Of all the creative paint techniques for making abstract art, blowing paint and soap bubbles has to be one of my favorites. You start by mixing paint, dish soap and water, and then blow bubbles. When the bubbles make contact with paper, you achieve a gorgeous marbled effect. You can display the finished art as is or cut it into smaller pieces to make cards. This is a fun activity for all ages. I find it so relaxing, I can make bubble art for hours.
What you’ll need:
Tempera paint
Dish soap
Water
Paper or plastic bowls
Spoons
Straws or hollow coffee stirrers
Paper or cardstock
1. For each color, mix about two teaspoons of paint with two teaspoons of dish soap in a paper or plastic bowl. The amounts do not have to be exact — just estimate. Add four tablespoons of water and mix the solution with a spoon.
2. Insert a straw or hollow coffee stirrer into the solution and blow. Keep blowing until the bubbles go higher than the rim of the bowl.
3. Place your paper on top of the bubbles, and as they pop they will create a design. I find I get the best results by holding the paper directly over the bowl while I’m blowing, and then moving the paper around to spread the color.
4. Add different colors to your artwork for greater visual depth and interest. Three or four colors total are ideal. Any more, and it’s ungapatchka.
Jonathan Fong is the author of “Flowers That Wow” and “Parties That Wow,” and host of “Style With a Smile” on YouTube. You can see more of his do-it-yourself projects online.
