If you’re looking for a unique way to liven up a boring cement slab, decorate a retaining wall, or just leave your mark without leaving a chemical footprint, then we have the solution for you — moss graffiti!
Sounds crazy, right? But it isn’t! Using moss you either gather or buy (sans the dirt attached to the roots), some buttermilk or yogurt, water or beer (so many options), and a wee bit of sugar in a blender, you can easily make moss “paint” with which to graffiti to your heart’s content — or until you run out of homemade paint.
We think this is an incredibly clever way to dress up urban landscapes without using the harsh chemicals that can be associated with spray paint and paint markers. And while we think street art is definitely something worth appreciating and celebrating, a certain level of zen-like calm comes to mind when dreaming about this more low-key, environmentally friendly form of self-expression.
Think of the possibilities — especially if you have access to a projector! (If not, try your local rummage shops or school districts — many classrooms use LCD projectors instead of those old metal contraptions we grew up with, so chances are you’d be able to find one of those beasts for cheap if not free.) You could create all sorts of patterns on fences and retaining walls, and paint them in with moss paint to veritably create your own living, breathing, outdoor wallpaper.
Just a couple of suggestions — if when mixing your paint it feels runny, add some corn syrup to thicken it up, like the texture of the paint you’d buy at the store. Also, if you’re looking for a more permanent art feature, try to mist the moss with water once a week to encourage growth, especially if you don’t live in a moist climate. If that doesn’t seem to work, you can always make more paint and try it again.
What surface (if any) would you do up in moss paint? Let us know in the comments and if anyone tries this, please link up to the photos!
Photo: Flickr.com/gruene_bawue
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