How to paint plaster without the mess

Plaster is a lovely thing to paint. It drinks the color in, it dries quickly, and it forgives almost everything. The table is less forgiving. Here is how we set up at home.

Start with a tray

A wooden tray or a baking sheet turns "everywhere" into "here". Put the figure, the paints and the water cup on it, and the edges do half the supervising for you.

Less water than you think

Plaster soaks up water fast, and a wet brush makes the color run. Dip, then wipe the brush on the edge of the cup. Pale, patchy first coats are normal. The second coat is where it comes alive.

A few small habits

• An old shirt, buttoned backwards, is the best apron there is.
• Paint the bottom last, so there's somewhere dry to hold.
• One color at a time on the brush. Rinse in between, or everything turns a thoughtful brown.
• Let it dry somewhere sunny, out of reach of curious siblings.

And if it does go everywhere

The paints are water-based, so a damp cloth sorts out the table, and most fabrics wash clean if you catch them before they dry. The windowsill full of painted figures is worth it.