Marble Painting

I love marble painting.  What's not to love?  It's fun, easy, and inexpensive.  And for a painting project, it is surprisingly easy to clean up afterwards.

You'll need: marbles, washable paints (I like Crayola), paint cups (mine were once applesauce containers), white paper, low-stick tape, and an empty shoebox.

Put some paint into each paint cup.  If the paint is thick, dilute it with some water.  You'll want the paint to be a bit runny.  Drop a marble in each cup.

Make loops of low-stick tape, then attach a piece of paper to the bottom of the shoebox.  Pick up a marble and drop it in the shoebox.  Pick up the box and wiggle it to make the marble roll around.  When there is no more paint left on the marble, put it back in the paint cup.  Continue with different colors until you are happy with the design.

Here is Trevor's finished paper.

 

Steve walked by while Trevor was creating.  It's very rare that Steve joins us for crafts, but he asked if he could give this a try.  Fun for the whole family!

Of course, you don't have to drop the marbles in one at a time.  You can put them all in at once if you want.

The finished marble art is beautiful on its own, but you can also use it anywhere you'd use patterned paper.  I trimmed my art and used it to make a quick, one-of-a-kind card.

I mentioned the easy cleanup- simply rinse off the marbles and they're good as new.  Recycle the box, or save it for the next painting project.  Rinse the paint cups, or simply let the paint cups dry as is.  You can use the dried paint for a future watercolor project- simply rub with a wet brush.  Works like a charm!