Invisible Ink Using Turmeric

Hey guys!

In this Instructable, we're making art that magically transforms! You may already have all the materials you need at home.

• turmeric
• baking soda or washing powder
• hand sanitizer (or rubbing alcohol etc. - see steps)
• water
• watercolor paper
• paintbrushes

Turmeric is a natural pH indicator. When it’s in contact with something alkaline, it turns red.

To demonstrate this, I mixed washing powder with water and added it to some turmeric. As you can see, it turns red.

When I added lemon juice, which is acidic, it gradually went back to being yellow.

So let’s use this in an artistic way!

You can mix baking soda or washing powder with water to create your invisible ink. They both work the same way.

I used thicker paper that’s meant for watercolors and things like that so the paper won’t warp like crazy.

Use paintbrushes, sponges and more to write or paint whatever you like!

Of course it is a bit tricky to do this, because you can barely see what you’re doing. It helps to have good lighting.

Wipe off any excess powder once this invisible ink has completely dried.

So now to the magical ink that will transform your picture. You will need turmeric and something that contains alcohol.

I didn’t have rubbing alcohol, which I’ve seen some people use, so I tried using perfume. It worked, but the smell was a bit too much.

Then I saw people using hand sanitizer and that worked really well. The color doesn’t seem to matter at all.

Use a container that you don’t mind getting stained and add some turmeric to it.

Then add the hand sanitizer. It may seem weird because it’s a gel, but after some stirring it will become more liquid.

If you let the mixture sit for a bit, the liquid will separate from the powder - and that’s what you want to paint with.

Technically, you can just use water mixed with turmeric to reveal your hidden messages. But as you can see here, alcohol works much better.

You can make a template first and use a window to trace it with the invisible ink. A flashlight can help to see what you're doing if your lighting is bad.

I used this method to make "The One Ring" from Lord of the Rings.

To get the background texture I was looking for, I used a scrunched up tissue.

For this leaf transformation, I drew a green leaf with colored pencils first and then painted over it with the invisible ink.

I used a sponge as well for some texture.

If you draw something in yellow first and paint over it with invisible ink, the yellow message will blend in with the turmeric ink and disappear (I used a yellow Sharpie here).

I hope you liked this project!