Splatter Paint with Balloons

Splatter painting is a fun way to create unique works of art. Bright, colorful, and unique, these pieces are fun and exciting to look at. Most people will create them by flicking paint off of paintbrushes, but did you know that you can use balloons too? Because of how messy this project is, it's a great summertime activity for kids. If the day is super-hot, you can even use water balloons instead to create a tie-dye look!

Steps

Using Regular Balloons

1. Squeeze some paint into the balloon. Open a bottle of washable paint and stretch a balloon over the opening. Flip the balloon and the bottle upside down and give the bottle a squeeze. Don't fill the entire balloon with paint.
   • Tempera and poster paint will work the best, but you can use acrylic too.
2. Remove the balloon and fill it with air. Carefully tip the bottle right-side-up. Pinch the neck of the balloon and pull it off of the bottle. Pump air into the balloon until the balloon is nice and full.
   • You can also blow air into the balloon if you are careful and have strong lungs.
3. Knot the end of the balloon. Pinch the end of the balloon and pull it off of the pump. Wrap the balloon's tail around your finger to make a loop, then pull the end through it to make a knot.
4. Make more balloons. Use a different color of paint for each balloon. If you want to, match the color of the balloon to the paint you are using. This way, you can tell what's inside it. Experiment with using more paint in some balloons than others.
5. Prepare to get messy. Put on a set of clothes you don't mind getting dirty. Find a spot outside that is easy to clean, or where paint splatters are okay. A driveway would be ideal. Wearing sunglasses or goggles would also be a good idea, in case the paint splatters.
6. Pop the balloons over a sheet of poster paper. Spread out a sheet of poster paper on the ground. Arrange the balloons on the paper. Pop them by stomping on them or poking them with pins or wooden skewers.
   • You can stomp on the balloons barefoot or with rain boots.
   • If this is for an older child, pin the balloons through the tail to a foam core board. Prop the board up, then pop the balloons by throwing darts at them.

Using a Water Balloon

1. Squirt some washable paint into a water balloon. Fit a water balloon over a bottle of washable paint. Turn the bottle over and squirt some paint into the balloon. Don't fill the entire balloon with paint, however. You need room for the water.
   • Liquid watercolor, acrylic, tempera, and poster paint will all work great.
   • This method will give you a watered-down, tie-dye effect.
2. Fill the balloon the rest of the way with water. Tip the bottle right-side-up and pull the balloon off. Stretch the end of the balloon over a faucet or hose. Hold the balloon by the bottom, then turn the water on. Let the balloon fill slowly, then turn the faucet off.
3. Knot the end of the balloon. Pinch the end of the balloon and pull it off of the faucet. Place the balloon down into the sink, then carefully knot the end.
4. Make more paint-filled water balloons. Fill each balloon with a different color of paint. Experiment with using different amounts of paint and water. You can also shake the balloons to dilute the paint further.
   • Keep the balloons in a bucket or plastic bin. Be careful not to pop them!
5. Get ready to get dirty. Put on a set of clothes you don't mind getting dirty. Head outside where the paint won't ruin anything. Tape a sheet of poster paper against a wall or fence. You can also prop a foam cord board up against a wall/fence instead.
   • If you aren't allowed to use the wall or fence, spread the paper on the ground, and stand up on a bench or chair.
6. Throw the balloons at the paper. The balloons will burst open when they hit the paper and splatter it with paint. The water will mix with the paint and create a cool, tie-dye or watercolor effect.
   • If you are standing on a bench or chair, simply drop the balloon onto the paper.

Tips

• Acrylic, poster, and tempera paint all work, but they need to be washable.
• Add some glitter into the balloons for extra sparkle.
• Match the paint color to the balloon. This way, you'll know what's inside.
• If you want to do these on the sidewalk, use some sidewalk chalk paint. Make sure it's washable!
• If the paint bottle is too big for the balloon, pour some paint into a smaller bottle and use that instead.
• To make filling easier, pour the paint into squeeze bottles, then squirt the paint into the balloons. You can squirt leftover paint over your finished project.
• White poster paper is the most popular, but you can also try black. This will only work with regular balloons, however.
• Instead of using poster paper with regular balloons, try canvas instead.
• Try watercolor paper instead of poster paper with water balloons.

Things You'll Need

Using Regular Balloons

• Regular balloons
• Washable paint
• Poster paper
• Air pump (recommended)
• Pins or wooden skewers (optional)

Using Water Balloons

• Water balloons
• Washable paint
• Water
• Poster paper

Sources and Citations

See also

• Paint Photos or Copy Masters Using XL Transparency
• Paint an Engine Bay
• Paint a Car Interior
• Use Matte Paint
• Use Chalk Paint
• Paint Ducks in a Row in Watercolor
• Paint Fluid Art
• Puffy Paint a Shirt
• Create an Abstract Painting
• Create a Paint Booth in Your Garage

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