t consider themselves artists at all can make with them.

This rainbow craft project was a little bit of an experiment for me. We’ve done bottlecap magnets, photo magnets, and clothespin magnets . . . but never magnets with Mod Podge and watercolor.

I wasn’t quite sure how these fridge magnets would turn out (would I get bleeding?), and played around with a few different versions of the same idea before figuring out which one looked best.

I actually ended up using my nicer set of watercolors (the rectangular ones) to make these magnets because they have the most vibrant colors.

You could use really any watercolors for this post, like the round ones in some of the pictures, which you can find at JoAnn’s for about $8. The colors are just slightly less vibrant, but they are still really beautiful.

DIY Rainbow Magnets

What You Need:

• Acrylic shapes
• Mod Podge – any formula
• White cardstock
• Scissors
• Watercolors
• A flat paintbrush
• Magnets

What you do:

1. Start by cutting pieces of cardstock to be about the same size as your acrylic shapes. It’s ok if they are a little larger, you can trim them later. (You could also use watercolor paper. I used cardstock and it worked very well!)

2. Paint your watercolor brushstrokes. To create a beautiful watercolor look, start by painting a rectangle with a lot of water and less pigment.

Then get a lot of color on your brush, and go back in and add more color to the rectangle while the first layer is still wet. I especially added more to the top of each one to make it look like a brushstroke.

3. Let your rectangles dry fully before going on to the next step. If you used a lot of water, this might take a long time, but it’s important that they are completely dry.

4. Use a paintbrush to cover your paper rectangle with Mod Podge Paper. I was worried that it would make the watercolors bleed everywhere (and a little bit of that would be ok), but it didn’t at all. I would just suggest trying to dab a medium coat over the watercolors and not to brush it on with a lot of force.

5. Attach the acrylic shape on top of the piece of paper. Press them together fully so that there aren’t any holes or bubbles.

At first your watercolor area will look a little white because of the Mod Podge, but that will go away as it dries. You can also add a coat of Mod Podge to the back of the paper to seal it in.

6. When they’re dried completely, trim any paper edges that might be sticking out. Then attach magnets to the back and enjoy. You may also want to clean off any Mod Podge that may be on the front with a damp paper towel.

I just love how these little rainbow magnets look, and of course I couldn’t resist lining them up in color order. Rainbow lovers, unite! Note that my littles really enjoy this project as well – it would be a perfect summer craft for kids.

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Rainbow Magnets

Learn how to make the cutest rainbow magnets with simple shapes and Mod Podge! These are perfect for kids and beginning crafters.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Active Time1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Yield: 9 magnets

Cost: $2

Equipment

• Paintbrush(es)
• Scissors

Materials

• Acrylic shapes
• Mod Podge
• Cardstock white
• Watercolors
• Magnets
• Craft glue or hot glue

Instructions

• Cut pieces of cardstock to the same size as the acrylic shapes. It’s ok if they are a little larger; you can trim them later.
• Paint the pieces of cardstock. To create a beautiful watercolor look, start by painting a rectangle with a lot of water and less pigment.
• Get a lot of color on the brush, and go back in and add more color to the rectangle while the first layer is still wet. Let the rectangles dry completely.
• Use a paintbrush to cover a rectangle with Mod Podge. Add a medium coat.
• Attach the acrylic shape on top of the piece of paper. Press them together fully so that there aren’t any holes or bubbles.
• Repeat with each rectangle and let dry completely. Trim any paper edges that might be sticking out.
• Attach magnets to the back using either craft glue or a hot glue gun. Let dry/cool before using.

If you like these easy magnets, check out these other painting projects (using watercolor). Lots of great ideas:

• Beautiful (and Easy) Watercolor Collage
• Painting for Kids: 50 Unique Ideas They’ll Love
• Using Mod Podge with Watercolor Vase
• Using Mod Podge as a Watercolor Resist