Finger painting is when you use your fingers to paint pictures.

[diamondcutter]

“Today we are going to finger paint,” she (Miss Hannah) said.
“I’m not painting my fingers,” I said. Some of the kids laughed, even though I didn’t say anything funny.
“You silly dumphead,” Andrea said. “Finger painting is when you use your fingers to paint pictures.”

Source: Miss Hannah is Bananas! Dan Gutman

Finger painting is when you use your fingers to paint pictures.

I understand this sentence, which means “Finger painting is painting pictures using your fingers.” What I want to know is whether the use of when-clause here is common. And I’d also like to know if we can also say “Finger painting is that you use your fingers to paint pictures.”

 

[tedmc]

I think the use of the when-clause is understandable in spoken English is not proper in writing. The answer should be a gerund, as in "Finger painting is using fingers to paint".

 

[diamondcutter]

Thanks, Tedmc.

What about this sentence? Does it make sense?

Finger painting is that you use your fingers to paint pictures.

 

[Glizdka]

What about this sentence? Does it make sense?

Finger painting is that you use your fingers to paint pictures.

That doesn't sound right.

 

[Tdol]

Not to me:

Finger painting is using your fingers to paint instead of brushes.

 

[emsr2d2]

I've never heard "dumphead" before.

 

[Tarheel]

I've never heard "dumphead" before.

I missed that. I read it as "dumbhead", which is rather impolite.

 

[Tarheel]

Not to me:

Finger painting is using your fingers to paint instead of brushes.

That's good, but I think I would phrase it more simply, thus:
.
Finger painting is using your fingers to paint. (Because you can't afford brushes?)

 

[probus]

Probably not because you can't afford brushes but more likely because you are in kindergarten.

 

[Tarheel]

Probably not because you can't afford brushes but more likely because you are in kindergarten.

I was joking. (I should have added an ermoji)